Paramount Offers $108 Billion Cash for Warner Bros.
I won’t go into too much detail with the Paramount deal. If you want to see my thoughts on a new oligopoly, check out last week’s Geekly News. While Paramount is less likely to cease releasing films theatrically, a new juggernaut in the movie space spells trouble for consumers. Fewer competitors mean they can–and will–increase prices. Regardless of who purchases Warner Bros., one more mid-level legacy studio will get absorbed into a larger studio (Paramount or Netflix). The sale will need to go through multiple regulatory bodies. I can’t imagine the European Union liking the Paramount deal any more than it did the Netflix deal. We’re in uncharted territory. Movies will change.
We’ll keep you posted with new details. Enough of Warner Bros.. Let’s get to some new releases. We may not have as many this week because we’re getting closer to Christmas, but there are some notable games that were released this week.
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Game Launches on KickStarter
I don’t know how I missed Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Game. If you’re a fan of the television series, you’ll want to check out Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Game. The game mechanisms are familiar. If you’ve ever played Apples to Apples or Cards Against Humanity, you’ll recognize the game flow of one person (the MAD) presenting one card (depicting a memorable scene from a cheesy movie) and having the other players choose the (riff) card with the best joke.
The MAD chooses whose riff card wins and awards points. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins. Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Game offers multiple pledge amounts: $50-$180. If you’re interested in Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Game, check out its KickStarter page.
Radiance Shines on GameFound
Radiance is another game I somehow missed. We’ve featured multiple Solo Game of the Month titles in previous Geekly News posts. I love this company and marvel how they can release a solid game most months of the year. Radiance is a solo deck builder. Players take the role of a Luminary and embark on an epic quest to defeat the Shade, protecting the last of the Bright Cities. Upgrade your deck, learn new skills, master the elements, and discover explosive combos as you explore and fight your way through a tense and perilous adventure.
The above picture is a prototype copy of Radiance. As you can see, Radiance packs an epic adventure in a small space. I love that. Unlike most Solo Game of the Month titles, Radiance can be played with a second player. Woo hoo! Radiance offers pledge values as low as $5 (for a print-and-play) up to a $69 All-In Pledge. If you’re interested in Radiance, check out its GameFound page.
Ultimate Sheep Raccoon Releases
As of this write-up, Ultimate Sheep Raccoon has received mixed reviews on Steam, but the game looks adorable. Anipromorphic sheep and raccoons ride bikes in this side-scrolling bike race where almost anything goes. Gain power-ups while avoiding traps and performing sick tricks.
Ultimate Sheep Raccoon offers a low cost for entry ($20), cross-platform multiplayer gameplay, and a custom level editor. I have yet to play Ultimate Sheep Raccoon, but I’m down with playing any game that offers a level editor. At $20, Ultimate Sheep Raccoon may be worth a shot, despite mixed reviews. It’s available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Skate Story Releases
I’m going with progressively better video games on this list. Skate Story has received mostly good reviews. And why not? Skate Story reimagines the skateboarding video game genre. Naturally, fluid movement, exploration, and trick execution are at Skate Story’s core. But I love this game’s story. Players take on the role of a crystalline skateboarding demon. The game takes place in the underworld, where the demon needs to skate and grind their way through the ash and smoke of The Emptylands. Of course, the protagonist encounters various tortured souls who need saving on their journey.
I love Skate Story’s graphics. It’s destined to be a 2025 indie game classic. Skate Story is available on PC, Nintendo Switch 2, and PlayStation 5.
Terminator 2D: No Fate Releases
Terminator 2D: No Fate is a love letter to the Terminator franchise and 90s side-scrolling action games. The game has received mostly positive reviews, while the gameplay reminds me of the Contra series.
Gamers can relive their favorite Terminator scenes from the movies, but Terminator 2D: No Fate has plenty of surprises, too. The game offers unique scenarios, and gamers can change the course of history with branching choices. What? Color me intrigued. Terminator 2D: No Fate is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
That’s all the news we have for this week. Which games pique your interest? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another Top 5 Tabletop Game List throughout the years. Today we’re gonna party like it’s 1999. 1999 finishes the decade strong with another major collectible card game release, and Reiner Knizia dominance. Oh! Did Knizia ever own tabletop games in 1999? We’ll get to the games in a bit, but first, let’s review our list’s criteria.
1: Cultural relevance plays as much of a factor as overall quality. A game might make a list that doesn’t hold up to others of its type, but you must admit the game is everywhere.
2: Only one game from a franchise makes the list. This will become more of an issue the closer we get to games with expansions.
3: Longevity plays a role, too. A game doesn’t have to fly off the shelves today, but it had to have some widespread appeal for a decent time.
5: Schotten Totten (1999)
Get ready to hear Reiner Knizia’s name a lot on this list. Schotten Totten is the first Knizia design. In Schotten Totten, players take on the role of Scottish clan leaders. Nine boundary stones lie between you and your opponent. In front of each, you build poker-like formations of three cards on a side. Whoever plays the higher-ranking formation wins the stone. But you may use powers to claim a stone before your opponent has played all three of their cards. Successfully claim five stones, or any three adjacent stones, and you win.
Schotten Totten has received multiple reprints. Its game mechanisms have been reimplemented by many games. There’s even a Schotten Totten 2. Few designers could top Knizia in 1999.
4: Lost Cities (1999)
Lost Cities is another Knizia design. Lost Cities also continues Kosmos’ excellent two-player game series. Kahuna (another game from this series) made our 1998 list. I love Lost Cities’ theme. Players mount archaeological expeditions to different sites represented by the cards’ colored suits. Lost Cities incorporates a push-your-luck mechanism, as you can choose to continue an expedition (with the possibility of busting) or you can return to base with what you have (and play it safe). Many games have copied Lost Cities’ formula. Including Knizia himself.
While Lost Cities wasn’t considered for the Spiel des Jahres (German game of the year), Keltis, which reimplemented Lost Cities’ gameplay, took home the Spiel des Jahres in 2008. To this day, I prefer to play Lost Cities to Keltis. Lost Cities has staying power.
3: Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game (1999)
Speaking of staying power, Yu-Gi-Oh! has that in spades. While new collectible card games (CCGs) continued to be released in the mid to late Nineties, few grabbed hold of the gaming community or stayed longer than a handful of sets. Heck! Even some of the CCGs that made previous lists in this series struggled to make it to ten sets. Yu-Gi-Oh! doesn’t have that issue.
You could argue that Yu-Gi-Oh! at the three spot is a little low. I’ll give you that. What started as the middle ground between Pokémon the card game and Magic: The Gathering has grown into its own dominant brand. From a cultural relevance standpoint, Yu-Gi-Oh! may take 1999’s number one spot.
2: Tikal (1999)
Tikal earned 1999’s Spiel des Jahres. This Walfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling co-design is a brilliant game. Tikal claims our second spot on this list, but I can see someone switching 1 and 2. Tikal deserved the Spiel des Jahres; I just think another game has more relevance today. Tikal is the first of Kramer and Kiesling’s Mask Trilogy of games: Tikal (1999), Java (2000), and Mexica (2002). Tikal is a game of exploration within the Central American jungles in search of lost temples and treasure.
Players send their team of explorers into the jungle, unearthing more and more of the terrain. Along the way, you’ll find temples that hold secrets and treasure. Players try to score points for occupying temples and holding treasure. I’ve played the Tikal mobile app, and it’s a good implementation of the game. If you like the idea of exploring the jungle, check out Tikal.
1: Ra (1999)
Three! Reiner Knizia has three games on the Top 5 1999 Tabletop Games List, and his auction game Ra takes our top spot. Ra highlights what makes Knizia games excellent. Take one simple concept (in this case, auctions) and do it better than most designs. Ra is an auction and set-collection game with an Ancient Egyptian theme. Players purchase lots of tiles through bidding. While every player can win three lots during an epoch (round), tension builds because an epoch can end before every player obtains three lots. The various tiles either give immediate points, prevent negative points (for not having certain types at game’s end), or give points after the final round. Ra is easy to learn and quick to play.
While overlooked for 1999’s Spiel des Jahres, Ra has proven it has longevity. Ra received a reprint in 2023. This year (2025), Ra was inducted into the BoardGameGeek Hall of Fame. My only guess as to why Ra wasn’t considered for the Spiel des Jahres (yes, Ra wasn’t even considered) is that the committee grew tired of seeing Knizia’s name. To date, Reiner Knizia is the most prolific board game designer in history. I can’t blame the Spiel des Jahres committee for getting Knizia fatigue. I played a few new-to-me board games this year. I thought, wow, that game was great, who’s the designer? Reiner Knizia. Of course. Keep them coming, Knizia.
Did we get the list mostly correct? Let us know which games you’d add in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. During today’s post, our writers share what they’ve been reading over the past month. Feel free to share what you’ve been reading, too. We’re all part of the Geekly Gang. I’ll kick things off with what I’ve been reading over this past month.
Kyra’s Reads
It’s the holidays. Naturally, I was out shopping for others, but that doesn’t mean I can’t pick up something relatively cheap for myself. I picked up Ornithography for under $5. Bird lore and symbolism sounded interesting, and Ornithography hasn’t disappointed. Each bird entry includes an illustration of the bird, its scientific name, and a brief legend about it. To say Ornithography is a quick read is an understatement. Just look at this sample page.
I figured Orinithography would yield some writing ideas, and it has shaken some things loose there. The only issue I’ve found is that the bird write-ups can contradict each other. One culture may view a bird as lucky and another unlucky. But that’s part of the fun.
Keeping my trend of quick to read and illustrated alive, my next entry is Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style. At one point, I read The Elements of Style once a year. It’s a writing style handbook and well worth the read. We can’t depend on AI to catch every mistake. This past month marks the first time I’ve read The Elements of Style in over two years. Yikes! I may need to get back into the habit of reading this must-read for any writer.
Yes. Style has changed somewhat, but most of what Strunk and White (and that’s E.B. White, the author of Charlotte’s Web) holds up today. And I love the gentle humor the two manage to give the subject. Writing style books can be a chore to get through. Strunk and White make it enjoyable.
The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures makes one of these lists again. I won’t go into too much detail. As the title suggests, this encyclopedia chronicles magical and mythical creatures. Entries in this book mirror Ornithography’s. I had a book type this month.
That’s all I have for this month’s Watcha Reading. Let’s see what Season’s been reading.
Season’s Read
I participated in the Black Friday/Cyber Monday boycott this year, only purchasing essentials. This boycott also extended to streaming services. I rewatched my DVD box set of Death Note on my computer with a USB disc reader and remembered I’d picked up a copy of Death Note Short Stories. Death Note Short Stories is a collection written by the author of the main Death Note series (with the same artist), so I consider all of these stories canon.
I’m not a fan of the Taro Kagami story since it includes a “death eraser,” which brings people back to life if they haven’t been cremated. In Japan, there isn’t enough land mass to bury the dead, so people are cremated, with their crematory bits kept separate from their memorial site. I’d assume the same logic would apply to someone whose body is in pieces. That’d make for a weird zombie.
The first story was interesting. It’s set nine years after the end of Death Note, and features Donald Trump buying the “power of Kira (Death Note)” from a mysterious seller in Japan (Minoru Tanaka). Death Note is a fantastical series, but this is the most realistic story in the franchise. No notes.
The last couple of stories feature background information on L, such as his upbringing and daily life. This man tumbles in a human-sized washing machine every day as his “shower” because physically taking a shower is too bothersome. I mean, I don’t always want to shower, but a washing machine? That’s definitely a choice.
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here again. That’s all we have for Whatcha Reading this week. Let us know what you’ve been reading in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Happy Holidays, Geekly Gang! Season here. This month’s plushie review is special to me. I got a Playskool Glo Worm (1996) as a present on my first Christmas, and I still have it. My Glo Worm’s name is “Baga,” so I’ll be using that title throughout this review.
Before we begin, let’s review the categories. I’ll be looking at size, softness, kid-friendliness, and cuddliness. There won’t be an aggregated score.
Size
Baga is on the smaller side and fits perfectly in your lap if you’re sitting cross-legged as an adult. Baga rivals newborns in size.
Softness Versus Firmness
Baga has— or, in my case, had — a music box inside that plays “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” and when activated, his face lights up. This, plus his hard head, puts him toward the middle of the soft versus firm scale. In my biased opinion, he’s super soft, but I’ve worn him down over the years.
Kid Friendly Versus Adult Only
Since he’s designed for infants, Baga is kid-friendly. He gets docked a few points for small pieces like the zipper on his back, which could be ripped off by a rambunctious child. I used him to fight my other toys when I was two. It was war, I tell you.
Cuddle Buddy Versus Desk Buddy
Baga is definitely a cuddle buddy. That’s part of his design. Since Playskool doesn’t make him anymore, I could see him as a collector’s item. Playskool intended for Baga to be a cuddle buddy, so he’s a cuddle buddy.
Final Thoughts
I tried to be as unbiased. Let me know your opinions of Playskool’s Glo Worm in the comments. I have a baby picture of me with Baga when I got him. Would you like to see that picture, Geekly Gang? Let me know. Thank you for reading, and have an amazing holiday season.
Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here! I haven’t done a Geekly News article in a week or two, so we may have a handful of new releases (board games and video games) to cover. But before we get to new releases, we just received big news. Netflix buys Warner Bros. What? I was surprised by Warner Bros. putting itself up for sale a couple of months ago, and the twist of the streaming giant Netflix purchasing Warner Bros. is shocking.
Netflix Buys Warner Bros.
The Warner Bros. sale escalated quickly. In October 2025, Paramount had offered a large deal (rumored to be around $100 billion) for the entirety of Warner Bros. Discovery. Quick question. How many banks/investors would be needed to raise $100 billion? Anyway, the deal fell through, and Warner Bros. Discovery suggested splitting its various business pieces. This allowed Netflix to enter the bidding.
Netflix was only ever interested in Warner Bros.’ streaming business and studios, and (according to a Hollywood Reporter article) early Friday (December 5, 2025) Netflix purchased Warner Bros.’ streaming business and studios for $82.7 billion, financing $59 billion through banks and investors. After Warner Bros. suggested splitting its assets, the Netflix purchase was less of a surprise. While Netflix hides its viewing numbers from the public, it has shared that Warner Bros.’ titles have dominated Netflix viewing numbers in recent months. Why not buy the studio? It makes great sense from a business perspective. But this merger raises concerns.
The first concern is that mid-sized, legacy studios–like Warner Bros.–cannot survive in the current media landscape. The second is that Netflix never releases films in movie theaters, and if it continues this trend with Warner Bros.’ properties, this could be the death knell for movie theaters. And currently, the European Union questions whether this merger works within its anti-monopoly statutes. There’s a lot to discuss. I’ll try and be brief.
First, it doesn’t look good for mid-sized studios. The media landscape has been mirroring the United States’ wealth gap for well over a decade. You’re either a massive studio or you’re an indie filmmaker. Sorry, Fox. There is no middle class. Netflix’s acquisition of Warner Bros. furthers this trend.
Second, I’ve always enjoyed going to movie theaters. It’s a vibe. But I’ve gone to fewer movies at the theater in the last several years. Call it a COVID hangover. Major cities will most likely have a movie theater or two, but smaller cities may lose theirs. Again, this was already happening. Disney demands more profits than other studios, especially for Star Wars and Marvel movies (making these films less profitable for theaters), while Netflix refuses to release films in theaters at all. We’ll have to wait and see if Netflix will extend its policy to Warner Bros. releases. I’ll be sad if the next Wonder Woman movie never makes it to a theater near me, but at least the DCU will continue. More on that later.
Third, monopolies are on the rise. Okay. Some folks may correct me and say that these are oligopolies (a market structure with few competitors controlling most of the market), not monopolies. True, but semantics. Fewer competitors mean that these companies have more power during negotiations. You know, like Disney demanding more profits from theaters. These negotiations also extend to consumers. While Netflix insists it will not raise its subscription price (yet), I imagine a $59 billion loan might tempt it to raise prices in the not-so-distant future.
What does this mean for the future? Nothing much will change in the next year or two. Famous last words. The DCU’s slate of shows and movies remains the same, as far as we know. I can’t wait for Lanterns in early 2026. I can’t imagine Netflix firing James Gunn or Peter Safran. They’ll stay onboard for the DCU’s next chapter. And there have been some hints that the Snyderverse could return. What?
Netflix has stated that some of its newly acquired intellectual properties (including DC Comics and DC Studios) will allow other creatives to release content for those IPs on Netflix. Fans of the Snyderverse interpreted this statement as the Snyderverse returning. And it makes sense if it does. James Gunn has already okayed a second The Batman movie, despite actively casting a new Batman for the DCU. No. We still don’t know if Gunn has cast anyone as Batman. We’ll keep you posted. Gunn fully embraces the Elseworlds framework. So, multiple interpretations of the same characters can exist. Bring on the Snyderverse.
Ultimately, I can see why Netflix’s acquisition of Warner Bros. has people on edge. I’m concerned, too. We lost one more mid-sized, legacy film studio. That sucks. Thanks for the memories, Fox and Warner Bros.. Netflix insists it won’t stop releasing Warner Bros. films in theaters. Perhaps. Fingers crossed. Netflix also says it won’t raise its monthly subscription cost. But $59 billion is a lot of money to repay. We’ll wait and see.
The Great Library Launches on KickStarter
The dynamic duo of game designer Vital Lacerda and artist Ian O’Toole reunite with The Great Library. I have yet to play a Lacerda original, and The Great Library looks as if it’s right up my alley. Players attempt to reconstruct the fabled Great Library of Alexandria. I adore this theme.
Lacerda is known for his strategic board games, and O’Toole is one of my favorite board game artists. The biggest reason why I’ve hesitated to pick up a Lacerda/O’Toole collaboration is that I fear I may make a wrong move on turn one that’ll come back and bite me. But I may make an exception for The Great Library. Look at the detail in this game. There’s a reason O’Toole is one of my favorite board game artists.
With a little context, one could make out what they can do during a turn. O’Toole is one of the best at graphic interpretations of game rules. The Great Library offers a couple of pledge levels. The base pledge of $118 offers a few add-ons. It’ll ship around September of next year, but gamers could back the advanced copy pledge at $225 and receive The Great Library a month earlier. If you’re interested in The Great Library,check out its KickStarter page.
Queen of Spies Launches on GameFound
I love historical board games. Queen of Spies is based–loosely–on Louise de Bettigries, who is known as the Queen of Spies. The Queen of Spies board game has players organize a network of spies to turn the tide of World War I in Belgium. Bettigries did exactly that during World War I. I love it! A solo game steeped in history should surprise no one with a Salt and Pepper game. This board game publisher has produced some of the best historical games in recent memory: The Voynich Puzzle, Witchcraft!, and Resist!.
Ah! I know little about Queen of Spies’ gameplay, but I can’t wait to get my hands on this game. Gamefound campaigns are notorious for showing little of the game before launch. We also know little–if anything–about Queen of Spies’ pledge levels before its release. If you’re interested in Queen of Spies, check out its Gamefound page.
Byzantion: The Justinian Era Launches on Gamefound
Truth time. I hate Take That as a mechanism, especially when used in a longer game. So, when I saw the following image on Byzantion: The Justinian Era, I cooled on the project.
Everything else looks amazing with Byzantion: The Justinian Era. I’d like more board game companies to include graphics like the one above. This gives players an idea of what kind of game to expect. While I may dislike strong Take That in an hour-plus game, other games may enjoy it. And to be honest, everything else on this graphic looks like it’d be something I’d play, so I could overlook the strong Take That. And why not? While publisher Meeple Pug is new to the gaming space, they’ve had some interesting releases over the past year with Mesopotamia and Dark Blood. Meeple Pug games include stellar miniatures, and Byzantion: The Justinian Era is no exception.
While the image above is most likely from a digital tabletop engine like Tabletop Simulator, one can’t generate files like this without files from the core game. I love the upstart Greek board game publisher Meeple Pug. They stick to their roots, and I can’t wait to see what they release next. If you’re interested in Byzantion: The Justinian Era, check out its GameFound page.
Dragon Eclipse: The Grand Quest Ventures onto GameFound
Dragon Eclipse returns with its first full sequel, Dragon Eclipse: The Grand Quest. Honestly, I haven’t considered too many Awakened Realms games, because they tend to get pricey. Like hundreds of dollars pricey. If that doesn’t give a frame of reference for how expensive Awakened Realms games can get, Awakened Realms is the board game publisher attached to GameFound, the crowdfunding site that thinks board games should be so expensive that games should be able to pay for them in monthly installments. But Dragon Eclipse’s standalone sequel, Dragon Eclipse: The Grand Quest, is affordable. About $70 for the standard edition and $139 for the deluxe.
At $70, I may pick up a copy of Dragon Eclipse: The Grand Quest. From what I hear, Dragon Eclipse plays like a fusion between Gloomhaven and Pokémon. And I dig the storybook feel. Ah! My heart skipped a beat. My biggest issue with Gloomhaven is its setup, and two flipbooks should limit the amount of setup. And I love Pokémon. I may not have grown up with Pokémon–like my children–but I have a soft spot for cute mythical creatures, and Dragon Eclipse: The Grand Quest has plenty of cute mythical creatures. If you’re interested in Dragon Eclipse: The Grand Quest, check out its GameFound page.
Marvel: Cosmic Invasion Releases
Classic video game arcade players, rejoice. Marvel: Cosmic Invasion captures the feel of classic arcade games like The X-Men, The Simpsons, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Side-scroll fight your way through the levels and defeat denizens of the Negative Zone. Not gonna lie. Annihilus (ruler of the Negative Zone) is one of my favorite Marvel villains, and I’m stoked for this game. I didn’t know Marvel: Cosmic Invasion existed before writing this post, but I’m so in.
Let me at those bad guys. As I write this entry, I have no idea what the reviewers will say about this game. Does it matter? If classic side-scroll combat interests you, Marvel: Cosmic Invasion may interest you. Depending on the version you purchase, the cost varies from $40 to $60. Marvel: Cosmic Invasion is available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and Xbox Series S/X.
Sleep Awake Releases
I didn’t know Blumhouse made video games. Surprise! Undoubtedly, as a result of Blumhouse’s involvement, Sleep Awake was included in the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival. How many video games are included in a prestigious film festival? Not many. I don’t know much about Sleep Awake other than people disappear in their sleep, and it’s up to you to save the last remaining people on Earth. From the designer of the stellar Spec Ops: The Line, Cory Davis, and featuring the music of Robin Finck of Nine Inch Nails, Sleep Awake blurs the lines between dream and reality.
Like Marvel: Cosmic Invasion, I knew little about this game, but the more I learn, the more I want to see more of Sleep Awake. Sleep Awake is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox Series S/X.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Releases
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond needs no introduction. The Metroid series is one of Nintendo’s greatest, and we haven’t seen a new entry in this series in over a decade. No. I don’t count Metroid Prime: Federation Force, released for the Nintendo 3DS. Handhelds are a separate animal. The last main console release for a Metroid game came in 2007, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption for the Wii. The Wii!
And I’m grateful that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will be available for the Nintendo Switch as well as the Nintendo Switch 2. I can hold off upgrading my Switch. I picked up my Switch late in its cycle. I deserve to have the occasional high-profile game. And Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is certainly a high-profile Nintendo release. Let’s hope it lives up to the hype.
Octopath Traveler 0 Releases
Okay. Another truth time. I picked up Octopath Traveler for the Nintendo Switch several years ago and have yet to play it. Eek! The series looks amazing. Sure, Octopath Traveler features pixel art, and even though I have written for a website called The Pixels (they tended to give every pixel art game a baseline 8 out of 10 for graphics that I’d call 4 out of 10), I don’t automatically say a game is gorgeous because it uses pixel art. But look at Octopath Traveler’s pixel art. It’s stunning. Look at that detail. It’s delicious.
I love the graphics, and from what I hear, Octopath Traveler has an amazing story to match these graphics. Yes! Octopath Traveler 0 is a prequel to the original game. While I’m not a fan of prequels, I can enjoy them, given the proper context. I don’t yet know what the context is for Octopath Traveler 0, but we’ll keep you informed. What I do know is that Octopath Traveler 0 features town-building gameplay. What? Players may construct 500 buildings on the Nintendo Switch 2 and 250 buildings on the original Nintendo Switch. This is yet another title I love that gets an original Nintendo Switch release, despite the older system’s limitations. But players may also pick up a copy of Octopath Traveler 0 on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
That’s all the Geek News we have for this week. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another board game review. Today’s game is Michael Feldkötter’sLittle Devils, a quick trick-taking game with a twist. Little Devils has no suits. Instead, players must follow the first card (in a series of 54 numbered cards) that’s played per round. The second card dictates which direction every other player must follow (up or down from the original number). The player who either plays in the wrong direction (up instead of down) or plays the furthest number from the original card wins the trick; you’re trying to win as few tricks as possible. Little Devils takes a simple concept and bakes in some interesting choices.
Before we get any further, we’ll get devilish with Little Devils’ details.
The Fiddly Bits
Designer: Michael Feldkötter Publisher: Arclight Games, Stronghold Games, White Goblin Games Date Released: 2012 Number of Players: 3-6 Age Range: 8 and up Setup Time: Less than a minute Play Time: About 15 minutes
Little Devils consists of a 54-card deck. Depending on the number of players, remove a number of cards numbered between 28-54 from the game. The rulebook will state which specific cards need to be removed at each player count. Ultimately, players will be dealt 9 cards each, which should be the entire deck.
After you’ve prepared the deck, deal out all the cards.
Game Flow
For the first round, the player to the left of the dealer begins the trick; for every round after the first, whoever “won” the previous trick, begins the next trick. The first player starts the trick by playing any card from their hand that doesn’t have five little devils beneath the number. Quick note: most cards in Little Devils will have at least one little devil underneath its number. Players cannot lead a trick with a card with five little devils, unless they have no other card in their hand.
The player to the left of the starting player will play a card from their hand. If the second player plays a higher card, all other players must play cards valued higher than the first card if possible. Whoever played the highest card gets the trick, unless a player is unable to play a higher card. This player will get the trick unless more players are unable to play higher cards. If a player (or players) plays a card in the opposite direction of the second player, the player with the furthest valued card from the original card wins the trick.
After all cards have been played, a round ends. Players score the number of little devils from their tricks. As soon as someone scores 200 points, play ends, and whoever has the fewest points wins.
Review
Little Devils has a built-in catch-up mechanism: the player who wins a trick can’t possibly win the next one; they begin the next trick. I love that. It’s simple and offers plenty of strategic choices. I could play a card closer to the low or high end, thinking the players in front of me (on the scoreboard) might get stuck with a trick or two. There are even cards that have no little devils on them. Often, when I know I’m going to get stuck with a trick, I’ll play one of the one devil or no devils cards to net the fewest little devils I can.
While you could card count during Little Devils, it doesn’t matter that much. Little Devils plays quickly. It’s more fun to play a second game. Even when I’ve finished last (triggered the end game), I feel like I did something if I stiffed someone else with a bunch of points during one round. Little Devils is a great filler game. It may get overshadowed by Cat in the Box (we still need to review that game), but it requires less setup, is an easier teach, and I’ve found more gamers catch on to Little Devils a lot faster.
Too Long; Didn’t Read
Quick to pick up and easy to teach, Little Devils is an excellent trick-taking game that offers plenty of strategic choices, a brilliant built-in catch-up mechanism, and fun gotcha moments.
jkgeekly.com 