Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Quirks: the 1980 board game equivalent of Spore]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/16/quirks-the-1980-board-game-version-of-spore/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/16/quirks-the-1980-board-game-version-of-spore/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/16/quirks-the-1980-board-game-version-of-spore/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


As you know, we sometimes like to cut the wires and take things Off the Grid, which can lead to bouts of surfing through websites like BoardGameGeek until 5 in the morning ... allegedly ...

However, all of that browsing paid off in spades when we stumbled across Quirks, a board game from the magical year of 1980. Looks a bit familiar, doesn't it? We wonder if Will Wright ever sat down with this back in the day. He would have been around 20 years old when it came out, and he's admittedly a huge fan of board and strategy games, so you do the math. Find out more about genetic manipulation in the 80s after the break (spoiler: it wasn't all big hair, bangle bracelets, and friendship pins).

Continue reading Quirks: the 1980 board game equivalent of Spore

JoystiqQuirks: the 1980 board game equivalent of Spore originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Board GamesMacOff the GridPCPS3QuirksSporeWiiWill WrightXbox-360Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq interview: Namco Bandai stacks the deck with Culdcept Saga]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/16/joystiq-interview-namco-bandai-stacks-the-deck-with-culdcept-sa/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/16/joystiq-interview-namco-bandai-stacks-the-deck-with-culdcept-sa/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/16/joystiq-interview-namco-bandai-stacks-the-deck-with-culdcept-sa/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


By all accounts Omiya Soft's Culdcept franchise has no business being as fun as it is. An admittedly bizarre meshing of board and collectible card game antics, the resulting gameplay potpourri comes across as one big happy accident, but one that has endured since well before the Saturn was pushing up daises. With iterations released in Japan for Sega's final console pair as well as the original PlayStation, North American gamers got their first taste of this unique hybrid in 2003 when NEC released Culdcept for the PlayStation 2 to modest critical acclaim.

Since that time, however, the franchise has faded into obscurity, but will soon be given another chance, this time under the banner of Namco Bandai for the Xbox 360. Culdcept Saga, which has been available for some time in Japan, marks a decidedly different sort of experience for Xbox 360 owners, one usually associated with XBLA downloads rather than a full-on retail release, though even trepidatious players may find the $39.99 price difficult to pass up, especially those looking for something different to play during their FPS downtime.

In advance of the game's early February release we managed to corner Namco Bandai's Nobu Taguchi, who is spearheading Culdcept Saga's localization here in North America. Taguchi was more than willing to set us straight on a number of topics, from the title's multiplayer gameplay to changes made regarding how DLC will be handled...and more.

Check out the full interview after the jump.

Gallery: Culdcept Saga

Continue reading Joystiq interview: Namco Bandai stacks the deck with Culdcept Saga

JoystiqJoystiq interview: Namco Bandai stacks the deck with Culdcept Saga originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Jan 2008 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>board gamesBoardGamesccgculdcept sagaculdcept-sagaCuldceptSaganamconamco bandainamco-bandaiNamcoBandaiNobu TaguchiNobuTaguchiOmiya SoftOmiya-SoftOmiyaSoftXbox-360Wed, 16 Jan 2008 10:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Jenga CONFIRMED]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/06/jenga-confirmed/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/06/jenga-confirmed/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/06/jenga-confirmed/#commentsFiled under: ,


We recently reported that Atari would show a Jenga game at E3. We wondered if it was going to be just Jenga or some kind of expanded game based on the concept of Jenga. It's just Jenga.

What does the Wii bring to the table (so to speak) that the original game doesn't have? Well, the ability to play Jenga on top of a castle, or in front of a lighthouse, or in someone's living room-- and the ability to do so as an icon of a snowman.

Where Wii Jenga fails and real Jenga exceeds, however, is in the graphics. The original Jenga's wood texture looks absolutely lifelike, while the texture is quite blurry and unrealistic on the Wii.

Continue reading Jenga CONFIRMED

JoystiqJenga CONFIRMED originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Jul 2007 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atariblocksboard gamesBoardGamesjenganintendonintendo wiiNintendoWiipenguinpirateswiiFri, 06 Jul 2007 13:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Guide to Itadaki Street characters]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/08/guide-to-itadaki-street-characters/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/08/guide-to-itadaki-street-characters/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/08/guide-to-itadaki-street-characters/#commentsFiled under:

Confession time! We haven't played a Dragon Quest game since the first one. And that was in the ancient times-- we were basically playing it on an oscilloscope. As such, we don't know any of the characters besides slimes (who could forget slimes?).

If you're like us (old and anachronistic), you might need a lesson on who all these adorable Dragon Quest characters are in Itadaki Street. That is exactly what Siliconera has done, because we asked for it just now. Oh, there we go with the anachronism again.

Finally, we know the names and origins of Guy Who Looks Kinda Like Dante and Spikey-Haired Guy. Now we're ready for the US version of the game, which will probably never exist.

JoystiqGuide to Itadaki Street characters originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 Jun 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>angeloboardboard gamesBoardGamesdqdragondragon questDragonQuestdsds liteDsLiteenixitadakiitadaki streetItadakiStreetlitemarionintendonintendo dsNintendoDsquestsesquarestreetyangusFri, 08 Jun 2007 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest, Super Mario, Boy and Girl in Itadaki Street DS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/11/dragon-quest-super-mario-boy-and-girl-in-itadaki-street-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/11/dragon-quest-super-mario-boy-and-girl-in-itadaki-street-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/11/dragon-quest-super-mario-boy-and-girl-in-itadaki-street-ds/#commentsFiled under: ,

Itadaki Street DS apparently didn't have enough characters to choose from-- the entire Mario and Dragon Quest casts are just too limiting, you know? Besides, nobody can relate to wacky characters like a plumber and a plumber's brother, who is also a plumber.

Square Enix has nicely included some characters who will do less to draw players' attention away from the serious business of strategic board game play: "Boy" and "Girl." They look just like we would if we were three feet tall and didn't have noses!

We've got some screens of Boy and Girl, and of Itadaki Street in general, after the break. And check the link for character art and a few board layouts.

Continue reading Dragon Quest, Super Mario, Boy and Girl in Itadaki Street DS

JoystiqDragon Quest, Super Mario, Boy and Girl in Itadaki Street DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 May 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boardboard gameboard gamesBoardGameBoardGamesboydonkey kongDonkeyKongdqdragon questDragonQuestdsds liteDsLiteenixgirlitadakiitadakistreetmarionintendonintendo dsNintendoDssquaresquare enixSquareEnixstreetwarioFri, 11 May 2007 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Puerto Rico coming to XBLA]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/02/rumor-puerto-rico-coming-to-xlba/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/02/rumor-puerto-rico-coming-to-xlba/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/02/rumor-puerto-rico-coming-to-xlba/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


It looks like board game lovers are going to be getting even more Euro gaming goodness. At least, that's what the signs are pointing to. We already know that Xbox Live Arcade will be getting games like Settlers of Catan, Alhambra, and our personal favorite Carcassonne, but according to some rumors at GameStooge it looks like another Rio Grande Games classic will be coming down the pipeline ... Puerto Rico.

Apparently in the threads over at BoardGameGeek.com (which is a fantastic site for board games and such, along with the equally as fantastic FunAgain.com) the German gaming site BrettSpielWelt has taken down their online version of Puerto Rico, and replaced it with a message that another company has purchased the rights for "online exploitation." And c'mon, no one is better at exploiting things than Microsoft, right?

Puerto Rico is a fun game that takes about an hour to play, and is all about shipping goods and building cities. It's been critically hailed as one of the best games of the past twenty years, already has a PC version out, and it's continually voted the number one game at board game sites, and it sure would be nice to see it on XBLA.

JoystiqRumor: Puerto Rico coming to XBLA originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 02 Mar 2007 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AlhambraArcadeboard gamesCarcassonneOff the GridPuerto RicoRio Grande GamesSettlersSettlers of CatanXBLAXbos 360XboxXbox Live ArcadeXbox-360Fri, 02 Mar 2007 13:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Settlers of Catan ... hot! Now where is it?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/02/settlers-of-catan-hot/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/02/settlers-of-catan-hot/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/02/settlers-of-catan-hot/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Joystiq readers have long asked for Settlers of Catan to be brought to Xbox Live Arcade. When Microsoft confirmed that they're working on the game, some readers rejoiced:

  • "Now THAT is cool. It almost makes a Nintendo fanboy like me want to buy a 360." -- RiemannMeetLebesgue
  • "A dream come true. All current online versions of Settlers of Catan are missing the main aspect of the game... voice communication. I cannot wait for this game." -- Ray Kasten
  • "prepare for the new most addicting game on XBL" -- Deadpool
  • "YES!!!!!!!!! I LOVE THIS BOARD GAME SO MUCH! This is the best news I've ever heard for 360 :-)" -- CrossFireXT17

(You get the picture.)

But some Joystiqers (self included) never really understood what all the fuss was about. Well, count another convert, as of last night. Here's a (brief) tale of how I became a Settlers of Catan addict.

The invitation to the New Year's Eve get-together encouraged partygoers to bring their favorite board or card games. Being provincial, I brought over a couple DSs with Tetris DS, intending to share my love of head-to-head Tetris with attendees. When I arrived, however, a game of Settlers of Catan had just been laid out on the dining room table. Curious to see what the fuss was about, I put away the DSs. They were not touched all evening.

We had trouble tearing ourselves away from the game board for the New Year's countdown, we were so into the game. After the ball dropped over the slack-jawed revelers in Times Square, we returned to the den and played for a couple more hours. Settlers of Catan plays like a multiplayer version of Civilization, with four players taking turns to build roads, settlements, and cities in an attempt to control scarce natural resources. It's simple, it's fun, and it's -- huzzah! -- coming to XBLA, eventually. Waiting's hard, though -- I've already filled and abandoned two shopping carts full of Settlers merch, but will wait to see if the XBLA version satisfies the jones.

[Image credit: Shifting Lands.com's homebew 3d Settlers of Catan set.]

JoystiqSettlers of Catan ... hot! Now where is it? originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Jan 2007 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>board gamescatansettlers of catanSettlersOfCatanxblaXbox-360Tue, 02 Jan 2007 02:30:00 EST<![CDATA[In Nintendo Monopoly, Mario is Boardwalk]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/09/in-nintendo-monopoly-mario-is-boardwalk/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/09/in-nintendo-monopoly-mario-is-boardwalk/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/09/in-nintendo-monopoly-mario-is-boardwalk/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


This one is for all the Nintendorks out there. When you're not playing Nintendo's video games, you're probably doing one of three things: cosplaying as famous Nintendo characters, quilting yourself a blanket featuring your favorite Nintendo characters, or wondering why those same Nintendo characters don't permeate every other facet of your life.

Courtesy of Rich Uncle Pennybags and the good folks at USAopoly comes Monopoly: Nintendo Collector's Edition. Yup, we're talking about an actual physical copy of Monopoly, not a video game version. The promotional shots they sent us don't show off the board very well (although we can tell that Mario is Boardwalk, natch), but they do show off all the little pewter figurines. They are: Mario's hat, Koopa shell, NES controller, Donkey Kong barrel, Link's boots (of the iron variety we assume), and Link's shield (of the Hylian variety).

Alright, we love Zelda as much as the next cosplaying Link fan, but two Zelda tokens and not a single Metroid one? Samus ain't gonna be happy. Expect to find it in stores in July for an suggested  retail price of $35.95. That's like one DS game, right? Plenty o' pics after the break.

Continue reading In Nintendo Monopoly, Mario is Boardwalk

JoystiqIn Nintendo Monopoly, Mario is Boardwalk originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Jun 2006 18:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Board GamesBoardGamesDSGameCubeHasbroMonopolyNintendoWiiFri, 09 Jun 2006 18:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Video games meet board games with the Entertaible]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/01/04/video-games-meet-board-games-with-the-entertaible/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/01/04/video-games-meet-board-games-with-the-entertaible/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/01/04/video-games-meet-board-games-with-the-entertaible/#commentsFiled under: ,

While we all love video games, sometimes there are moments when you want to get a little more analogue. Philips are clearly banking on our secret board game urges with a new product called the Entertaible, an electronic tabletop device which will apparently let you enjoy both the interactivity of electronic games and the social aspects of board games.

Philips have grand visions for the device: new versions of old board game classics, games that are never the same twice, and games that provide social interaction between players. Whether they're conveniently ignoring all the products that already provide all of this (a common-or-garden PC, for example), or genuinely believe their product is better, we can't say. The important tests will come on its rollout to bars and casinos, though: how long does it last after someone's spilled their drink on it?

JoystiqVideo games meet board games with the Entertaible originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Jan 2006 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>board gamesBoardGamesEntertaiblephilipsWed, 04 Jan 2006 14:00:00 EST