Rummikub

Rummikub

The game I want to introduceto you this week is Rummikub. You may think it looks like Mahjong. And actually it is really similar with Mahjong. It has a nickname called Germany Mahjong while it was made in Israel. There are many versions of Rummikub of different countries, and of course the pirate version.

I like this game because it makes you think, but it not in a "strategy game" way, which you have to think of a lot of things. When Playing Rummukub, you just have to try to get rid of your tiles as soon as possible.

At the beginning of the game, every player take a rack and 14 tiles and put their tiles on the rack. And then try to form these numbers into runs of 3 tiles or more, or 3 to 4 of a kind, like it is showed on the box above. Played tiles will be on the table displayed and can be moved and the sets can be reformed.

I like to play this game, but it's hard to find someone to play with me. My friends likes to play games that are more complicated.

I have attended a formal contest of Rummikub, but I didn't win the contest. However, it feels good that so many people likes it and were together to play the game.

El Capitán

After my presentation on Tuesday morning, I think you all got my blogs point. The game you saw on Tuesday is the game I want to introduce this week, because I have it, and I kind of like it. because of it's art work, which is so gorgeous. The frame and the pictures are so exquisite like it was back in 15th century. The drawing is the only reason why I chose to get it at first because I have not heard or seen of it before.


One of the Extention Cities

Players play the role of a merchant during the 15th century, sailing to strategically important cities of the Mediterranean, building warehouses in these cities and fortresses to protect them. But making moves all costs money because you have to buy cards that function as tickets, so a bank for you to take a loan is definitely necessary when you're out of money. Only to pay it back as soon as possible, or you'll have to pay more! However, the game isn't without receiving money. Payday appears three times in the game and that's when your effort will be rewarded. You could receive money for the number of cities you have built warehouses, fortresses you've built and in each city you own the most or second most warehouses. At the end, the richest merchant is the winner.


I've played it once, actually it should be called testing. It was a 3-players game, my bf, an exhausted friend and me. During the game, we kept having small problems because I didn't remember all of the rule so we kept checking the rule book. That's why I call it testing.

I decided to build warehouses in cities as many as possible, so I can get more money when it was payday. And we found that borrowing money is necessary because at the beginning everyone one has only 20 Florins(dollars), which is definitely not enough to build all of the warehouses and fortresses. Each of us had borrowed money from the bank and payed all of them back after the first payday. During the second phase, I tried to build warehouses in more cities and tried to be the majority in cities. Each of us borrowed money again, but after the second payday and after we payed our debt, we had more money. On the third phase, which is the last phase, I finally got the proliferation bonus card, and I was the first one. It was 15 Florins(dollars). I spent money without hesitating and built warehouses in a fast speed. I was the one who finished the game by building all of the warehouses and fortresses. And I won the game by owning 220Florins(dollars) in total. I guess that's one of the reasons I like this game. The first game is like a first impression!

The Two Kinds of Loan Cards

The Proliferation Bonus cards

PitchCar

PitchCar

It took me some time to choose which game to be my first article. I chose PitchCar because I looked through all the pictures on BGG, and it is a game suitable for all ages and board game beginners, though the price isn't, for it's almost all wooden content. I have seen it and played a few laps at 2009 Summer Cool.Con. It was fun, simple and doesn't require much of your intelligence.

As you can see, the game is played by shooting your car using your fingers to flick. The first one who finishes the lap(s) wins. But stay in the track! Or you'll have to start over again.

Not only racing, but also building your own track is a interesting part of the game. The puzzle-like track pieces make set up fun, too. With extensions, you can have more gorgeious tracks, including bridges, straight long tracks and cross roads, etc.

The game requires space because you have to move around the tracks to flick your cars, like billiards. And big tables that matches your track, which means if have bought extensions, you'll need bigger or more tables. I once wanted to buy one but I really don't have the space for playing it.

On the other side, inevitably, due to my habbit, I thought of how many trees are cut. The heavy boxes are filled with almost all wooden content. Sorry for the heavy talk, but thats what I always think of.

I wrote it like an ad.= =

back of the box, with sample of tracks

*all pictures are from BGG, click here for more pictures of PitchCar