Isle of Monsters (Mayday Games)

Somewhere in the middle of the ocean is a small isle that has long been forgotten by most. On this mysterious land, there are monsters with the power of earth, fire, and water. The locals of this island have learned to feed and train these creatures to keep outsiders away and be the Protector of the Island. This is Isle of Monsters. Isle of Monsters is a game for 2-5 players, ages 10+. It takes between 20 and 45 minutes to play and retails for $30.

Setup
1. Place the Center Island Board in the middle of the table.
2. Place a Cage Board in front of each player.
3. Place an Outer Island Board between each cage board, so that each player is always adjacent to two.
4. Shuffle all the Creature Cards and remove a certain number depending on player count.
5. Deal a number of Creature Cards face-down to form a pile on each Outer Island Board.
6. Once these cards are dealt, flip each pile face-up to reveal the bottom (now top) Creature Card. Put any remaining Creature Cards not dealt near the board for future replenishment.
7. Put the Food Tokens in the Draw Bag and mix them up. Draw tokens from the bag equal to the player count and place them on the Center Island Board. Then, draw and place two Food Tokens on each of the Outer Island Boards.
8. Put all the Scare Point Tokens face-up near the play area.
9. Pick a starting player and give them a draw bag.

Game Play - The game takes place over several rounds with four phases each round:
1. Nurture Phase - Beginning with the starting player and moving clockwise, take one of three actions:
a. Capture - Take the top Creature Card on either adjacent Outer Island Board and place it in an empty cage on your Cage Board.
b. Feed - Take one Food Token from the Center Island Board or either adjacent Outer Island Board and place it on a matching feeding space of one of your Creature Cards.
c. Pass - The first player to pass takes the Draw Bag and becomes the start player next round. After all players have passed, proceed to the Mature Phase.
2. Mature Phase - All players check their Cage Boards to see if any Creature Cards are fully fed (no empty feeding spaces). Remove fully fed Creature Cards from the Cage Board, return all Food Tokens on those fully fed Creature Cards to the draw bag. Place the matured creatures face-down next to your Cage Board.
3. Scare Phase - Repeat the following three steps to score Scare Points until everyone is out or only one player has Creature Cards remaining.
a. Player Creature Cards - Take your mature Creature Cards into your hand. Everyone who has at least one Creature Card must choose a single type (water, earth, or fire) to play. Once you decide, place them face-down on the table covered by your hand. When everyone is ready, simultaneously reveal the Creature Cards.
b. Scare the Crowd - Add up the Scare Value of all the Creature Cards you just played. If you have the highest total, take a 3 point Scare Point Token. If there is a tie, players instead take 1 point Scare Point Tokens.
c. Scare Other Creatures - Take a 1 point Scare Point Token for each adjacent player with a played Creature Card type that you scare. (For example, fire scares earth.)
4. Clean-up Phase - The player with the draw bag draws Food Tokens from the bag and places an amount equal to the number of players on the Center Island Board. He also places two Food Tokens on each Outer Island Board. Next, a Creature Card is drawn and placed face-up on each Outer Island Board.

When the last Creature Card is dealt from the deck, the final round begins. The player with the most Scare Point Tokens is the winner.

Review
Isle of Monsters is a cute and clever game that is perfect for children and families. The choices you make are simple but meaningful. Which of the two creature cards will I pick? Will I pass on taking a creature in favor of feeding a creature I already have? Do I remember what types of creatures my opponents had this round, and can I play the correct type of creature that will defeat theirs? There is a little bit of randomness to the game, because you will only have access to two different decks of creatures and this might give you powerful enough creatures to capture the scare the crowd bonus. Also, you never know what type of food will come out and be available to you on the outer islands. Knowing this, it is important to see what type of food the player after you needs, so you can take it before them and prevent their creatures from maturing.

The thing I like most about this game is the artwork. It is very colorful. Each of the creatures has a number on them ranging from 1 to 9. The 1 creature is a tiny little baby monster. As you increase in numbers, you see different stages of growth of that same creature with the level 9 creature being a fully grown and "terrifying" monster. The game has a bit of a Pokemon feel to it with the collecting of creatures, feeding of creatures, and different artwork kind of like evolution of Pokemon. At least with this game, you have everything you need in the box and don't have to go out and hunt down hundreds of different cards. With eye-catching art, simple mechanics, a fast playing time, and the ability to play five, this is a family game I would strongly recommend.

This game was provided to me for free by Mayday Games in exchange for an honest review.

Macroscope (Mayday Games)

Party games are wildly popular in the board game hobby, because they play a larger number of people than your standard four player game, are easy to learn and quick to play, and are friendly for gamers and non-gamers alike. It's a big reason that Codenames was a smash hit and won game of the year. Mayday Games recently published what I would consider a party game or filler game called Macroscope. It plays 2-6 people (but I think could play more if you had teams) age 6+. It takes about 30 minutes to play and retails for $30.

Setup
1. Before your first game assemble the Macroscope.
2. Place the Macroscope in the center of the table.
3. Place the deck of cards in it with the pizza card on top.
4. Cover the Macroscope with its lid and place random tokens on each round window of the lid.
5. Remove the pizza card.
6. Place the round tracker next to the Macroscope with the marker on space 1.
7. Place the dice in the center of the table and give each player two yellow crystals. The remaining crystals are placed close by.

Game Play
On your turn, roll both dice. For each die, remove one token with a number that matches the die face. For each die you have without a matching token, remove a token of your choice. After each token is removed, you may either make a guess or opt not to and take a yellow token. If you guess and are correct, you receive yellow crystals for each token left on the macroscope. If someone things you are wrong, they may pay two yellow crystals and guess themselves. If you choose not to guess, another player may guess for the price of two yellow crystals. After a successful guess is made, each other player who didn't guess the picture loses as many crystals as there are tokens on the macroscope. Play passes to the next player and the game lasts 10 rounds. The player with the most points is the winner.

Review
Mayday Games tries to put out family friendly games that are easy on the budget and large on the fun meter. Sometimes they succeed and other times they miss the mark. Macroscope succeeds and hits the ball out of the park. The game plays quickly, is easy to teach, and is just a fun, little party puzzle. I particularly liked building the macroscope from cardboard, and it was a nice little element that makes a statement on the table. They could have easily just given us a sheet of paper with holes in it to cover the cards, but they didn't. Having played this game several times, I haven't made it through half of the large deck of cards. Thankfully they are double-sided so when they run out, I can just flip them over and get a new deck to play with. Like most people though, I am hoping that there will be expansion packs that are just more of these cards. The best part of this game is that I can play it with anybody. From people who game to people who don't, young children to older adults, each one has found this game to be a fun little filler. I highly recommend picking up a copy and use this as a light game to introduce people to the modern world of board games.

This game was provided to me for free by Mayday Games in exchange for an honest review.

Nerdy Inventions (Mayday Games)

Today, I'm reviewing another game published by Mayday Games called Nerdy Inventions. In Nerdy Inventions you and your opponents are inventors trying to compete to build the best inventions which can produce the most abilities and score the most points. The game plays 2-4 players, age 8+. It takes about 30 minutes to play and retails for $20.

Setup
1. Form the Invention Row by arranging the Dice Value Cards in descending value from six to one.
2. Give each player the Starting Invention Card corresponding to their player number. The card is placed face up in front of the player to form their Laboratory.
3. Every player, except the starting player, is also given a Tool Card.
4. Shuffle the Invention Cards to form the Invention Deck. Then, deal one card face-up under each Dice Value Card.

Game Play - A turn consists of three phases:
1. Roll three dice
2. Take any of four possible actions in any order as many times as you are able and wish to:
a) Build an invention
b) Use an invention
c) Charge an invention
d) Swap a card in the invention row
3. Refill the invention row

If a player uses a certain level five card ability, the game ends immediately. Otherwise, once the last card from the invention deck is dealt to the invention row, players keep taking turns until it is the start player's turn, so that everyone has the same number of turns. You then add up points on each invention and tool card in your laboratory. If you have a set of seven or more different kinds of inventions, you score bonus points.

Review
Nerdy Inventions is a quick little filler game that focuses on dice manipulation and engine building. With each invention that you build, you unlock more powers such as increasing/decreasing dice values, re-rolling dice, swapping inventions, and even splitting up the value of a die to make two dice. The game plays quick, and it is pretty easy to both learn and teach. There is also a little bit of the luck factor, as with all dice game, but that is mitigated over time with your inventions. The artwork and inventions are steampunk in theme, which is an oft-visited theme, but not overpowering in this since. What I would have liked is the inventions to have names. Sure, you can name yourself, but it felt like the game was incomplete without them. Overall, I would recommend this game for casual gamers and families. I'm not sure I'd pay retail for it, but if it was on sale, it be worth checking out as it's quick, portable, and fun.

This game was provided to me for free by Mayday Games in exchange for an honest review.

AssassinCon (Mayday Games)

Everyone loves a good convention, and if it has prizes, that makes it even better. This is true for weddings, board games, and even assassins. (Yes, you read the right). AssassinCon is a once a year event where the best assassins gather worldwide to prove who is the best. There is no actual killing, simply deception and elimination. AssassinCon is a game for 4-6 players, age 10+. It retails for $30 and takes approximately 30 minutes to play.

Setup
1. Place the game board in the middle of the table.
2. Randomly place the six Assassin Pawns onto the game board in each room marked with a star.
3. Randomly choose a player to be the Lead Assassin. In future rounds, this will rotate clockwise.
4. All players place their Status Card face-up with the #1 at the top. The player to your left is your Pursuer, and the player to your right is your Target.
5. Form six decks of Movement Cards for each color Assassin. Place that Assassin's Target card on top. Then, have everyone close their eyes while the Lead Assassin flips the decks face-down and shuffles them around. Players will then choose a deck at random.
6. Each player then gives their Target card face-down to their Pursuer, who looks at it in secret. (Note: If playing with fewer than six players, you will do this for dummy players as well, keeping Target cards secret.)

Game Play - The game takes place over several rounds with three phases each round.
1. Planning Phase - Each player selects one Movement Card from their deck and hands them face-down to the Lead Assassin. He also collects cards from any dummy players. He then shuffles the cards. (Note: Eliminated players still contribute cards.) During this phase, you are trying to spook the other players into Calling Guards. If guards are called three things can happen and then the round ends:
a. The accusation is correct and the accuser receives one point, plus all points accumulated by the Pursuer this round.
b. The accusation is incorrect and the card revealed matches an eliminated player. The eliminated player receives two points.
c. The accusation is incorrect and the card revealed matches an active or dummy player. Everyone but the accuser receives two points.
2. Movement Phase - The Lead Assassin reveals the Movement Cards one at a time and moves the pawns accordingly.
3. Elimination Phase - If a player ends up in the same room as his target, he may make an elimination by showing the color of his deck to only his Target. If successful, the Pursuer receives one point and the eliminated player gives his Target to his Pursuer. If unsuccessful, the Pursuer is eliminated and the Pursuer gives his Target to the attempted elimination.

The round ends when two or fewer assassins are remaining or players have no cards left in their hand. At the end of a round if one players has five or more points that player wins. If a tie, keep playing until there is a clear winner.

Review
When I first read through the rule book, I was a little confused at how the game would play. I then re-read it and realized that I just needed to play the game through, and that was the best decision. The game seems very simple at its core, but there is actually more to this game than first appears. You are not just trying to eliminate your target as quickly as possible. Instead, it is more like a game of cat and mouse. You want to eliminate your opponent, but you want to do it an opportune time, when it isn't obvious what you are doing and who you are. If you are too obvious, guards will be called and you will be busted. If you are subtle enough, then you can accumulate a couple of eliminations in one round. The game plays best with more players. When you have dummy players, it takes a bit of the fun away from the game. What I like best is the quick nature of the game. Since you are only playing to five points, the game takes around 2-3 rounds to complete and then you can play the game again or move on to a different game. Lastly, the game is actually more family-friendly than I initially thought it would be, because no one really dies, they are just eliminated from the contest.

This game was provided to me for free by Mayday Games in exchange for an honest review.

Get Bit! Deluxe Edition (Mayday Games)

Get Bit! Deluxe Edition is a game for 3-6 players ages 7+. It takes approximately 20 minutes to play and retails for $26. In this game, you are competing against other swimmers, trying to stay alive, and not be eaten by the shark. Let's get to the setup.

Setup
1. Give each player a swimmer and a hand of seven cards that match their swimmer's color. (Note: In a five player game, remove the number 7 card, and in a four player game, remove the number 6 and 7 cards.
2. Place the swimmers randomly in a line, with one behind the other. Initial order is not important.
3. Place the shark at the end of the line and at the feet of the last swimmer.

Game Play - The game is played in rounds following these three steps:
1. Play cards - Each player picks a card from their hand and places it face down. When all players have done this, flip the cards face up and examine the results.
2. Move swimmers - If players reveal tied cards, their figures remain stationary. Non-tied players move their figures to the front of the line starting with the lowest number played. (Example: Red = 1, Brown = 1, Blue = 2, Green = 3. Red and Brown do not move. Blue moves to the front. Then, Green moves in front of Blue.)
3. Get Bit - Remove a limb from the swimmer at the end of the line. If that swimmer has no remaining limbs, remove it from the table. Otherwise, that swimmer goes to the front of the line and picks up his cards and returns them to his hand. (Note: This step is skipped in the first round.) If a player ever has fewer than two cards in his hand, he must also pick up his cards and return them to his hand.
5. Repeat these three steps until there are only two swimmers left. The swimmer at the front of the line is declared the winner.

Review
The game is super-easy to setup and learn, which makes it perfect for children or people new to gaming. It also plays quickly, so if you get eliminated from the game, you don't feel too bad and can re-join a new game fairly quickly. The Get Bit! Deluxe Edition is nicer than the standard version because it comes in a metal tin as opposed to a paper tuck box. It also comes with stickers to decorate your figures and make them a bit more lifelike. The figures are my favorite part of the game, after the shark of course! They are about the size of LEGO men, and you can just pop their head and limbs on and off with ease. Very cool!

What is also great about this game is that it can scale up or down, as necessary. If it is just you and your wife playing, instead of playing with one figure, you each get two. But what if you have a family larger than six (a common Catholic situation) or a child who doesn't like any of the included figure colors of Red. White, Brown, Green, Blue, or Black? Luckily, there are several inexpensive "expansions," which can increase the number of players. For $5 each, you can buy figures in Pink, Orange, and Green. What if you want to play as the Shark? There's a $4 expansion for that. There are also Dolphin and Squid dice that can add to the craziness if you so feel inclined!

Overall, I found this to be a quick and enjoyable game that didn't overstay its welcome. It is a game that belongs on every family's game shelf and one that your kids will be reaching for time and time again.

This game was provided to me for free by Mayday Games in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!