Archive for March, 2014

Additional ‘Yu-Gi-Oh’ Releases Planned for 2014 Announced

ICv2.com broke a story earlier this week that Konami was showing off more 2014 Yu-Gi-Oh! releases at the GAMA Trade Show – a show at which retailers, distributors and publishers gather to show off new products and talk shop; and Konami Vice President Card Business Yumi Hoashi shared details about some of the upcoming products.

 

The Primal Origin booster pack will release in May, and the Primal Origin: Deluxe Edition box will follow on June 13th.  The set will include nine Primal Origin boosters, plus two foil versions of common and/or rare cards, plus a pack of sleeves, a Beginner’s Guide and one of two foil versions of preview cards from the upcoming August booster set.  The two storage boxes were on display at the show.  “One will feature the Bujin deck, which is currently a very popular deck in the tournament scene.  The other one is the Gladiator Beasts, which has been a staple since the GX era,” said Hoashi.

 

Also on display was the new Realm of Light Structure Deck.  “It is based on the ‘Lightsworn’ theme.  ‘Lightsworns’ were first introduced in the GX era, and ‘Lightsworns’ have always been fan favorites as tournament decks. Because it was released in the GX era, ‘Lightsworns’ have never had a Synchro monster, but there is a new Synchro monster, plus the two new Tuner monsters you need to summon it, in this deck,” Hoashi shared.  The deck will have 41 cards, and will release June 27.

A new Starter Deck will release on July 11, which will introduce the Pendulum Monsters and Pendulum Summons. The new gameplay mechanic will add two new zones to the game field.  Deck title and other information are not yet availible.

 

July 25 will bring the new Battle Pack 3. The release is designed specifically for booster draft play, so duelists can build new decks directly from the packs. Details on how it differs from previous Battle Pack releases have yet to be revealed.

 

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Tabletop review: ‘Betrayal at House on The Hill’

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**5 stars out of 5 stars**

 

“As you idly study the ring, your eyes suddenly catch inscriptions you’d missed earlier. Did they just appear? The strange marks look almost like pictograms, but even as you stare at them, they rearrange themselves into a language you can read: ‘King Solomon’s Ring.’ The letters morph once more: ‘Demons Bow to You.’ And, then, one last shift: ‘The Hellgate is Open.’ The house quakes. A hot, sickly sweet wing blows through the house. A scream, promising an eon of pain, sounds from another room. You’ve never heard anything so terrible, nor can you imagine what sort of creature could give voice to something so purely malicious. Except, perhaps, a demon from Hell.”

 

This is just one of 50 different scenarios you and your adventuring party may come across while playing “Betrayal at House on the Hill.” Originally published in 2004 by Avalon Hill, the version I got to play was the second edition which was published by Wizards of the Coast (since Avalon Hill had been acquired by Hasbro).

 

Betrayal teams 3-6 players inside a haunted house. They must explore the house, seeking out different items and omens to help them along the way. However, many evil things have gone on throughout the house. So evil, that it eventually consumes one of the players and turns them against the rest of the team.

 

One of the best mechanics of the game involved the individual room tiles. As you explore different rooms inside the house you uncover different tiles. These tiles are always shuffled, and mixed before every game. The creates a different layout every time you and your friends play a game. For example, in one game you could walk through the front door and to your left will be the kitchen while to your right is a organ room. In another game you may deal with the gardens to your left and the conservatory to the right. Things could get even crazier in another game with the conservatory being upstairs and the kitchen in the basement. What this all means is that the game gives the player a huge amount of replayability.

 

As you travel from room to room, you (as a player) will discover items to help you battle along the way. Other things you may come across include omens such as a special book or companion to join you on your adventure. In addition to discovering various items, players may trigger random events that cause their character to lose points in their traits or uncover secret passageways.

 

The more you discover within the house, the more likely you and your group will trigger an event known as the “haunt.” The haunt is when one of your party members finally succumbs to the temptations of evil within the house. During the haunt one person is deemed as the traitor while the rest of the crew becomes known as heroes. The game contains to additional books that contain 50 different scenarios for the haunt. Once it is established who the traitor is and who the heroes are, each side separates themselves into different rooms to go over the scenario from one point of view. Once the parties are ready, the haunt begins.

 

In the scenario I played I became the traitor. I quickly learned that I (my character) had become obsessed with opening the gates of hell at a young age. I had basically used my party to get inside the house and help me open a portal which released a demon lord and his minions. My goal (which was not known to my companions) was to eliminate them all . My demons proved to be no match to two of them, but what I didn’t know is that they had purposefully sacrificed themselves while the last party member continued searching the house for helpful items. Their plan worked well (even if it was not their main intention). My team of demons were eventually overcome by the remaining member of the party. I was defeated, and the gates of hell were closed shut…for now.

 

The game took a few hours to learn, and, while this was my second play through, we were still learning things. However, the patience was worth it. The game is extremely fun to play, and towards the end, there is quite a bit of strategy involved. The overall amount of time it takes to play is about two hours (even though the box says it’s only one).

 

The amount of replayability is beyond any other game I have played before. Combine that with the very affordable price for $50 and you have a solid purchase for any board game lover. This is a must have for any collector and collection.

 

If I had to pick on something about the game, it would have to be regarding the figures that come with the game. While they are sufficient for game play, they are rather flimsy. At one point, I thought I had broken one of them. Luckily, this was not the case. I did however, cause a noticeable bend in the figure. It’s not life threatening, and I (and the figure) will survive.

 

So, if you’re ever in either Battleground Games & Hobbies store (Abington or Plainville) be sure to ask if they have a copy of “Betrayal at House on the Hill.” If not, be sure to order one. With the overwhelming popularity of the game, stocks may be a little low, which is another bad point, but it is definitely worth the wait.

 

That’s it for now. Thanks for reading. Leave a comment down below and let me know what you think about your experiences with this game or my writing. Also, don’t forget to click on the banner below and donate to the Extra-Life fundraiser. We’ll  be hosting a 24-hour gaming marathon on October 25th. If you have any questions about it you can either e-mail me or leave a comment below. Until next week…

 

About the author

 

Simeon is an avid gamer who loves to play board games and video games. He graduated college with a degree in Political Science, and now serves the public by writing about games. You can check that out here. Don’t forget to “like” him on Facebook as well. It’ll update you on all of his newest content. Best of all, you can follow Simeon on Twitter (@SimeonCortezano) for some real time hilarity. Thanks for reading!

 

Donate to the Extra-Life fundraiser!

 

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Winner’s Circle – Weekend of Mar 21 Event Champions

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Congratulations to this week’s Friday Night Magic winners at both Battleground Games & Hobbies locations in Abington, MA and Plainville, MA. This week, FNM featured the Standard format with top finishers not only receiving store credit prizes, but likewise an exclusive promo foil Elvish Mystic! This week, we’re adding winners of our Saturday Yu-Gi-Oh event at Battleground Games & Hobbies in Plainville, MA  into the mix from now on. Check it out below! Now, let’s check out last week’s winner’s:

 

Battleground Games & Hobbies – Abington, MA

Standard FNM – Start time: 7:30 PM

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Battleground Games & Hobbies – Abington, MA

Modern – Start time: 7:30 PM

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Battleground Games & Hobbies – Abington, MA

Theros/Theros/Born of the Gods Booster Draft Pod One – Start time: 7:30 PM

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Battleground Games & Hobbies – Abington, MA

Theros/Theros/Born of the Gods Booster Draft Pod Two – Start time: 7:30 PM

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Battleground Games & Hobbies – Plainville, MA

Standard FNM – Start time: 7:30 PM

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Battleground Games & Hobbies – Plainville, MA

Modern – Start time: Saturday 7:15 PM

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Congratulations to the top finishers of each event. In addition, on behalf of the staff here at Battleground Games & Hobbies, we would like to thank everyone that attended our  events. We greatly appreciate you choosing to hang out with us and look forward to seeing you again in the future!

 

To learn more about our events at either of our conveniently located brick-and-mortar stores and see why Magic, Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh players alike enjoy our weekly event offerings at Battleground Games & Hobbies, please click here. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us – we’re happy to help!

 

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Grand Prix Richmond ‘Crackgate’ Originator Identified and Interviewed!

 

The plot simply continues to thicken. Professional Magic the Gathering player Matthew Sperling posted recently on his blog an in-depth interview with the individual responsible for what is now known as the ‘crackgate’ scandal (see post “Wizards of the Coast Responds to ‘Crackgate’ Scandal”). The individual, identified as Sid Blair, took photos of numerous unidentified gamer’s rear-ends at Grand Prix Richmond 2014 and then posted the photos to Reddit, as a joke.

 

During the interview, Mr. Sperling asks Mr. Blair the motivation behind the photos:

 

“My goal was to make myself and my friends laugh. We have an odd sense of humor and find this sort of thing funny. I decided to post the pictures I took the day after I got back. I figured a few people would think it was funny, and the rest of the world would think I was really weird. I kept it anonymous and never intended to shame, bully or harass anyone.”

 

You can read the interview with Mr. Blair in it’s entirety here.

 

What do you think? Harmless fun or malicious intent? Let us know in the comments below!

 

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IDW to Publish ‘X-Files’ Board Game

 

Late last week, news website ICv2.com reported that IDW Publishing has announced the July release of a brand new licensed big box X-Files strategy board game designed by veteran designer Kevin Wilson (Arkham Horror, Descent, Civilization).  Gallery and comic book artist mention is providing the illustrations that will be used for the game’s cover and throughout its various components.

IDW’s X-Files board game will focus on material from the first three seasons of television series, giving fans a chance to start their board game adventures from the beginning of the X-Files phenomenon, which was one of the major TV successes of the 1990s.  Players will get the chance to take on the role of Mulder, Scully, and the X-Filesteam as they work to uncover global conspiracies and threats while going up against various members of the Syndicate.

IDW acquired the license to publish X-Files comics in early 2013 .  There have been X-Files card games and trivia games issued before, but this appears to be the first true X-Files strategy board game. This is great news for die-hard X-Files fans.

 

Excited about this board game? Contact us or let us know in the comments below!

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‘Journey into Nyx’ Pre-orders Now Available!

 

Battleground Games & Hobbies is excited to announce that for ‘Journey into Nyx’ – the third set in the ‘Theros’ Block – we will be taking sealed product and single card pre-orders for the very first time! Pre-order’s for ‘Journey into Nyx’ is available now, but quantities are limited, so act fast! Additional product, such as Intro Decks, Fat Packs and more will be added as they become available. Single cards will be added as they are spoiled and confirmed. Product becomes available for pick and shipping on May 2, 2014!

 

Please note that ‘Journey into Nyx’ sealed product is available for domestic (United States) shipping only – no international shipping. In addition, orders with both available items and pre-order items will not ship until the pre-order item is available. If you have any questions, please refer to our story policy page or feel free to contact us.

 

Click the link below to pre-order!

Journey into Nyx Booster Packs – $3.79

Journey into Nyx Booster Box – $99.99

Journey into Nyx Booster Case – $599.99

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