Game Arrivals: Week of Aug 12th – 18th

This week’s arrivals include the following games:


Africana
Z-Man Games

New out from Z-Man Games is Africana.  Step back in time to the late 19th century where European nations set out to explore the secrets of the African continent.


Players travel from city to city completing multiple expeditions under contract.  Clever utilization of the travel routes and completion of many expeditions will yield the finances necessary to acquire adventure cards that contain valuable artifacts.


You can learn more about this game from our connecting here to our Game Profile: Afriana

Cthulhu Fluxx
Looney Labs



New out from Looney Labs is this card game that will drive you insane! 


“The Necronomicon has been stolen, a Farm is undergoing a horrifying Metamorphosis, and abominations stir in Penguin-riddled Tombs beneath the ice.  Will your curiosity lead you to inevitable Doom, or are you actually a secret Cultist?  Gaze upon the ever-changing face of madness with Cthulhu Fluxx.”












Diplomacy
Avalon Hill/Wizards of the Coast



Another classic board game hits our shelves.


Diplomacy challenges players to rely on their own cunning and cleverness, not dice, to determine the outcome of this game of conspiracies and conquest.


This is a classic game of international intrigue, trust, and treachery.












Also back in by popular demand:

  • Mr. Jack
  • Ticket to Ride: Alvin & Dexter
  • Last Night on Earth: The Zombie Game
  • Say Anything
Continue to tune in for the latest in board games.

At Off The Charts Games, we have a store full of family games, strategy games, Euro-style games, war games, card games, dice games and more. Also for the puzzle enthusiasts we carry quality puzzles from Ravensburger, TDC, and White Mountain.
We proudly serve Gresham and the greater Portland and Vancouver area.

Game Profile: Africana

Join an Expedition – – Travel  – – Complete the Expedition

 
Publisher: Z-Man Games, 2012
Players: 2 – 4
Time: 60 minutes
Mechanics Set Collection, Card Drafting, Point-to-Point Movement

Africana is a game set in 19th century Africa where European nations set out to explore the secrets of this continent.  Each player will represent a European nation.  Players will use travel cards to move about the board.  In the process
they will join and complete expeditions. Players can buy adventure cards that will require them to travel to a particular city to claim the artifact on that card.  The money to buy cards is awarded for joining expeditions, completing expeditions and claiming artifacts on adventure cards.

Africana is a 60-minute game with simple mechanics but requiring plenty of tactical decision-making. Players must manage their travel cards and their money supply to be able to purchase adventure cards that match well with the ever-changing expedition
cards as they become available.  Completed expeditions are replaced by new expeditions until the expedition card deck is exhausted.  Final scores include points for completed expeditions, claimed adventure cards, plus points for collecting sets of artifacts. Excess coins can also be resold for points at the end of the game.  The player with the most points wins.

 

We have an open copy of Africana available in our Store Demo Library for you come in and try out.

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Continue to check in for the latest in board games.
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Come and visit us at 30 NW 2nd Street in Historic Downtown Gresham. We have a full range of family games, strategy games, Euro-style games, war games, card games, dice games and more. Also for the puzzle enthusiasts we carry quality puzzles from Ravensburger, White Mountain, and Cobble Hill.
 
We proudly serve Gresham and the greater Portland and Vancouver area

Game Events: Week of Aug. 12th – 18th

Come and join in on the fun with Game Night. It’s a great way to meet other game enthusiasts. Here is this week’s schedule:



Date: Fri.  Aug. 17th
Time: 6 pm
Place: Off The Charts Games Store


Friday’s Featured Games
To learn more about each featured board game click on the game name below it’s picture. 


Edo
Queen Games
Trollhalla
Z-Man Games
No Experience is Necessary. We are happy to teach you the rules and you started.

While these are the featured games any of the games in our Demo Library are available for play while you are here.

Come Play ~ ~ ~ It’s Free ~ ~ ~ It’s Fun!

Game Profile: Edo

An extraordinary strategy game involving an interesting planning mechanism.


Mechanics Worker Placement, Resources Management, Simultaneous Action
Selection
Theme Japan 1603 – 1868
Publication Queen Games, 2012
Ages 12+
Time 60
Players 2 – 4
Description
Edo is a worker placement and resource management
game set in Japan in the years 1603 to 1868. 
Players use a unique planning system at the start of each turn.  This involves secretly selecting three actions
out of a possible twelve actions to perform and placing them on a player
planning board.  During this planning phase
players assign their workers to each of their selected actions which will determine
how many times they will be able to perform the actions.  Each player starts the game with four workers
(officials).  Some of the possible
actions include: ◙ allowing players to move a worker from their planning board
to the main board as a Samurai; ◙ allowing players to obtain additional workers
for their planning board.  Some actions
require the pairing of workers on a players’ planning board with Samurais on
the game board before they can be performed. The primary function of a player’s
workers and Samurais is to obtain necessary resources for construction of houses,
trading posts, and fortresses, and for feeding their Samurais.  Each building type requires a combination of
resources and money to construct.  Points
are awarded for the construction of each type of building.  Buildings can be constructed in any of the various
cities including Edo. Each city yields different levels of income at the end of
each round based on the number and type of buildings within that city.  Points and resources can also be gained
through trading with a roving merchant. The first player to gain 12 victory
points through building and trading will be the winner.

We have an open copy of Edo is available in our Store Demo Library for you come in and try out.


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Continue to check in for the latest in board games.
~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~


Come and visit us at 30 NW 2nd Street in Historic Downtown Gresham. We have a full range of family games, strategy games, Euro-style games, war games, card games, dice games and more. Also for the puzzle enthusiasts we carry quality puzzles from Ravensburger, White Mountain, and Cobble Hill.

We proudly serve Gresham and the greater Portland and Vancouver area.

Game Profile: Kairo

Become the richest and largest bazaar merchant in Cairo.


Mechanics Tile Placement, Hand Management
Theme Cairo Bazaars
Publication Queen Games, 2012
Ages 8+
Time 45      
Players 2 – 4
Description

Kairo is another game from Queen Games with colorful
tiles and multiple colors of money.  In
addition this game brings six customers into play each a different color.  Each player starts the game with three different
market stalls (out of a possible six) placed in the market area.  Throughout the game players will place additional
stalls and expand their existing stalls at a cost, of course. Points are gained
by increasing the size of your stalls.  In
order to pay the cost of placing more market stalls you must earn money by luring
customers to your stalls.  Market stalls,
money and customers all come in six different colors.  The key to success will be to lure the right
color customer to the right color stall.

An interesting twist in
the game is that only five of the six customers are available in the market at
a given time.  When a customer (say red) reaches
a market stall that customer (red) is replaced by the customer (say white) currently
absent from the market.  Therein lays the
challenge, luring the color of customer you need to your market stall of the
respective color.  The color of money is
important because it is most cost effective to use the same color money as the
color of the market tile being placed than to spend different color money.

Not only do players score
for adding to their respective stalls but bonus points are earned for building
the largest stall of a particular color. Space in the market is limited so grab
the best sites early, lure as many customers and expand wisely to gain the most
victory points and victory.  This is a
game that is very tactical and has more going on that it originally appears.

We have an open copy of Kairo available in our Store Demo Games Library for you come in and try.



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Continue to check in for the latest in board games.
~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~


Come and visit us at 30 NW 2nd Street in Historic Downtown Gresham. We have a full range of family games, strategy games, Euro-style games, war games, card games, dice games and more. Also for the puzzle enthusiasts we carry quality puzzles from Ravensburger, White Mountain, and Cobble Hill.

We proudly serve Gresham and the greater Portland and Vancouver area.

Game Profile: Trollhalla

Name Trollhalla
Byline Trolls Sail the Seas in Search of Islands Filled With Pillage and
Plunder
Mechanics Point-to-Point Movement, Set Collection
Theme Plundering Trolls
Publication Z-Man Games, 2012
Ages 8+
Time 45 – 75
Players 2 – 4
Description
Trollhalla is one of those games that looks deceptively
simple.  There are three ships sailing to
seven islands on the game board.  On
their turn, players will place their trolls on ships and roll a die to move to
another island to capture the plunder on that island.  The six different types of plunder include; crunchy
goats and cows, panicked princesses, terrified monks, noblemen, and peasants
with pigs, piles of gold, and casks of grog. 
Points are awarded for the plunder each player captures.  Bonus points are awarded for having the most
of one type of plunder and having one of each type of plunder.  Cleverly designed, plunder with low points
per each have high points when collected as the largest set of that type.  The infamous goat plunder offers no points
per each, but has the largest point value for the largest set of its type. And,
the goats go crazy on board your boat and kicks off one of your other plunder
tiles.  Just to make things more
interesting there are spaces between the islands where players can place trolls
to influence the direction a ship will sail. 
These spaces also yield weather cards. 
These cards can be used to place an extra troll, scatter trolls from
routes and even turn a ship upside down to get your trolls in the right spot to
grab the right plunder.  When there is
not enough plunder to refill an island the game ends with the evilest
plundering troll who gained the most points wins.

For more insight into Trollhalla watch this video from Z-Man Games:

Table Top Episode 10 Features: Say Anything

It’s time for another episode in the Table Top series hosted by Star Trek’s, Wil Wheaton on Felicia Day’s You Tube Channel, Geek and Sundry.

Say Anything
Northstar Games

Join in with Wil and his guests Jonah Ray (comedian & co-host of The Nerdiest Podcast), Josh Cagan (writer-Undergrads, Bandslam), and Matt Mira (co-host of The Nerdiest Podcast & Attack of the Show) as they tell each other what they really think or will lead you to believe in this light-hearted game of Say Anything.


 





Continue to tune in for more Table Top Episodes

Come in and see our fabulous selection of strategy games, Euro-style games, war games, family games, card games, dice games. We carry Chess set, Backgammon, Cribbage, and Go sets as well. Also for the puzzle enthusiasts we carry quality puzzles from Ravensburger, TDC, and White Mountain.
We proudly serve Gresham and the greater Portland and Vancouver area.

Game Arrivals: Week of Aug. 5th – 11th

Included in this week’s arrivals are:


Cthulhu 500
Atlas Games


Cthulhu 500 is a card game that has you take the wheel in a frenzied race that mixes the madness of H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu with the madness of motor sports.














Fiasco
Bully Pulpit Games

This is a story-telling, role playing “Fiasco” of a game designed to be played in a few hours with  6-sided dice and no preparation.  You are ordinary people with powerful ambitions, big dreams, and poor impulse control playing out ridiculous and disasterous situations.


Fiasco was featured on Felicia Day’s YouTube Series, Table Top hosted by Wil Wheaton of Star Trek fame.

If you haven’t seen the 2 Episodes you can link to them below: 
      Table Top Episode 8 Part I
      Table Top Episode 8 Part II










Kairo
Queen Games

Each player in Kairo starts with 3 small market stalls on the game board.  Market stall come in 6 different colors, and will be used to lure customers throughout the game.  When a player moves a customer to their stall they earn money.  The larger the stall the more money they make.  Players use money to expand their market stalls, and this expansion will earn victory points.  Players who complete the largest stalls will earn bonus victory points.  Space in the market is limited so grab the best sites early, lure as many customers and expand wisely to gain the most victory points and victory.








Last Night On Earth:
The Zombie Game
Flying Frog Productions

Last Night on Earth, The Zombie Game “is a fast-paced game of brain-eating Zombies, small town Heroes, and horror movie action.  Players take on the role of either the Heroes or Zombies.  Only by working together can the Heroes hope to fend off the hordes of Zombies and find some way to stop them or escape.
   With a cast of horror movie archetype Heroes and hordes of blood-thirsty Zombies, each Scenario is designed to play out like the plot of a movie…
   So put down that popcorn, grab your shotgun, and hide your brain; the Zombies are coming and this could be your Last Night on Earth.”










Now back in print and arriving this week is the Dungeon and Dragons Red Box Starter Set.




Continue to tune in for the latest in board games.

Come in and see our fabulous selection of strategy games, Euro-style games, war games, family games, card games, dice games.  We carry Chess set, Backgammon, Cribbage, and Go sets as well.  Also for the puzzle enthusiasts we carry quality puzzles from Ravensburger, TDC, and White Mountain.
We proudly serve Gresham and the greater Portland and Vancouver area.

Game Events: Week of Aug. 5th – 11th

Come and join in on the fun with Game Night. It’s a great way to meet other game enthusiasts. Here is this week’s schedule:



Date: Weds. Aug. 8th
Time: 6 pm
Place: Off The Charts Games Store

Wednesday’s Featured Games
To learn more about each featured board game click on the game name below it’s picture.


Power Grid:The First Sparks
Rio Grande Game

                                                    ~and~

Power Grid:The First Sparks
Rio Grande Game
Kairo
Queen Games

Kairo


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Date: Fri. Aug. 10th
Please note we will be closing the store at 6 pm Friday night. Therefore, there will not be a game event tonight.
Come Play ~ ~ ~ It’s Free ~ ~ ~ It’s Fun!


2012 U.S. Chess Open Championship Begins Today in Vancouver

Previously this year the Vancouver Columbian proudly announced that this year’s  U.S. Chess Open Championship was going to be held locally at the Hilton-Vancouver.  Below is a small excerpt from that article:

“Vancouver, WA — Brainiacs are planning an invasion of Vancouver.
About 500 chess players will head to the city on August 4-12, 2012, for The United States Chess Federation’s 113th U.S. Open.


The event will be held at the Hilton Vancouver Washington hotel at 301 W. 6th St.
It’s a big deal, both locally, and throughout the region, said Gary Dorfner, secretary of the Washington State Chess Federation and tournament director of the Tacoma Chess Club.”

SRC: The Columbian

This prestigious Chess event has now arrived and begins today.  An estimated 100 of the 400+ pre-registered players are from Oregon including at least one of our own Gresham residents, Geoff Kenway.  Geoff is a formidable player at our strategy board game events.  We wish him well during the tournament.

 At Off The Charts Games, we carry several styles of chess sets. Please come in and see our selection at our store!