Board Game News

Many people have ideas for new board games, but are not sure the best way to turn these ideas into reality. An excellent way to prototype a new game concept is to use one of the new Make Your Own Board Game kits, which supply you with all the gaming supplies you’ll need, including gamepieces (tokens), dice, and play money. The kits also supply help with designing the game board – usually in the form of a computer application with templates of common gaming layouts.

There are several kits to choose from, for various types of games. So fire up that creativity and let the new games begin!

There is a new game in the popular Carcassonne series, called Carcassonne : The Discovery.

The Carcassonne Discoverers have sailed the oceans and found a new land. Now the sailors navigate the surrounding seas, the explorers comb the meadows, and all are cautious in the robber-infested mountains. Unlike other Carcassonne games, areas do not score when complete, but only when a player chooses to remove their follower.

Carcassonne : The Discovery provides a great introduction to the series, in a simple yet strategic format that is comfortable for players of all levels.

Board games based on television shows are becoming increasingly popular, with a number of new games being released very recently. Our Board Games Based On Television Shows page provides a comprehensive listing of these games, including:

• CSI
• Desperate Housewives
• Law and Order
• Sex and the City
• The Sopranos

In addition to the games based on current TV shows, there are also games based on classic shows such as “I Love Lucy” and “The Andy Griffith Show”, as well as trivia games covering the entire history of television.

This new page joins our existing pages: Board Games Based On Game Shows (Family Feud, Jeopardy, Pyramid, etc.) and games based on The Simpsons.

Galactic Magnate is a turn-based multiplayer game based on somewhat revised rules of classic Monopoly and it is available free of charge from www.galacticmag.com. The game enables Monopoly fans from all over the world to meet, chat in chatrooms and play together. Players can also use the game’s online ranking system to find out how well they are doing, and to track their progress.

Galactic Magnate is based on Monopoly, but a few rules have been changed to deepen the strategy and minimize the impact of luck. To win the game, players must use their wits and employ strategic thinking. Although the game is extremely easy to learn, it can take a lifetime to master.

Though Galactic Magnate is an online game, it runs on Microsoft Windows operating systems, and requires a 2.1MB download. Kresimir Cosic, the developer of Galactic Magnate, is dedicated to continue improving the game, adding even more features in the future, and listening to suggestions posted by players on the Galactic Magnate forums.

The world’s largest annual games trade fair, Spiel ’05, takes place each October in Essen, Germany. This year’s show features over 700 exhibitors from around the world, presenting more than 350 of the newest board games to over 150,000 visitors.

“Louis XIV,” a historical strategy game in which you play the role of court attendant in the court of Louis XIV, the Sun King, was awarded the prestigious “Deutscher Spiele Preis” prize for the best game of 2005.

Other award-winning games at Spiel ’05 include Niagara, Manila, and Ubongo. In all, 12 games are awarded prizes each year.

For the entire list of winners, refer to the Deutscher Spiele Preis page at FunAgain Games.

USAopoly recently launched a new version of their web site, with new and updated features, and an expanded line of products.

In addition to the extensive line of Monopoly special editions that USAopoly is known for, they now offer additional games such as checkers, dominoes, backgammon, bingo, chess, dice, and trivia, as well as jigsaw puzzles, poker, and card games.

USAopoly has your favorite board games & gifts with a twist!

We have a new vendor here at Board Game Central. BoardGamesUSA offers a large selection of traditional, family, and strategy board games, as well as board game accessories, card games, and jigsaw puzzles. They offer free shipping on all orders over $99, as well as an ongoing 40 Items 40% Off promotion, with a regularly-updated list of 40%-off specials.

BoardGamesUSA also offers a unique rewards program, where every purchase you make earns you reward points that can be applied to your next purchase. Basically, for every $25.00 you spend, you get $1.00 off your next order! That’s pretty cool.

Over the next few weeks we’ll be adding new BoardGamesUSA games to Board Game Central. So keep an eye out for new and updated product listings throughout the site.

Updated the Sorry! page with a number of new editions of the classic Sorry! board game, including:

• Sorry! Classic Edition
• Sorry! Family Game Night Edition
• Sorry! Birthday Edition
• Sorry! Disney Edition
• Sorry! Madagascar Edition
• Sorry! Card Revenge Game

This blog will serve as an announcement board for news about board games, board game manufacturers, board game vendors, and changes to the Board Game Central site.

Expect an erratic update rate – news will be posted as it occurs, and some parts of the year are busier than others, so don’t be surprised if no news occurs for several weeks, then a bunch of new entries are posted within a short period of time.

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Of course, if you prefer, you can read the news right from your browser. Just bookmark http://www.boardgamecentral.com/news/.