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One of my favorite things to do this time of year is to start compiling my Christmas list, because right now the list can be unlimited!
Games Coming In Time For the Holidays
Fans of family strategy games are in for a treat in the coming months based on Rio Grande Games' posted release schedule.
Hasbro's holiday 2002 game batch includes mainly games released earlier in the year, many worth buying particularly if you play games with your children.
And here's an admittedly incomplete list of games either released recently or coming out soon from other companies include:
I'm working on a Holiday 2002 Board Games Gift Guide. If you have any suggestions, send them my way: boardgames.guide@about.com.
Games I'm Playing
I'm seriously thinking about putting this section on hold. Even with a three-day weekend I racked up an inexcusable zero games. The need to have a real job (since I don't know of any way to get paid a full-time salary playing games) can really cramp my playing time. :-) But I know that I won't be able to make it through the weekend without playing the next game at least once...
Games I Can See While Sitting At My Computer
I've cleaned up a bit this week, so there is only one, a game my wife bought for me yesterday:
From Frank Branham (OK, it's a post to the Forum and not an email, but it holds great information):
A: Cash flow is the big issue to printing. You have to lay out a lot of cash up front, and it represents the bulk of expenses for a small company. Slow sales, slow game. *AND* just shipping games doesn't guarantee money anytime soon. You have to collect on occasion.
B: In Mayfair and Rio Grande's case where they are piggy backing on a run alongside a German company, you have to wait for the German company to reprint.
C: These hobby games are still REALLY tiny print runs, from the point of view of printing companies. And because it takes MORE time to set up the press to run a small job, the costs on tiny runs are lots.
So... you allow the printer to schedule the job within the next two months. And you don't know the schedule until you have money.
So I used to be sort of amazed at the delays in releasing a game. Nowadays I'm amazed that the Chinese Fire Drill involved actually ends up producing games.
Boardgame Top Picks List of the Week
Dexterity games can be a great way to have fun with board games but not expend too much brain power. Here are my picks for the best five dexterity games.
Clue Jr.
Board Games Survivor Island Update
In another surprise vote, Settlers of Catan got tossed into the ocean this week, leaving us with 11 games. Settlers of Catan joins Princes of Florence as a game I thought would make it to the very end, but instead got tossed into the ocean early on.
Only two of the games on the island have zero votes against them: San Marco and Star Wars Epic Duels.
About Something Else Site of the Week
Digging into your family history can be a great hobby, full of discovery and a greater sense of connection with your past. About's Genealogy site, run by Kimberly Powell, has a superb collection of tools to help you find your way.
Green Bay Packers Notes of the Week
5-1 is a beautiful thing. Now we need to avoid a letdown and our defense needs to play tough against the Redskins and their rookie quarterback Patrick Ramsey. Brett Favre is on track for another MVP-like season and his receiving corps has outperformed even the highest expectations anyone had going into the season. Last week's defensive performance -- by a crew that was missing five of its starters, against the defending Super Bowl champions -- was as impressive as I've seen in a long time.
Prediction: Packers, 31; Redskins, 17.
Other Off-Topic Thoughts of the Week
Netflix, the rent-by-mail DVD company, has me obsessed right now. Beth and I subscribed to the $19.95-a-month plan, and we have listed more than 300 DVDs in our queue, which I believe must signify something unhealthy. On tap this weekend, if time permits: Blood Simple, Spy Game, The Lady from Shanghai.
Boardgames Poll of the Week
Last Week's Poll Results
Which game should have won the 2003 Games 100 Game of the Year?
What's That You Say?
Talk back to SMG in the About Board Games Forum.
--Erik Arneson
19 October 2002
Email of the Week
I always used to fault Mayfair for releasing games months (years) late than an announcement. Then I started dealing with game companies.
Future Emails of the Week can be sent to boardgames.guide@about.com.
Game Review of the Week
Which pet has hidden which toy in the doghouse? That's the question in this scaled-down version of Clue.
