This month brings us several fun games suitable for the entire family with little reliance on language skills, while microgames are still going strong.
10thAnniversary Edition of Ticket to Ride is available for pre-order, USAopoloy has released two new Walking Dead themed board games, and Z-Man Games has announced two new games.
Apples to Apples clones are everywhere, it's true. It's no secret that many serious gamers have grown tired of these types of games, but is there room for them among casual gamers? Depending on the game, I think so. Today we are looking at If I Only Had..., a party game for 4 to 12 players in which players are presented with dire situations and must choose between various items that would help them out the most.
No, it's not Tetris, but it's remarkably similar. FITS (Fill-In-The-Spaces) is a board game by Ravensburger that brings the challenge of tile-fitting games like Tetris to the table top. It introduces some competitive play and certainly challenges spacial reasoning. But is it fun?
You've almost certainly played Chess — but have you played it using cards? Probably not. King's Ransom, by General Nonsense Games, will feel quite familiar to anyone who has played Chess. The cards contain various Chess pieces which offer similar movement abilities, yet the game introduces some luck and different types of strategy. But is there enough new gameplay here to keep the attention of a casual gamer?
Hasbro is allowing fans to vote on best Monopoly House Rules for a new edition, 64 Oz Games is running a Kickstarter to make board games accessible for the visually impaired, and Z-Man Games is set to release My First Carcassonne.
A game that uses only magnets? Absolutely! AttrAction is a super-fun dexterity game where players flick, slide, or toss powerful magnets on the table to create clusters. It's simple, it's fun, and it's perfect for informal fun at a party or family gathering.
Fireside Games announce Munchkin Panic, Hasbro is open for word nominations for an official Scrabble dictionary update, and Z-Man Games announces a new expansion to Carcassonne.
"Articles are expertly designed, easy to read, incorporate appropriate graphics and images interspersed throughout. The presentation is eye-catching and exciting to look at."
— Today in Board Games
"I love this magazine! Highly recommend supporting Chris' efforts!"
— Mary Couzin (Chicago Toy & Game Group)
"Check it out, [Casual Game Insider] is a top notch publication!"
— Lamp Light Games
"The magazine is a great resource for new game info as well as for great articles related to gaming. It helps me for planning MACE, my gaming convention in North Carolina."
— Jeff Smith (JustUs Productions)
"I really like what you have done with CGR and I read it cover to cover every issue."
— Rick Soued (Eagle-Gryphon Games)
"I love this magazine; there are so many new games out all the time, it's hard to know what's any good. It's great to have a reliable source for finding some of the best ones."
— Ember (Subscriber)
"So glad I subscribe to your magazine. Money well spent."
— Travis Q. (Subscriber)
"I've gotten every issue of CGI. I love it! It is right at my level of gaming."