Our monthly game night at the local Jet Coffee has been getting more popular lately. We are getting close to the Southern Board Game Fest in March, so the energy is high. Sagan, who organizes these meetups, sometimes sets up friendly introductory tournaments. Last Friday, we had a special session where I finally got to try a game I have been wanting to play for a long time.
The first game we played was Compile. It is a two-player battle game designed by Michael Yang. The goal is to “compile” one of three emotions before your opponent does. The theme is about two AI computers trying to understand human feelings first. Each emotion has its own small deck of cards. We mixed three chosen decks together and played cards from our hands to the table.
I could not stay for the whole tournament, but I played a warm-up game against Sagan’s wife, Emily. It was a very close match, but I got lucky with my final move. After my game, I stuck around to help teach new players how to play. I was impressed by how fast it is to learn. The rules are simple: you can play a card to a lane to do its effect, compile a lane if you have enough strength, or refresh your hand back up to five cards. The real challenge is thinking about how to use your cards well.
Next, Sagan taught me Orapa Mine. He described it as a better version of Battleship, and he was right. Each player secretly places five objects on a hidden grid board. Then, taking turns, players shoot a laser straight down a line on the grid, either up and down or left and right. The other player tells you where the laser stopped and what color it is.
Since the shapes we pick have different edges, the light bounces around. It might bounce back to you, or it might hit a building and change direction. If it hits multiple buildings, it gets a mixed color. These are the only clues you get. From there, you have to figure out where the mines are hidden. The turns are fast, and there are some cool card plays in the themed decks. I really enjoyed it and might buy a copy to play with my sons.
This game caught the eye of people walking by because it looks so colorful on the table. It was hard to talk while playing because it really makes you think. It is one of the most brain-melting games I have played recently, even though it only takes about twenty minutes. I would definitely play it again.
Finally, we played our first game of My Island. We only played the intro scenario. I do not want to give away too many details because it is a legacy game, but if you have played My City, you will understand how it works.
Players discover an uncharted island and score points by placing tiles that fit the spaces around the island. Just like the previous game, the choices are easy at first but get more difficult as you play. I played with my son, his wife, and SneauxBunny. It was the same group that played Ticket to Ride Legacy, and they loved this one too. We plan to play the campaign over the next few months, so I can talk more about it later.
It has been a solid start to the year for gaming. Next up is Euro Monday, and I am excited to bring a new game to the table. It will be the first time I have played that specific game in a long time.
