deck-building games

Deck-Building (and Deck-Wrecking) in ‘Abandon All Artichokes’

July 4, 2020December 6, 2021Jonathan H. Liu

Collect carrots and corn, pick up some peppers and potatoes, and bite some beets and broccoli—but above all, ‘Abandon All Artichokes’!

Kickstarter Tabletop Alert: ‘Hardback’ Is the Next Bestseller

April 4, 2017December 13, 2017Jonathan H. Liu

‘Hardback’ is the “pre-quill” to ‘Paperback,’ a word-making, deck-building game from Tim Fowers.

‘Sunken Treasures’ Expansion Takes ‘Clank!’ to New Depths

March 9, 2017Jonathan H. Liu2

After plundering the depths for valuable artifacts and surviving the dragon’s wrath in ‘Clank!’, what’s next? How about checking out those ‘Sunken Treasures’? Just remember: there’s a dragon down in these depths, too.

Reaping the Rewards: ‘Shadowrift’ 2nd Edition—Bigger and Better

February 26, 2017Jonathan H. Liu

The 2nd edition of ‘Shadowrift’ is bigger and better than ever.

Cooperative Deck-Building in ‘Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle’

December 28, 2016December 13, 2017Jonathan H. Liu13

Take on the forces of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named in this cooperative deck-building game, working your way through 7 “years” of Harry’s life at Hogwarts.

Cryptozoic’s ‘Attack on Titan’ Game: Fun Until You Die

December 24, 2016December 13, 2017Karen Burnham

The game is fun until you die a horrible, painful, frustrating death. Since that’s pretty much the defining characteristic of being in the Survey Corps, it gives a realistic experience without getting swallowed whole.

‘Cartoon Network Crossover Crisis’: A Serious Deck-Builder for Not-So-Serious Gamers

May 6, 2016December 13, 2017Z1

The ‘Cartoon Network Crossover Crisis Deck-Building Game’ from Cryptozoic Entertainment is the perfect title for clever kids and drunk adults! That’s… that’s never gonna end up as a pull quote on the front of the box, is it?

Sherlock Meets Lovecraft in ‘A Study in Emerald’ (Second Edition)

April 11, 2016August 13, 2020Jonathan H. Liu3

It is 1882, and the world is at war: a growing band of rebels, calling themselves the Restorationists, wants to free humanity from the centuries-long rule of the Old Ones. Inspired by Neil Gaiman’s short story of the same title, ‘A Study in Emerald’ is a fascinating tabletop game that puts Sherlock Holmes into the world of H.P. Lovecraft.

Kickstarter Tabletop Alert: Building Decks, Building ‘Palaces’

November 19, 2015December 13, 2017Jonathan H. Liu1

In ‘Palaces,’ you and your opponents compete to build the most luxurious palaces. Bid on precious materials to build up your towers–but you’ll have to make them match!

Reaping the Rewards: ‘Web of Spies’

November 18, 2015December 13, 2017Jonathan H. Liu

In Reaping the Rewards, I take a closer look at the finished product from a crowdfunding campaign. Today’s title is ‘Web of Spies,’ which funded in November 2014 and was shipped to backers at the end of September.

Kickstarter Tabletop Alert: ‘Eaten by Zombies: Burn It Down’

October 8, 2015December 13, 2017Jonathan H. Liu

‘Eaten by Zombies,’ a deck-building game by Max Holliday, is finally back with a new expansion, bringing some new zombies and some new heat for the players: fire! Whether you survive or turn into a zombie, it’s time to ‘Burn It Down.’

‘DC Comics Deck-building Game: Teen Titans’ Review

September 7, 2015December 13, 2017Anthony Karcz

Cryptozoic hops in the T-Jet and storms Titans Tower in their latest standalone game ‘DC Comics Deck-Building Game: Teen Titans.’

More Mini Deck-Building in ‘Valley of the Kings: Afterlife’

September 6, 2015December 13, 2017Jonathan H. Liu2

Last year one of my favorite games was Tom Cleaver’s ‘Valley of the Kings,’ a deck-building game that required you to weed things out of your deck in order to score points. This year, AEG published a stand-alone sequel to the game, ‘Valley of the Kings: Afterlife.’

Table for One: ‘Agent Decker’

August 18, 2015December 13, 2017Will James1

Table for One is a series focusing on solo tabletop gaming. Today’s game is ‘Agent Decker’ by Manuel Correia, a competitor in the 2015 Solitaire Print and Play Contest.

Flipping Out Over ‘Flip City’

July 22, 2015June 5, 2020Jonathan H. Liu

Welcome to ‘Flip City.’ It’s a small town: a convenience store, a hospital, a factory, a central park, and a few residents. But you’ve got big plans. Raise money to expand and improve your city, but watch out that you don’t make your residents too unhappy!

Kickstarter Tabletop Alert: Take on the Dungeon Boss With '100 Swords'

July 13, 2015December 13, 2017Jonathan H. Liu

Armed with nothing but some boots, an awkward sword, and several crappy swords, you set off into the dungeon in hopes of slaying monsters, finding better equipment, and—just maybe—defeating the dungeon boss. Grab a friend (or an enemy) for a quick two-player session of ‘100 Swords.’

Table for One Kickstarter Tabletop Alert: 'Dark Dealings'

July 7, 2015December 13, 2017Will James

If you like deck building, bidding, dungeon building, and competitive strategy game elements like I do, then you’ll love ‘Dark Dealings.’ The game combines all of these mechanics with fun, beautiful artwork as you take on the role of an evil overlord trying to defend your home from the heroes of the realm.

Kickstarter Tabletop Alert: Web of Spies

November 5, 2014December 13, 2017Jonathan H. Liu2

Collect key assets. Eliminate enemy agents. See the world. Web of Spies mashes up deck-building with a high-stakes chase all over the globe.

NHL Power Play Is Some of the Best Hockey You’ll Ever Play Without a Zamboni

October 9, 2014December 13, 2017Dave Banks

Hockey season started last night and there’s no better way to get pumped up about the season than the great new deck builder game, NHL Power Play Team-Building Card Game.

Legendary Encounters: Free Hugs … for Your Face

September 3, 2014September 28, 2020Jonathan H. Liu5

In space, nobody can hear you shuffle.

This year, Upper Deck expanded its Legendary line of semi-cooperative deck-building games into the Alien universe. Legendary Encounters lets you experience the first four movies as a game, or you can mix and match characters, locations, and objectives for customized scenarios.

Valley of the Kings: A Minimalist Deck-Building Game

July 7, 2014April 14, 2021Jonathan H. Liu2

I love the deck-building mechanic. I know some people have gotten tired of it, but I really enjoy seeing the variations on the theme that people have come up with. Tom Cleaver’s Valley of the Kings is a particularly fascinating example of the genre—it involves the least building that I’ve seen in a deck-builder.

All Aboard: Deck-Building + Rail-Laying = Trains

October 9, 2013December 13, 2017Jonathan H. Liu4

Trains was one of AEG’s big releases this year, and I’ve finally gotten a chance to sit down and play it a few times. It’s a great blend of deck-building (like Dominion) and track-laying (not quite like Ticket to Ride), and I have a feeling I’ll be playing this a bit more in the near future.

3012: Deck-Building After the Mayan Apocalypse

December 2, 2012December 13, 2017Jonathan H. Liu

As you know, the Mayan apocalypse is fast approaching. What you may not know, however is what the world will be like in a thousand years, when the few humans that survive have organized into clans, ruled by animalistic warriors. …

Puzzle Strike 3rd Edition and Shadows Expansion

November 14, 2012December 13, 2017Jonathan H. Liu

Take a look at what’s inside Puzzle Strike 3rd Edition and the Shadows Expansion.

How Fantastic Is Fantastiqa?

November 13, 2012Jonathan H. Liu

Alf Seegert’s latest game involves deck-building, but it’s unlike any other deck-building games you’ve played before. In Fantastiqa, players discover themselves in a “land of fabled beasts and fantastical quests,” subduing creatures and recruiting them as allies to fulfill quests.

Shadowrift: Cooperative Deck-Building—With Monsters

October 23, 2012Jonathan H. Liu1

Shadowrift is a cooperative deck-builder where the monsters don’t wait for you to come out and fight.

Exclusive Preview: Kaijudo Rise Of The Duel Masters King Coral Card

August 24, 2012December 13, 2017Nicole Wakelin

The Kaijudo: Rise of the Duel Masters Core Set doesn’t launch unti September 7th, but GeekMom has this exclusive first look at the King Coral card!

Pixel Lincoln: The 16-Bit Sidescrolling Deck-Building Platformer Card Game

July 5, 2012December 13, 2017Jonathan H. Liu

John Wilkes Booth has stolen Abe Lincoln’s hat and disrupted the time-space continuum. It’s up to you to defeat Booth and his minions (laser sharks, puking turtles, and luchadors) with your trusty Beardarang and meat-based weaponry. Pixel Lincoln is a …

They’re Baaaaack! Eaten by Zombies: In Cahoots

April 25, 2012December 13, 2017Jonathan H. Liu

On my list of Best Board Games of 2011, I gave Eaten by Zombies an honorable mention, for combining two of my favorite flavors: deck-building and zombies. The original game looks great and does a great job of making you …

Thunderstone Advance Available Today!

March 12, 2012December 13, 2017Jonathan H. Liu

Just a reminder: Thunderstone Advance hits shelves today! If you read my review and pre-ordered the game at a Level Up preview event last week, you’ll be getting the Avatars mini-expansion. If not, it’ll be available for about $10. So …

Tag: deck-building games