Month: June 2017

Build-A-Bear Workshop

I believe this post is long overdue. What kid doesn’t like stuffed animals, right? For me, I always loved Build-A-Bears. I have more than 60 of them currently. In Build-A-Bear, you choose which type of stuffed animal you want, then take it to the stuffer. They will stuff it to your choosing, and then you can add scents or sounds. You give it a heart, and then they sew it shut.

The next order of business is to pick out any clothes you may want to buy your bear. They also have little cars, tents, and more. Once you’ve chosen accessories (which you can then give to your other Build-A-Bears, also), you fill out their birth certificate, and purchase.

I like the way they let you decide on its stuffing. They stuff it, then have you hug it. They will then either add stuffing, remove stuffing, or, if you are satisfied, they will have you choose a heart for it.

They have a lot of bears, and a good amount of cats, dogs and rabbits. What I would really like to see are more exotic creatures. The only place I have seen these was the St. Louis Zoo Build-A-Bear Workshop, where I got a toucan. I think they should bring some of those to the stores near me. They also have special plush, like Chewbacca and Rocket Raccoon. I have an Ewok.

I think the clothes are cool. The nice thing is, you can take the outfits on and off, meaning that no bear is stuck wearing the same outfit for eternity. You can dress them by the holiday or just by what you think is cute. I bought a Build-A-Bear wardrobe for mine, which is convenient depending on the quantity of outfits you have.

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Zoodoku

Zooduku is the alternative game in Sudoku Challenge. It is pretty much Sudoku with animals… and a couple new rules.Sudoku Challenge

I love that people have made an animal version of Sudoku. I think it’s adorable. What’s funny is that this isn’t the first Zoodoku I’ve played. I used to play Zoodoku with stickers on little cards. So what makes this unique?

Simple: it has a point system. It takes a lot of creativity to take a solo game like Sudoku and turn it into a multi-player competitive game with points.

I do find it strange that Zoodoku is 6 boxes of 6, not 9 boxes of 9 like Sudoku. It certainly simplifies things, though. I have been told that it is meant for younger children, and that is why it is smaller.

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Let’s visit Forbidden Island?

Why is it forbidden? Because it holds four treasures, each controlling a different element. What’s to stop me from stealing them? Um… the island sinks itself in the presence of an intruder. Great, huh? No wonder we’re the first to brave Forbidden Island. And the last.Forbidden Island

This is another game from the creator of Pandemic. You can see it in the characters and the Water Rises cards. Like Pandemic, it is a cooperative game.

When my cousin and I played we made it out without much real effort. It could, perhaps, be more challenging.

That said, we played the Novice level. There are options to make it harder and more interesting.

The characters are interesting. I played the Diver, who could move through I flooded or missing space for 1 action. My cousin played the Engineer, who could Shore Up (unflood) 2 adjacent tiles instead of 1 per action.

 

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Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu

Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu, is exactly what it sounds like. It’s Pandemic. With Cthulhu. And we are all going to the asylum for it.Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu

There isn’t much for me to explain about this game. If you have played Pandemic, you know the basics of this high-stakes, crazy-tough cooperative game.

Pandemic can be a long game. It is very hard to win. The characters in Pandemic: Reign of Terror are very similar to the ones in the original, though, so if you are familiar with the original it is easy to swap over mentally. I played the Reign of Terror version of the medic, who could eradicate all of the disease cubes on a specific space. This is important because every turn you draw cards determining where you add more disease, or, in this case, cultists. When three disease cubes are on a space, and another is placed there, an outbreak happens and it spreads to the adjacent spaces. This spill can, if under proper circumstances, have a ripple effect.

In both versions you are trying to rid the board of the given enemy.

The special cards are a nice addition to the original. You draw relics and can use them against the cultists.

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