New Games (or new to me, at least): Part Three

Hopefully, this post is more like "Toy Story 3" rather than "Jaws 3" or the "The Matrix Revolutions"... (you can go back to Part One: A & B or Part Two: C & D, if you'd like).

New Games (to me): E - I

• Eketorp - This game became a running gag in our gaming group - Jeff brought it each week and then we wouldn't play it. Week after week, month after month... and then finally it happened! And it wasn't bad... the components (as has been true for Queen Games) were excellent & the gameplay was a reasonably enjoyable "take-that" brawl. I don't need to own it but I'd be happy to play it again.
• Enuk the Eskimo - The box is a tad big for what's inside it... but the game itself is a really nice memory/push-your-luck game with some cute thematic elements. I actually like this one better than my kids. (review copy provided)
• Forbidden Island - Pandemic for kids & people with short attention spans... and that's not damning with faint praise, as I really, really like this one. The artwork is perfect, the tension builds & every play of this cooperative game is a nail-biter. Well done, Mr. Leacock, well done. (review copy provided)
• Gelini Nightlife - Who knew that (a) introducing a random element to Knizia's dry & abstract Tutanchamun and (b) changing the theme to gummi bears trying to fill up discos would take a mediocre game and make it a winner? Not me - yet that's what has happened here. It's extremely light but lots of fun - a great filler!
• Gemblo Woodman - a simple dexterity game of knocking bark off a tree with a plastic axe... dexterity game haters need not apply. This one rewards some practice, as the balance can be kind of tricky.
• Gloria Picktoria - the reboot of one of my favorite Alan Moon games, Get the Goods... but there are some odd rules changes that I'm not sure (after one play) if I like or not. The Doris M. art is cute, though. (review copy provided)
• Halo Interactive Strategy Game - Bargain basement 2-player minis game... I've never played Halo but it doesn't feel much like a video game. The plastic stuff for constructing the board is pretty cool.
• Heroscape: Battle for the Underdark - I'm a long-time Heroscape player/collector AND a former DM (back in the early, early 80's)... so I was curious what the melding of the two would look like. I'm actually pretty impressed with the new characters & the chaining of scenarios together to make a "campaign" (read: dungeon crawl). Well done, WOTC.
• Hoppladi Hopplada! - Doris art & cute bits doesn't make this game go fast enough for me - it's a push-your-luck dice game. The fun ends 15 minutes before the game ends.
• IGOR: The Monster Making Game - Reboot of an old Knizia dice game (Code Knacker) to go with the very unsuccessful film... game is light but playable. Nothing to write home about.