Castle » Pulp Fiction Comics & Games

New Game Stuff (5/3/2013)

May 032013

Life is full of tough questions. Paper or plastic? With or without cheese? Red pill or blue pill?

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Pig or dog?

The correct answer to the latter question is actually both. And, luckily, when you buy a copy of Pick-a-Dog and Pick-a-Pig you get both. When combined with each other, these games go from 2-5 players to 6-8 players, blending matching and dexterity games together no matter which version you play. A grid of cards sits in the center of the table, each with five attributes noted on them. Players also have a single card in their hand. Once the game has begun, everyone tries to grab a card with at least four similar attributes, adding it to their hand and continuing from there. The game stops when one player has no more cards to grab. As one can imagine this game plays well with family members or friends plus a bottle of scotch.

Is your tower protected?

Not exactly a new game, but one we’ve just gotten back in stock, Batt’l Kha’os is a tile laying game with some fighty bits thrown in. Players attempt to take control of various tower tiles laid across the table by placing their own army tiles around it. Each tile intersection point is then totaled up for the amount of humans vs. orcs and whoever has the most takes the corner. Once all four corners around a tower are calculated, whoever has the most corners (orcs or humans) takes control of the tower. Though it leaves some letters out of its title, Batt’l Kha’os combines the best of Carcassonne and Pocket Battles.

Nathan Fillion has charmed television, comics, and cinema, but now he’s setting his sights on the world of board gaming. Castle: The Detective Card Game transformers the comedy and mystery of the hit television series into a clue solving card game. Players take control of a key character from the show in order to piece together the clues and figure out who the murderer is. Players can choose to compete in episode mode, finding only one killer to win the game, or season mode, playing through a range of episodes and murderers to see who has solved the most by the end.

In the middle of all this complicated gaming hooha, let me throw in a quick shout-out to the newest Data Pack for the Netrunner LCG from Fantasy Flight. Humanity’s Shadow includes the standard assortment of sixty new cards to be incorporated into the base game. Download them into your hand right now.

Tear down your quarantine signs, put aside your rifles, and lay down your machetes, and come out of your reinforced basements because it’s time for the first Zombicide expansion to arrive. Although, as this expansion, Walk of the Dead (see what they did there?), contains twenty-four additional zombie miniatures, you may still want to guard your brain. There are also twelve spawn cards include so that these figures can be introduced into the game. Stay close, lock and load, and make sure to wear a helmet.

Ahoy, maties, it be Catan: Pirates and Explorers!

The newest expansion for the hit Catan game series, Pirates and Explorers, like Cities and Knights, Seafarers, and Traders and Barbarians before it, adds new mechanics to the already popular ones from Settlers of Catan. Bridging the gap between Catan and Seafarers, Pirates and Explorers starts players out on one island, searching for resources and settlers to build and pilot a sailing vessel to another island. Once there, players discover a range of new resources to continue building and growing. This version of the game comes packed with five original scenarios to keep the gameplay fresh and original.

And, because of time and all that stuff, the last three items tonight will be presented in image only. They do say pictures speak louder than words, right?

Okay, maybe a few words.

There’s Ugg-Tect, a cooperative game where players have to act like cavemen while instructing each other on how to build a prehistoric building. There are also inflatable clubs included.

Two RPG softcovers also release this weekend.

One, for Call of Cthulhu (Atomic-Age Cthulhu), providing a 50s era setting for Cthulhuian mystery and murder with a nuclear backdrop.

And, two, the newest addition to the Only War Warhammer 40K RPG, Hammer of the Emperor.

New Game Stuff (11/9/2012)

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Nov 092012

The gods are in your favor tonight!

Or at least you hope they are if you’re playing Olympus. Fantasy Flight‘s new Greek mythology-themed board game, Olympus, lives in the shadow of the god’s apartment complex. Three to five players fight to curry favor with the gods by strategically placing priests into key cities. But these priests aren’t just praying for the heck of it, they want to out build all the other cities and priests. And if you want to build, wage war, or unleash pestilence, you gotta have the high and mighties in your back pocket.

Smeagol loves his new precious. His new Lords of Middle-Earth expansion.

You too can be like Smeagol, too (not in the creepy, hairless, emaciated part), but in the loving the first War of the Ring expansion. The miniatures included in this box set, including Elrond, Galadriel, Smeagol, Gothmog, the Balrog, Aragorn, Gandalf the White, and alternate versions of the Witch-king and the Mouth of Sauron, which represent characters mentioned in the base game’s event cards. Special action dice are also included, being Elven Ring Keepers for the Free Peoples players and Lesser Minion dice for the Shadow player. And finally, alternate versions of the Companions of the Fellowship of the Ring so that you can play the “Council of Rivendell” rules.

The Romulan Empire is invading and the Fleet Captains have to stop them. The Romulan Empire expansion for Star Trek Fleet Captains primarily introduces a brand new Mission type, being Espionage, which allows players the ability to sneak Romulan Saboteurs onto opponents ships. The materials also extend the head-to-head play to head-to-head-to-head. And if you’re wondering exactly what those materials are, they are 100 command cards, 10 encounter cards, 10 hex tiles, and Romulan game tokens and command posts.

Building off of Psionics Unleashed, Psionics Expanded does exactly as the title indicates, containing pages of expansive materials. These include alternate racial options, six new 20-level psionic base classes, advanced class options, tons of psionic and metapsionic feats, powers for all manifesters, nine new prestige classes, and a plethora of armor, weapons, and items. And, of course, the entire book is 100% Pathfinder and OG 3.5 compatible. I’ve already read your mind and know you can’t resist.

Stretching the limit of the letter Q, Quarriors: Quest for the Qladiator is the freshly minted expansion set to the only dice-based deck building game, Quarriors. Providing 100% historically accurate (based on made-up history) new creatures (6), new spells (2), and custom dice (40). On top of all that swag, the box also contains new Lock rules and a special card storage system.

It is not a marriage. It is not an illusion. It is not some elaborate trick on our part.

Mice and Mystics is finally here.

As this is one of the only board games which comes with a short novel describing the back story of the game, I won’t spoil too much of the narrative. However, I will say, players control valiant knights who have transformed themselves into tiny mice in order to traverse their king’s invaded castle. A cooperative adventure game, Mice and Mystics, pits up to four brave players against the most terrifying microscopic creatures around, like cockroaches, rats, spiders, and Brodie the vicious housecat. As nothing about any of the preceding sentences was anything less than awesome, I think you’ll all be wanting a copy of this game.

New Game Stuff (5/18/2012)

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May 182012

Hive Pocket, it’s just like having a pocket full of bugs!

…actually, no, that’s a horrible comparison, it’s not like that at all. No, instead it’s like having an extremely addictive game at the ready to play any time you wish. And why is Hive such a great game? It’s easy to learn. It’s challenging. Both expansions for the game are included. And you can play it anywhere! A fresh take on the chess format, Hive Pocket has become a classic game in a short number of years.

A grand framework for classic roleplaying action, the Adventurer Conqueror King System hardcover will transport you back to the original days of dungeon crawling. No matter what you want to do, the ACKS has the tools to build it. With 12 classes, a unique proficiency system, tons of monster options, and much more, ACKS makes for the ultimate sandbox RPG system.

With the Bounty Head Bebop RPG (think Mike Miegel instead of Spike Spiegel) you take on the role of a jazzy, planet-jumping head hunter. Similar to some popular, ehhm, popular anime show people know about, Bounty Head Bebop comes equipped with all the essential details anyone will need to play. That’s ships, baddies, guns, missions, and a quick-to-learn rule system. And speaking of systems, this one runs of an inverted D20 structure where players use a D20 for everyone roll. So, call Fey…umm, I mean, May up, turn on some smooth tunes, and rocket out of the cosmos.

The market is fierce in Kairo!

Players battle to tempt prospective customers to their booth in order to sell their wares. Each player control different stalls, using cards to move customers around the board, trying to bring them by their storefront. Coming from Queen Games, makers of Alhambra, Kingdom Builder (which may come up again in a little bit), and, the entirely too underrated game, Samarkand, Kairo is guaranteed to learn quickly, play competitively, and impress the whole family.

As I hinted, tonight’s last new game is the first Kingdom Builder expansion, Nomads! And this thing is chock-full of game-altering goodness. First off, it adds enough settlements to bump the game up to five players! Along with that, though, the nomads are introduced, who replace the castle spaces from the original game. New terrain types and cards which allow gold acquistion during the game are also included. If you’ve had a chance to play Kingdom Builder, you’re well aware of it’s massive addictiveness and overall enjoyment factor, so why not add onto the fun?

New Game Stuff (8/20/2011)

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Aug 202011

Once upon a time there was a magical land known as Gen Con. Inside its hallowed, carpeted halls were number upon number of games, both brilliant and beguiling. It took two valiant, but nerdy kings to whisk away every last one of these playful treasures and deliver them back to their home kingdom of Pulpious Fictione. It is now that we bring these gaming devices to you, kind folks.

In line with all this fairy tale speak is the impressively organized and designed new game called Chaostle. Joining the family of dungeon crawl boardgames like Tailsman, Wrath of Ashardalon, and Descent, Chaostle is set-up like a classic Dungeons & Dragons adventure. Everyone’s character (there’s, like, over 20 to choose from) attempts to fight their way around the dungeon/castle game board, battling off monsters, snake pits, and other nasty die-roll-induced evils. For a game released by a smaller independent company, the level of detail and craftsmanship put into this game is astonishing. Thick cardboard character cards, detailed miniatures, a numbered game board/piece layout that makes it easy to assemble the game, and many other nifty features make this a guaranteed bang for buck purchase.

Go, ninja! Go, ninja! Go! At least a couple of people will be screaming this ancient, icy chant when playing Ninja: Legend of the Scorpion Clan. The rest of the players will be attempting to suppress the efforts of the black clad ninja as castle guards. But beware, there is a traitor in their midst who will aid the ninjas at the most crucial moment. Half boardgame, half card game, this Legend of the Five Rings spin-off plays as a tense game of cat and mouse as ninja players try to avoid any sound or action that will give them away, while guards work to track them down. Both sides have their own special abilities (like poison sake, creaking boards, and climbing ropes) to aid them in their efforts. If you enjoy Last Night on Earth or City of Thieves, this is an up-your-alley type of game.

In the new printing of Savage Worlds Deluxe, the titled worlds run the gamut from western bordello to deep space minefield to Amazonian jungles. Any setting you can think of is playable in Savage Worlds. More than that, this new deluxe edition contains all the information on rules, character creation, weapons, and game mastering you’ll ever need. If you’re a young, inexperienced roleplayer, this would be a solid game to start out with as far as being able to play in whatever setting you desire.

Taking it to the streets this week, the new Street Fighter Heroclix. Sold in a similar drop box to the Smurfs figures, these boosters come one figure to a box. There are 23 figures to collect overall, some of which are super rares that are already jumping up in price. The best thing, these little dudes are only $3 a pop! And collecting isn’t the only thing you can do with them as they are completely usable, playable Heroclix figures. So, fight’em alone or against any other Heroclix figure!

Dear Pilgrims of the Flying Temple,

Don’t call it a roleplaying game because Do, Pilgrims of the Flying Temple is a beautifully illustrated, endlessly repeatable multi-player storytelling game set in a world of high-flying adventure. The three to five people playing will assume the role of a pilgrim of the flying temple, who begin their journey with a letter of distress from a neighboring planet. It is this impetus that leads gamers into the story they will continue on their own. The artwork in this book is seriously beyond gorgeous; very Disney-esque. Also, for those lovers of Avatar, the Last Airbender out there (so, basically everyone ever) Do is about as close as you will ever get to owning a RPG version of that show.

Sincerely,

Jayson Quearry, Pulp Fiction Register Monkey

New Game Stuff Special (7/6/2011)

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Jul 062011

Hear ye, hear ye, come one, come all! Today beith the New Game Stuff Special! And, boy, is it new, special, and stuffy.

You sunk my space battleship!

Just getting that out of the way, because, at some point, it was going to need to be said for the new Battleship Galaxies from Hasbro. Initially, you might think this is just a re-themed version of the original Battleship, but you would be wrong. With a careful rearrangement of the bingo style number/letter grid battle format, Hasbro has created an exciting new game that the ever knowledgeable THEY have claimed may replace Heroscape. Here’s how it works: 2-4 players select sides and a scenario to play through, then players utilize energy to perform actions, movements, and the like for their spaceships. What’s creative is that combat is solved by rolling two dice (one letters, one numbers) and dealing out damage based on the matching combination listed on the ship’s info card. Not only does this behemoth of a box contain the multiple gameboards, miniatures, cards, pegs, tokens, and rules, but also a 48-page graphic novel that details the backstory of the factions. You’re granpappy’s Battleship didn’t have that, did it?

From ship to ship, this time being a pirate ship. But not your traditional wooden vessel, no, instead one made of coins. K’wha? Yes, Pieces of Eight is a creative little game based around using a set of metal coins to represent your pirate ship. Those who you’re playing against will also have a coin ship and both of you are using the coins’ abilities to fight and, eventually, destroy the other ship(s). Players have complete control over which coins they use to build their ship and in what order they place them (similar to the construction of a fighter in Cookie Fu). And don’t worry about the $19.95 MSRP on this buried treasure, because Pulp is selling them at $9.99; that’s, basically, a dollar a coin. The two versions (different coins) of the game, The Cursed Blade and The Maiden’s Vengeance, are in stock currently.

Pathfinder finds itself with a new Player Companion called Faiths of Balance this week. This book is all about straddling the fence post as it details all the neutral religions and faiths in the Pathfinder setting. Basically, if you want to find religion in Pathfinder, this is the “good book”. There’s an overview of Green Faith, feats for holy warriors, god-specific spells, information on religious organizations and military orders, and faith-based character elements. So, here, the good word is “Pathfinder“.

Our already extended Fluxx family (not to be confused with Family Fluxx) got a little bit larger today as we restocked on a number of the Fluxx promo cards and materials. That includes the Christian and Jewish expansions (each with 7 new cards), the Monty Python Castle expansion (also 7 new cards, include a the Second Taunting action and We Already Got One rule), and the Zombie Fluxx Flame-Thrower expansion (which includes the titled flame-thrower and six zombie creepers). The Fluxx Blanxx (one blank version of each of the five card types in the game) has also returned. And lastly, the sweet Zombie Fluxx wooden box & Promo Card are in. As you can see to the left, this expansion consists of a nice wooden box to hold your Zombie Fluxx game in and a promo card called Zombie Boss.

Pulp Fiction Comics & Games

New Game Stuff (5/3/2013)

New Game Stuff (11/9/2012)

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New Game Stuff (8/20/2011)

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New Game Stuff (5/3/2013)

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New Game Stuff (8/20/2011)

New Game Stuff Special (7/6/2011)

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