Publisher: Write Stuff Games
Player Count: 1-4 Players
Game Length: 30-40 Minutes
Complexity 2.25/5

Saddle up your band of ruffians and explore the Wild West in one of my favorite flip and write games ever!

In Fliptown, players resolve their problems (and life choices) with a simple deck of cards. It’s the value and suit of the card drawn that’s going to open a gateway into a sandbox-style world where you’ll choose to seek your fortune mining gold, rustling up trouble in the badlands, seeking adventure on the trail or exploring all that the frontier towns have to offer. The sheriff’s hot on your trail, so be quick to earn your fortune while avoiding the law.

Breathing new life into the flip and write genre, Fliptown pushes boundaries with interesting turns and rich rewards. Designer, Steven Aramini had previously found success with micro games such as Sprawlopolis and Circle the Wagons – games full of tough choices and tight turns. It’s exciting to see him branch out with a Fliptown, a grand celebration of the art and spirit of Western America… all tied beautifully together in a box that will fit on any size shelf.

ON YOUR TURN

Everything Fliptown has to offer literally stems from a simple deck of cards (albeit, a thematic and beautifully illustrated one). On your turn, you’ll draw 3 cards, using the results to make your choices. The suit will determine the area of your player board you tackle while the numerical value determines the strength or area you pursue. The third card is placed toward your ongoing poker hand that resolves after a single round of 5 turns.

Each player has a reusable dry erase board presenting all the actions you have available. At first glance, it can be a bit overwhelming since it appears there is a lot going on. But I promise you, it all comes together logically and quickly without hardly any struggle.

Representing each of the 4 card suits, players can visit 1 of 4 areas per turn. Each of these areas are thematically highlighted by different mini-games to conquer. The value of the 2nd card chosen will determine what you can accomplish in the area. For example, mining gold presents a tech-tree puzzle where you’ll use your card value to mine further down earning bonuses along the way.

Yes, Fliptown is all about the combos and bonuses along the way. There are definitely ways to extend your turn, and give you that big gun feeling while earning you additional actions and resources.

One of the highlights of Fliptown is in its ability to tell a story throughout the game without diving into an unnecessary narrative. Seeking to rob a stagecoach in the badlands can lead to big rewards or huge legal trouble with the law. The actions come to life, and while the decision is resolved in a matter of moments, your choices begin to shape your adventure in unique and exciting ways.

Traveling to the town provides the opportunity to invest in a ridiculous number of Wild West activities. Visit the undertaker, the church, saloon, general store, land office, gunsmith, bail bonds and plenty more. Each sub location provides fun ways to modify your abilities, benefits and pursuits.

In the end, the player with the most points (or Wild West fame) is the winner. You can play it safe, seeking to avoid the law and go on your merry way… or you can push your luck with hopes of greater victory. Higher reward always comes with a cost and in Fliptown, it’s the sheriff you’ll want to avoid. Each round, players face increasing heat from the law. As you take actions, you’ll accumulate wanted icons that put you in conflict with the local sheriff. Of course there are ways to mitigate these dangers and in the Wild West, even sherifs aren’t above a bribe or two.

Players choose 1 of the game’s 14 personas giving you unique, asymmetrical actions to help you along your trail. Community goals give players additional pursuits to garner game changing points.

Riding Solo

Fliptown also features a simple yet engaging solo mode that creates new challenges as you face off against 4 different bots. Fliptown is a bit of a multi-player solitaire experience, so it isn’t much of a reach to transition to a solo game. I’d even recommend Fliptown just for the solo gamer.

ARTWORK & COMPONENTS

Fliptown is beautifully illustrated with decorative, turn-of-the-century stylings, a rusty, orange hue and mesas adorned with cactus set amongst endless vistas. I love the vibe of the artwork and it immediately draws me in each time I pull this one off the shelf.

This is a big game in a small box with somewhat minimal components. The deck of cards, goals, player personas and dry erase markers round out the package.

If I’m going to be critical, the type on the player board can be a challenge. The design team did a great job working within the boundaries of the board size and box, but it would have been nicer if some of the type wasn’t so small. It obviously hasn’t ruined my enjoyment of the game, but it is worth noting.

The rulebook does an amazing job navigating you comfortably through the game’s actions, areas and rule variants.

PROS & CONS

Exciting choices

Simple, yet deep actions

Activate areas full of personality

Beautifully thematic production

Easy setup and teardown

Tons of replay ability

Great solo and multiplayer

Quick play time

Some of the text is challenging to read on the boards

That’s really it – this is one of my favorites of the year!

WHY WOULD YOU LIKE THIS GAME?

Fans of games like Hadrian’s Wall and Fleet: The Dice Game are going to find the most to enjoy here. This is a think-y, sandbox-style flip and write that rewards players looking to venture down multiple paths. While it certainly isn’t heavy, it will take a moment to familiarize yourself with the game’s choices, icons and functions. That’s all a necessary and worthwhile pursuit to grant passage into the richness, depth and enjoyment the game offers.

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS GAME?

I’ve talked about the execution of the theme, the cool turn choices and the ingenious use of a playing deck… so I’ll give props to the combos. So many games fail to provide the right amount of combos. Too many and the game feels cheap… too few and there isn’t enough excitement. Fliptown brings a great level of bonus actions where you feel satisfied, but not overwhelmed. There’s really a nice balance to it.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Are you looking for a meaty, flip and write style game? Check out Fliptown. Maybe you’re looking for an engaging western-themed game? Fliptown works for that. Or perhaps you’re looking for a fun experience with satisfying choices? Yep… Fliptown.

Despite the complex player interface, this is a highly accessible game that’s quick to learn, easy to set up, plays smooth and fast and works for any of the 1-4 player counts.

The beautiful production immediately draws you in and from there it’s guns blazing. I love the huge variety of choices that provide a near infinite number of paths to pursue. Turns feel powerful without cheapening the game and Fliptown gives you the sensation of accomplishment despite the player’s skill level (or lack of).

Of course your enjoyment of the theme can certainly affect your overall experience. I love the romanticized vision we have of a nearly civilized western society coming to terms with an untamed world around them. Fliptown does a fine job of embracing this vision, but being “in to” western themed games isn’t necessary to enjoy this one.

Fliptown doesn’t quite dethrone Hadrian’s Wall as the flip and write boss for me, but it’s in the neighborhood. ‘X’ and write games have always leaned on the lighter side and quality, heavier games in this space are few and far between. Fans of games like Hadrian’s Wall are going to want to get in on this.

After nearly a dozen plays, Flip is easily on the shortlist for game of the year (2024) for me. After wading through dozens of lackluster games, it’s experiences like Fliptown that remind me why I love board games. I can’t recommend this one highly enough.

Walking in Burano: Roll & Write
Publisher: EmperorS4
Player Count: 1-4 Players
Game Length: 30 Minutes
Complexity 2/5

Set on the island of Burano in Venice, players will work to decorate their home with plants, curtains, chimneys as well as the ever-present house cat in an effort to appeal to the frequent tourists and local inhabitants. Meet their high demands and earn their adoration in this dice drafting roll and write game. 

ON YOUR TURN

Walking in Burano: Roll & Write is a new version of the original board game, Walking in Burano from the same designer. I haven’t had the opportunity to play the original so there obviously won’t be any direct comparisons.

In this version, players will serve as decorators taking turns drafting dice and adorning the local homes with flair and enhancements to appeal to the local community. Burano is a vibrant tourist destination and visitors will often stop to admire the brightly colored real estate.

On your turn, you’ll place one of your boats on the canal next to one of the 6 available dice. Each round, the 6 uniquely colored dice are rolled and placed in their respective spots. Each dice reflects a specific home on your player sheet and the value determines how you can interact with that home if that dice is chosen.

There are 5 different ways to interact with each home. While each home is unique in its decorating opportunities, you can generally address any of these areas as long as you meet that decoration’s “mini-game” requirement. Planting flowers requires you to label the plant with a die value equal to or lower than any previously planted plant in that home. Cats can be added as long as the die value equals the floor the cat is on. Red or blue curtains can be added depending on the die being odd or even. Each streetlight has a specific number. Finally, chimney’s across the street will need their own unique number.

Each player will receive 2 die actions per round. There isn’t a ton of interaction aside from the general race to the finish and choosing a die previously chosen by an opponent. The penalty is a coin to the original resident of that dice space.

After all players have chosen their dice, they have the option to invite a guest. There are 10 unique guests all looking for a unique pattern present in all the houses. For example: inviting the photographer scores points for all the cats in a single house. The tailor is looking for a pair of red and blue curtains throughout the entire block. Santa Clause (yes, Santa Clause) scores points based on the total value of all the chimneys at the time he’s invited. You’ll score points in a variety of ways with some based on an individual house, while others would score an entire floor.

The game ends when a player has invited their 5th guest, so the push and pull of the game is in the balance between maximizing your scoring goals and actually activating those goals. When you invite a guest you score that goal immediately, often forcing you to leave points on the shelf in your pursuit of 5 goals before your opponent. Ultimately, the player with the most points wins the game… and that may not be the player who finished all 5 invites first.

ARTWORK & COMPONENTS

While the artwork is colorful and fun, this is a pretty basic production. The publisher’s creatively tied in the canal/dice holders to fit nicely in the box and still provide some dimension to the play area. Unfortunately, like the majority of the game, the paper quality isn’t the best and everything feels kinda cheap. I’d like to think the components don’t  diminish the game experience, but it was definitely something I noticed with each play.

The rulebook is simple and clear. The different requirements are easy to find making it easy to jump right in on your first play.

PROS & CONS

This is a quick and simple game that works for a broad audience

The rulebook is clean and clear making it easy to learn and teach

The theme is enticing on its own. While it doesn’t shine through intensely, there are going to be those who appreciate the personality and setting.

While production quality will likely keep the cost down, it is a bit of a disappointing production.

Turn choices ultimately aren’t that interesting. While you’re at the mercy of the dice, pursuing certain objects may or may not pan out. I wasn’t that excited or distraught no matter the outcome.

This is going to sound funny given that this is a game of luck, but everything felt a little deterministic. While some are going to win out and often win big, I’m just hoping I choose the right objectives to pursue. It may work out… it may not, but there didn’t seem to be a lot I could do about it once I was committed to a strategy. You can mitigate the dice by spending coins, but that’s even limited.

WHY WOULD YOU LIKE THIS GAME?

Walking in Burano comes across as a less refined version of Welcome To, but there are still some interesting choices and personality in the box for serious fans of roll and writes. The complexity level is just there enough to create an interesting experience for someone new to gaming or roll and writes in general.

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS GAME?

The best thing about the game is the tourist personalities. They are each searching for something different and willing to score in their own way. This does add some diversity and replayability.

FINAL THOUGHTS

If you’ve made it to this point in the review, it’s pretty clear that I’m not jumping up and down for Walking in Burano: Roll & Write. It’s not that it’s a bad game, but rather a bland game. The turn choices aren’t that exciting and it all feels so random. The game’s production doesn’t do itself any favors either.

I mentioned briefly that this feels like a watered down version of the game Welcome To. It’s not nearly as refined and clever and the choices just don’t get me excited. There just isn’t a whole lot here that’s memorable.

The solo mode may be the way to play this. It’s super easy to implement and you can play at your own pace. In fact, the game as a whole is really easy to get into. It does play quickly, giving it some virtue under the right circumstances.

As a fan of roll and writes, I’m willing to give these types of games a little extra grace, but this isn’t one I’ll likely revisit. Perhaps if you’re a fan of the original game this might be something to check out out of curiosity.

Publisher: Thunderworks Games
Player Count: 1-100 Players
Solo mode: Yes
Game Length: 30-45 Minutes
Complexity 2/5

Travel to distant lands, traverse the mighty tundra and haggle with merchants in this new set of expansion maps for Cartographers or Cartographers Heroes. Each map introduces new challenges, new scoring opportunities and new ambushes for fans looking to extend their cartographer adventures.

Cartographers is generally recognized as one of the top flip and writes on the market and likely the best fantasy-themed flip and write available. I had heard solid rumblings online and purchased Cartographers on a whim at my local gaming shop. I was super pleased to see it live up to the hype. I instantly fell in love with the decision making and accessibility. This is something the entire family can get into. It looks great, provides just enough variety and drawing the terrain on your map is just plain fun.

These new map expansions aren’t re-inventing the wheel and I’m already a big fan of the game… so it’s no secret that I approve. But, let’s dive in deeper and see what each new map offers, if it’s enough to get you excited and help you determine if you need these as part of your Cartographers ensemble.

MAP PACK 4—FROZEN EXPANSE: REALM OF FROST GIANTS

In these double-sided maps, players are traveling to the frozen expansion—home to the Frost Giants—to pick up the pieces where a past cartographer left off.

These new maps feature faded terrain spaces that must be filled in with that specific terrain type. There are also frozen lakes that when surrounded, claim coins.

The biggest addition are 2 new ambush cards: The Dire Wolf Prowl and Frost Giant Advance. The Dire Wolf actually destroys an empty scouted space removing it from scoring and you know how limited space is as it is. A carefully placed wolf and dead space can truly multiple the damage caused to an opponent. The Frost Giant, on the other hand, must be surrounded or destroyed to avoid seasonal losses.

This map is all about forcing you to work within your limitations. The faded terrain spaces can be both a problem or a benefit… but they’ll take careful planning. The frozen lakes can provide a nice bump in coin, but it’s the ambush cards that produce the most unexpected twists. That’s not to say this isn’t always the case in Cartographers, but destroying empty space from the Dire Wolf can be a real pain.

Final Thoughts: This expansion is fun, but doesn’t provide much new content. The puzzle changes with the faded terrain and the new ambush cards create different problems to solve, but probably my least favorite favorite of the 3 new map expansions. This is going to be best for die-hard Cartographer fans.

MAP PACK 5—KETHRA’S STEPPE: REDTOOTH & GOLDBELLY

Another double-sided map pack, this adventure has you lighting beacons on the Redtooth and Goldbelly mountain ranges.

The beacon areas play out like their own mini-game within the game. Beacon scoring cards are added to the standard set of scoring cards and change up how the lighted area around a beacon is scored. In addition to surrounding and lighting a beacon, players will score points in different ways based on the card’s conditions.

While a fairly simple addition, I really enjoyed the beacon challenge and additional scoring options. All 3 beacon cards essentially have you do the same thing, but they score differently putting different emphasis on how you approach the beacon scoring versus the standard scoring. For me this added a fun new dimension.

Final Thoughts: While still probably not critical for every Cartographer player, seasoned players are going to enjoy this new take on the game and the strategic challenges it presents.

MAP PACK 6—HORNHELM: WASTELAND MARKET

Thunderworks was definitely saving the best new map for last.

In Hornhelm, players have access to a market where they can purchase items. These items allow players to earn journal bonuses based on taking certain actions on your map. Journal points are added to a Journal Track where big points can be earned from reaching certain tiers. A new merchant card is active each season limiting the items available forcing you to often take different scoring paths.

Final Thoughts: This map provides a dramatically different strategic approach. I really enjoyed the new choices and think it provides the longest legs of the 3 new maps.

OVERALL THOUGHTS

I really enjoyed these new expansions. Expansions are typically never a necessity, but dedicated Cartographer players are going to enjoy the new wrinkles.. I still really like the unique game play options and the variety they bring, but I think at the end of the day, they don’t quite change up the base game enough for me to label these a “must buy”.

That being said, as a fan of Cartographers, I’m thrilled to have these and really enjoy how they do mix up the game. I think hardcore fans are probably going to buy these new maps no matter what and they’re probably going to really enjoy everything they have to offer.

For me, I don’t see anything supplanting Cartographers in this space, and will definitely be cycling these maps through my regular games of Cartographers going forward!

Designed by Geoff Engelstein
Art by Gong Studios
Published by WizKids!
1-4 Players  |  20 Minutes

Every time I sit down to play Super-Skill Pinball, The Who’s Pinball Wizard starts ringing in my head and I’m instantly taken back to the glory days where the pinball machine was king. Of course this has very little to do with the game and everything to do with nostalgia, but the goal of Super-Skill Pinball is obvious: tug at those sentimental heart strings and emulate those past experiences standing next to a machine, timing the flippers and ringing in thousands of points … And for the most part Super-Skill Pinball: Ramp it Up succeeds.

Harnessing the energy and skill from a game of pinball and transferring it to a static, 2-D game board is a tall order. There’s no dexterity element and quick reflexes are not required. Instead, the designer has smartly introduced gravity into the game and created a combination of decisions and luck that simulate the excitement of unexpected bounces and potentially big scoring combos.

While it’s not exactly pinball in the traditional sense, the look and flow of the game cling tightly to the source material. Everything seems to be in place for a unique and appealing experience. I’m going to take a look at the mechanics, the emotional experience and the components to see if this ambitious idea of a game pays off.

HOW IT PLAYS

In this follow-up to the sleeper hit from 2020, Super-Skill Pinball, players begin by selecting 1 of the 4 provided pinball boards. The boards each feature their own unique theme and level difficulty.

While pinball machines are a solo experience, here you can play up to 4 players simultaneously. Each player is essentially playing their own game, but dice rolling duties can be shared. It’s also nice to have have others close by to share your personal victories and defeats (just like real pinball).

The idea behind the game is that the pinball enters the board similar to how it would on a physical pinball machine. It then begins to pass through a series of scoring points before its batted back up the board or lost beyond the bumpers and flippers forever.

Each board contains different zones where players can score points. As the ball ricochets through the board, gravity eventually takes it toll, brining the ball back to the bottom. This is achieved by rolling a pair of dice. Players then have the opportunity, depending where the ball is, to send it to a section with one of the 2 die numbers available. The ball must respond like a real pinball would and make its way down the board’s zones. There are ways to keep the ball dancing around a spin cycle or bouncing between scoring pegs earning multiple points, but you will eventually come back to the flippers.

When you bring the ball to a certain section, the valid die number is marked off from that section. That specific die number at that location can’t be used again until it’s refreshed (new ball, goal achieved, etc). Many locations provide immediate points – typically 1 or 2 points. Successfully achieving a bonus can easily earn you 10, 20 or even 50 points.

The flippers, along with the inline and outline of the pinball board, each feature a variety of die options. This section of the board functions slightly differently. When these die numbers are exhausted or can’t be met the player loses that ball and they aren’t refreshed until the next ball enters play. The flippers also employee physics such as the left flipper only being able to push the ball to the right of the board and the right flipper doing the opposite.

Throughout your play, you might also be able to unlock bonuses just like a real pinball machine. Players might receive a multiplier, unlock areas of the board or receive a second pinball to knock around.

Players get 2 pinballs per game. Once the second ball is lost, the players tally up their points.

COMPONENTS

The components are ok. The boards are fine and easy to write and erase as necessary (and you will be writing and erasing a lot). Each board is made up of 2 separate pieces extending the play area. The pinballs themselves are silver half-balls that you push around the board. They do an ok job. Since they’re round, they’re kinda hard to pick up. I often found myself having to slide the ball through areas that I had written in. It doesn’t really mess up the writing too much, but I still had a little trouble doing this. As with any roll and write, I’m terrified I’m going to get marker on my game table. With Super-Skill Pinball, you’re fiddling with the markers constantly and this made me paranoid.

The rulebook does its best to clearly communicate a game with more rules than you would expect. The basics of the game are fairly straight forward, but each pinball board has its own unique set of rules. It was a bit of a challenge to grasp the general concept since it’s a bit abstract, but the rulebook does do a fine job breaking down the rules, the different boards and different challenges each board presents.

ARTWORK

The artwork for me is a mixed bag. I get that they’re trying to embrace some of the silly ideas originally brought to life by classic pinball machines, but some of it just didn’t work for me. The Top Speed racing board has some of the most exciting artwork and the Gofer Gold design was fun, but I wasn’t a fan of the Pin Pals wrestling-themed board. The artwork here seems a bit sloppy and I feel a little more effort could have been put into it. The artwork, whether good or bad, doesn’t affect the gameplay. The graphic design, on the other had, is well done and provides clear direction for a potentially chaotic game.

DEEP THOUGHTS

I suppose I went into it expecting a silly exercise in luck: roll the dice-score some points-do it again. To my surprise, to be successful you’ll need to bring your thinking cap. There is a decent amount of strategy with calculating odds.

The game is all about playing the odds. Each station only allows for so many stops and you have to carefully plan when to visit a location, activate one of its die options, and when not to.

You can approach the game casually and just enjoy the experience, but to score big points, you’ll need to plan your attack. Each board provides a number of opportunities for bonuses. Executing these bonuses at the right time could cause a 100 or 200 point gap in your final score. This might mean thinking outside the box and holding off on activating a bonus until your next ball (since the flippers will refresh).

Earning that second ball or multiplier at the right time is exciting. With 2 balls on the board, each takes the value of 1 of the 2 die rolled. I did love scoring 25 or 50 points for one action with the multiplier and it did make me feel like a pinball wizard for just a moment.

Where there is a fair amount of strategy, the theme is still a bit of a gimmick… But, is that a bad thing? I think that really depends on the player. I actually love the theme. In fact, it was the theme that led me to seek this one out. As I mentioned before, I love the nostalgia the game evokes. I play board games in part for the traditional, tactile nature. For that same reason, I’m a fan of pinball machines. Maybe it’s harsh to call it a gimmick, but if theme was something that didn’t connect with me on a nostalgic level, I may not have given it a chance.

While the depth of the game was a bit of a surprise, the gameplay isn’t super exciting. The thrill of the game lies solely on the theme. There are some interesting and challenging game boards with some unique puzzles. Being able to temporary solve those puzzles and earn big points is thrilling, but I don’t think it’s strong enough to stand on its own as a whole.

That doesn’t mean the game’s not fun or the game’s not for you. It’s relatively inexpensive and because of that, it provides a solid value. The 4 different boards give you plenty of game to work through and the 1-4 player count almost guarantees you can play a game or 2 no matter who’s around. I should also mention how each game will be different just based on the luck factor alone.

So is it for you? If you saw the game and were instantly drawn in by the idea of a pinball board game… this game is probably for you. Even if you don’t fall in love with the gameplay, the theme and idea behind it all is pretty great. I appreciate the effort and creativity put into something that attempt to resurrect this type of niche.

VERDICT

Super-Skill Pinball: Ramp It Up does the one thing it sets out to accomplish: successfully translate the game play of a real pinball game to the game boarding world. The games go by fairly quickly and there can be some exciting moments. I was surprised by the level of brain work that went into a single game. I suppose once you get a better grasp on calculating the odds, you can just sit back and enjoy the process. 

I do wish the game was a little more accessible. This is the kind of game you’d love to share with friends, but the abstract nature of the game where you have control over where your pinball goes might be a bit much for a casual player. 

I’m not sure how often this one will get played, but it is a good value for the price and I love the theme. For those reasons, I’ll definitely keep this one around in hopes to break it out when time is of the essence or I’m feeling nostalgic to become a pinball wizard once again.

Thames & Kosmos has announced it slate of 2021 games including new EXIT games and follow up to the hit The Crew: The Quest for Planet 9!

As reviewers, we spend countless hours playing and discussing games, continually evaluating and reevaluating for our coveted “Best of Year” lists. While these lists do serve as both a time capsule and cross-section of gaming trends, board gaming isn’t necessarily time sensitive. A game developed in 1990 can be just as fun and relevant as a game designed in 2020.

More and more games are being produced each year and the truth is there are only so many hours in the day. As much as we try to share as many games with the public as possible, it’s just not realistic to play everything (although we can still have aspirations). I do often get the opportunity to play fantastic games from years past and many would have easily made my Top 10 if they had met the criteria. So I thought I’d break all the rules and provide a Top 10 “New to Me” game list for 2020.

We’re proud to present our first annual Unfiltered Gamer Christmas Guide. 

We believe board games are the perfect gift for anyone on your gift list! With styles, themes and weights covering almost every facet of life, hobby and interest we know the right game is out there. This year we’re happy to present our 3-part Christmas Guide featuring 6 different board gaming categories to help you find the right game for you! While there isn’t one game right for everyone, every game featured in our Christmas Guide comes highly recommend. We’ve played hundreds of games over the past couple years and these are some of our favorite to cross our gaming table.

Section 1
Kids Games and Cards

Section 2
Expansions and Roll & Writes

Section 3
Family and Strategy Games

Pandasaurus Games, one of the leading board game studios in the world, has a great library of light and medium weight games. We’re going to look at three of their more popular and accessible title: The Game, Qwinto & Machi Koro.