Classic Games: Illuminati, Mille Bornes, and More

Currently we have classic games like these on our shelves.  Are there other classic games you would like to see us carry?

Illuminati- Deluxe Edition
From: Steve Jackson Games

First published in 1987, Illuminati is the classic card game of Conspiracy and World Conquest…

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Mille Bornes – Collector’s Edition
From: Winning Moves
First published in 1962, Mille Bornes is the classic Auto Race card game.

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Acquire
From: Avalon Hill

First published in 1962, Acquire is the classic board game of Savvy Planning and Corporate Conquest.


Come in and see for these classic games.  At Off The Charts Games  we have a fabulous selection of family games, strategy games, Euro-style games, war games, card games, dice games, and puzzles in Gresham and the greater Portland and Vancouver area!  We are here to help you put fun back on your table.


Featured Game: Cardcassone, it’s not Carcassonne

Cardcassonne
From: Rio Grande Games

Cardcassonne has a “d” in the name for a reason.  It is a different game than Carcassonne but comes from the same great game designer Klaus-Jurgen Wrede.


Do I add another 3 to the city?  Then I can add my follower next turn and score lots of points.  Of course, then another player may claim the row and score those points.  So, what is the answer, add to the row or maybe claim it now.  Oh, what a dilemma.


In Cardcassonne the players place their cards in rows so as to make each card as valuable as possible.  A player may choose to protect a sequence of cards with a follower, but when to do so is the problem.  That brings excitement to this fast, merry card game.

Read more about Cardcassonne and catch a video review under our Game Profile – just click on the game and it will take you there.   This game is quick to learn and a great family fun card game.

Don’t forget, for a fabulous selection of family games, strategy games, Euro-style games, war games, card games, dice games, and puzzles in Gresham and the greater Portland and Vancouver area visit us at Off The Charts Games!  We are here to help you put fun back on your table.



Keywords: Cardcassonne, Rio Grande Games, Card Games, Family Games


Game Profile: Cardcassonne

Name Cardcassonne
Byline A Fun Press-Your Luck Card Game

Mechanics Card Drafting, Hand Management
Theme Medieval
Publication Rio Grande Games, 2009
Ages 8+
Time 30 – 45
Players 2 – 5
Description
 Cardcassonne
has a “d” in the name
for a reason.  It is a different game
than Carcassonne
Cardcassonne
uses a deck of 140
cards.  The goal is to collect sets to
score points at the end of each round and at the end of the game.  In a 4-player game (as an example) there are
six rounds with each player having a hand of 5 cards and one follower token per
round.  Cards are played according to
color in a series of 4 rows.  Each color is
made up of person cards with varying numerical values, building cards, and
animal cards.  Each player will play all
of their cards and their follower token before the round ends.
The first card that a
player chooses to play on their turn must be played face down but in a row of
their choosing.  This is the only time
the color of the card does not have to match the color of the row that it is played
in.  Their remaining cards, when played,
must be played face up and must match the row color.  On their turn instead of playing a card, a
player may place their follower token in a row to claim all of the cards including
any face down cards in that row preceding their follower token.  Once placed, a follower token cannot be moved
until the round ends.
Therein lays the
dilemma.  Each player has one chance to
claim a row.  How long do you wait?  Do you leave a strong row available for your
opponent?  What about the face down cards?  Are they setting up a big play for the player
who placed it and knows what it is?  Or, is
it a mismatched card that may not help you maximize your points?  Sets of person cards and animal cards are scored
after each round.  Sets of building cards
are only scored at the end of the game. 
Maybe the “d” means devious.

To get a feel for the game watch this video:

Cardcassonne is quick to learn and a great family fun card game.

Don’t forget, for a fabulous selection of family games, strategy games, Euro-style games, war games, card games, dice games, and puzzles in Gresham and the greater Portland and Vancouver area visit us at Off The Charts Games!  We are here to help you put fun back on your table.

Keywords:
Cardcassonne, Rio Grande Games, Card Game, Family Game, Game Profile

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss

“Oh, the places you’ll go!  There is fun to be done!

There are points to be scored.  There are games to be won.” 

Don’t forget, for a fabulous selection of family games, strategy games, Euro-style games, war games, card games, dice games, and puzzles in Gresham and the greater Portland and Vancouver area visit us at Off The Charts Games!  We are here to help you put fun back on your table.






This Just In: Rex: Final Days of an Empire

Now Available and in Stock!

Twilight Imperium
REX: Final Days of an Empire

From: Fantasy Flight Games

For all you fans of the Twilight Imperium series, Fantasy Flight Games has come out with this Prequel.

“The final days of the Lazax Empire began in the seventy-third year of the Twilight Wars, when without warning, the Federation of Sol led a deadly assault directly on Mecatol Rex, the capital planet of the empire itself. A climactic struggle for control of the imperial city followed, fought as much with diplomacy and deception as with troops and starships. This is the story of that struggle. 

Rex: Final Days of an Empire is a board game of negotiation, betrayal, and warfare in which three to six players take control of great interstellar civilizations, competing for dominance of the galaxy’s capital city. Set 3,000 years before the events of Twilight ImperiumRex tells the story of the last days of the Lazax Empire, while presenting players with compelling asymmetrical racial abilities and a myriad of opportunities for diplomacy and deception.”

Rex is a strategy board game for three to six players, set in the Twilight Imperium universe.  During a game of Rex, each player takes the role of one of the great races attempting to control Mecatol City. Each race has a set of unique economic, military, strategic, or treacherous advantages that allows it to control certain aspects of the game or even win the game with a unique victory condition. 

In each game round, players move their units about the game board attempting to collect influence (the main resource in Rex) and conquering areas of Mecatol City.  Though combat and conquest are elements of the game, the heart of the experience is about diplomacy, treachery, and brittle alliances. Players must be careful who they trust, and always be wary of sneaky and often sudden victories. 

To win a game of Rex, players must conquer Mecatol City by controlling strongholds or fulfilling their race’s special victory condition.

Don’t forget, for a fabulous selection of family games, strategy games, Euro-style games, war games, card games, dice games, and puzzles in Gresham and the greater Portland and Vancouver area visit us at Off The Charts Games!  We are here to help you put fun back on your table.

New Arrivals: New Strategy Games from Ravensburger

The Castles of Burgundy
Alea Big Box Game

Newly Released: The Castles of Burgundy is another in the Alea Big Box series.  It is in the same series as Puerto Rico, Ra, Macao, and the Princes of Florence all of which can be found in stock on our shelves.

From Alea is this overview of The Castles of Burgundy:
“The Loire Valley during the 15th Century. As influential princes, the
players devote their efforts to careful trading and building in
order to
lead their estates to prominence.
Two dice set out the action options, but the players always make
the final
choices. Whether trading or livestock farming, city building or
scientific
research, many different paths lead to the prosperity and
prominence of the
players!
The many ways to gain victory points in this building game require
careful
thought round after round along with extensive planning ahead.
Thanks to
the different estates, the game remains challenging for the
players for a long
time, as no two games play out alike.
The winner is the player with the most victory
points at the end of the

game.”

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Asara

Also from Ravensburger is Asara, the land of a thousand towers opens its gates to you!  As creative builders, you will compete to construct the most magnificent towers.  With each competed tower and every sumptuous embellishment, your prestige with the ruling caliph increases.  By using clever tactics at just the right moment, you can thwart your opponents to become the towering master.  Asara offers exciting game play and new challenges with each turn in every game but with simple rules!

If you want a fabulous selection of family games, strategy games, Euro-style games, war games, card games, dice games, and puzzles in Gresham and the greater Portland and Vancouver area visit us at Off The Charts Games!  We are here to help you put fun back on your table.

New Arrivals: New Games from Local Game Designers

We support local game inventors!
In this week are these 2 great games designed by companies located here in the Pacific NW:


Bull’s-eye
From: DNA Family Games



In from DNA Family Games: Bulls-eye

 “A game idea that woke up a Vancouver, Washington stay-at-home-Mom at 3 AM.”

Bulls-eye is a fun family game that challenges players to make words of the right
scores to hit the right targets.


~AND~

A Fistful of Penguins
From: Wattsalpoag Games
Another new game from Wattsalpoag Games of Bellevue, Washington:  A Fistful of Penguins.
Here come the animals!  Add lions, camels, and kangaroos to your zoo in this simple dice game the whole family can enjoy.  Lions are a big draw, but they scare the camels.  Those pesky squirrels will pilfer your peanuts, but a moose won’t go anywhere without a squirrel.  And, the more kangaroos the better. Use your penguins wisely, and you can have the best zoo in the country!


If you want a fabulous selection of family games, strategy games, Euro-style games, war games, card games, dice games, and puzzles in Gresham and the greater Portland and Vancouver area visit us at Off The Charts Games!  We are here to help you put fun back on your table.

Game Profile: Bull’s-eye

Name Bull’s-eye
Byline A Word Game Re-Invented
Mechanics Hand Management
Theme Word
Publication DNA Family Games, 2011
Ages 8+
Time 30
Players 2 – 4
Description

“A Game Idea that Woke up a Vancouver, WA Stay-at-Home-Mom at 3 AM is Now Available!”

Bull’s-eye is a fun family board game that challenges players to
make words of the right scores to hit the right targets.


Players have seven cards
each round.  A die roll will determine
the length of the word to be made within a one-minute time limit.  Some letters have set scores.  Others have variable scores.  The object is to score 100 points.  Some scores along the way cause players to
draw cards with actions on them.  Some
actions are good.  Some are not.  Players have to manage their score to hit 90
exactly on the scoring board. 
Then a score of 10 will be needed to get from 90 to 100 and to
victory.

If you want a fabulous selection of family games,
strategy games, Euro-style games, war games, card games, dice games, and
puzzles in Gresham and the greater Portland and Vancouver area visit us at 
Off The Charts Games!  We are here
to help you put fun back on your table.



Keywords: Bull’s-eye, DNA Family Games, Word Game, Family Game, Local Game Designer, Game Profile  


Game Profile: Asara

The land of a thousand towers opens its gates to you!

Mechanics Hand Management, Pattern Building, Worker Placement
Theme Tower Building
Publication Ravensburger, 2010
Ages 9+
Time 45 – 60
Players 2 – 4
Description

Asara is a game where players compete to build the highest, the grandest, and the largest number of towers within the space of 4 years (rounds).  Players are assigned a fixed number of buyers.  These buyers are placed in various sections of the market where tower sections can be purchased.  A unique element of Asara is that the buyers come in 5 colors.  Once a buyer has been placed in a market other players must follow suit in that color or sacrifice 2 cards in order to play in that market.  All players get to play all of their buyers in the course of a year.

On their turn players will 1st place a buyer, then purchase desired tower sections, and then build their towers.  Towers can be short.  They can be tall.  They can be decorative and even have windows. At the end of each year points are scored for the number of towers and the number of decorative sections within those towers.  After 4 years final scoring takes place.

Points are awarded to the 1st and 2nd placement in each of the following categories: a) tallest in each color, b) tallest tower overall, and c) the most towers built.  the player who has the highest, the most decorative, and the largest number of towers will be the winner.

This game not only comes in a colorful box but the game board and components are vibrant and the setup is beautifully laid out.  We have an open copy of  Asara 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 Goes “Off the Charts”: Kingdom Builder

Recently, we took the board game, Kingdom Builder “off the charts” somewhere in southwest Oregon.

Kingdom Builder
From: Queen Games

Send us a picture or tell us where your favorite games go “off the charts”.

Sandy Creek Bridge

If you want a fabulous selection of family games, strategy games, Euro-style games, war games, card games, dice games, and puzzles in Gresham and the greater Portland and Vancouver area visit us at Off The Charts Games!  We are here to help you put fun back on your table.