Reviews

“Deserves to be among the Top 10 Eurogames on BGG! Very clever Euro, that doesn't feel like any other game in my collection. “– Mik Svellov, Brett & Board

"I like the way in which the designer has a new and interesting story to tell and has put a lot of thought into how he wants to tell it.  This is the first "big" game from Jeff Allers; I hope it won't be the last."-- Stuart Dagger, "2012: My Top 5," Counter Magazine

"Third best game of 2013 so far!" -- Joel Eddy, Drive-Thru Reviews

"The mechanisms work amazingly well in New Amsterdam. There are clearly several roads which could lead to the victory. The auction, majorities in the districts, agriculture and trade offer a lot of choices for creative players. The rules are clearly depicted on the board and very useful in this excellent game. This game belongs in my top 3 favorite games of 2012!" – Henk Rolleman, BoardgameGeek.com

"Nieuw Amsterdam has 3 interlocking economies and to make progress (and score points) from any of them, you need to acquire an action marker of the appropriate type at auction. The auction each round is very tense and that's where the game is. Decisions about what to put up for auction are interesting as well." - Dave Eisen, BoardgameGeek.com

The initial action auction is very clever and forces people to review the benefit of starting position as well as the actions themselves. The special actions need preplanning to avoid delay but experienced players should whip through the phases. There is considerable depth to this game that isn't apparent from the first read through of the rules. The second play opens the door to even more opportunities. Why isn't there a louder buzz about this game? - Nick Case, Counter Magazine contributor

“Here we are dealing with the best game of the Fair 2012. The decisions are not easy, but every decision is important. And the auction mechanism is completely to my taste (Hier haben wir es mit dem besten Spiel der Messe 2012 zu tun. Die Entscheidungen sind nicht einfach, aber jede Entscheidung ist wichtig. Und der Bietmechanismus ist ganz nach meinem Geschmack).” – Manuel Uzelmaier, BoardgameGeek.com

“Sometime during the first game you’ll realize how important the auction is, and by the end of the game you’ll be totally captivated as the action tokens are laid out, and you’ll be scheming to figure out how to get the set you need (it’s much less straightforward than you’d think). For me, this auctioning system made the game a clear winner. Nieuw Amsterdam is a solid, medium-heavy Euro that has enough twists and engagement for pretty much anyone. There’s a good chunk of theme here too, which helps to make it even more engaging. “–Ted Alspach, game designer, head of Bezier Games publishing and creator of the Board2Pieces comic strip.

“A very beautiful game with lots of very good components. The mechanics are clever, but the gameplay is cut-throat - which I like! “– Thomas Büttner, BoardgameGeek.com

“On the whole, I would compare the complexity and cohesion of the design to something like Puerto Rico (though they have little in common mechanically, I get a similar feel from both). Here, the auction mechanism is clearly the heart of the game, and I found it to be quite engaging.  For those who appreciate the more material aspects of a game’s design, I want to emphasize that the production quality of Nieuw Amsterdam is largely extraordinary. The board is beautifully illustrated and contains numerous helpful player aids worked seamlessly into the artwork. The cardboard tiles are thick and sturdy, the wooden bits are massive and attractively shaped, and it even comes with an entirely unnecessary cloth drawstring bag. Overall, White Goblin has done a terrific job with this title, and I hope it gets the wide recognition it deserves.”—Ben McJunkin, The Opinionated Gamers

“This game has a whole lot that I love. Innovative auctions, tightness resources/money, complicated painful decisions, very much a Martin Wallace-ish feel. Lost miserably first play, but I immediately wanted to play again.” –Bryan Thunkd, BoardgameGeek.com

“Just a great game. Gorgeous components too. The thematic integration is excellent, there was a great moment in our first game where it dawned on us why each time we bought new land, the natives moved further down river... And their numbers dwindle.” –Steve Duff, BoardgameGeek.com

“I quite enjoyed it and look forward to playing it again.  My favorite parts of the game are that you have to bid for the right to do different actions and the close interconnectivity of everything in the design. The theme is strong and the gameplay is multifaceted.  I think this is a title that both families and gamers can enjoy.” – Larry Levy, The Opinionated Gamers. 

“We liked it very, very much. In the game, the history of the colonization of America has been broken down into very few mechanisms that work very well. Through the fur trade, land acquisition and influence in the city there are 3 sources of victory points that allow so many different strategies.  (Es hat mir sehr, sehr gut gefallen. In dem Spiel ist die Geschichte der Besiedelung Amerikas, auf ganze wenige Mechanismen herunter gebrochen worden, die sehr gut funktionieren. Es gibt durch Fellhandel, Landgewinnung und Einfluss in der Stadt im wesentlichen 3 Siegpunktquellen, die so viele verschiedene Strategien ermöglichen.)” - Rene Puttin, Spielbox.de, Rating 6 out of 6 on hall9000.de

“I must say, the game is a classic. The mechanisms are easily understandable and accessible. The resource cycles are nice and clear and on the board, practically EVERYTHING is summarized. The auction system for the actions, however, is furious. I like it! Apart from this, with its three main actions, the game offers three different ways to generate victory points. But you cannot win with only one path. One also has to have a second path to be effective. (Ich muss schon sagen, das Spiel ist Klasse. Die Mechanismen sind leicht begreifbar und eingängig. Die Ressourcen-Kreisläufe sind schön klar und auf dem Spielplan ist praktisch für ALLES eine Übersicht. Das Auktionssystem für die Aktionen ist allerdings bitterböse. Das gefällt! Abgesehen davon bietet das Spiel mit den drei Hauptaktionen auch drei verschiedene Wege, um Siegpunkte zu generieren. Aber dabei gilt auch immer: Man kann nicht nur alleine mit einem Weg gewinnen. Da muss man auch einen zweiten Weg fahren, um effektiv zu sein).” – Tom, Unknowns.de

“Complex, but not a complicated game. Players are guided very well through the game board graphics – Rating 5 out of 6 (Vielschichtiges, aber nicht kompliziertes Spiel. Sehr gute Führung des Spielers durch die Spielplangrafiken - 5/6 Bewertung.” - Michael Andersch, hall9000.de

Placed in the top 10 of Fairplay Magazine’s À la carte Preis 2009 for best cards games of the year.

“My group likes it and so this is one Essen card game on which I’ll be getting a good return for my money” - Stuart Dagger, Counter Magazine

"A grandiose card game! ...a challenging auction game in which luck hardly plays a role. (Ein grandioses Kartenspiel!...ein knallhartes Versteigerungsspiel, bei dem Glück kaum eine rolle spielt).” - Gerd Röttcher, Brettspiel bei AEIOU.de

“The game has many strategic and interactive elements. I can only recommend this game for experienced gamers (Das Spiel besitzt viele strategische und interaktive Elemente. Das Spiel ist erfahrenen Spielern nur zu empfehlen).” - Wilfried Just, Ratgeberspiel

"The mood is good, the playing time fits, the components are seductive, and the game gets the 'BUY'  stamp from me. Circus Maximus shows that a Roman card game can provide some depth that is on an equal level to a board game. Rating: 8 of a possilbe 10 (Die Stimmung ist gut, die Spielzeit hat gepasst, das Material weiß zu verführen und das Spiel bekommt von mir den Stempel ‘KAUFEN.’ Circus Maximus zeigt, dass ein römisches Kartenspiel für einige Spieltiefe sorgen kann und durchaus einem Brettspiel ebenbürdig ist)." - Andreas Buhlmann, cliquenabend.de


"Challenging game with few components (Anspruchsvolles Spiel mit wenig Materialeinsatz)." - WIN Spielejournal

“Easy as pie to learn…but an emphasis on strategy instead of dumb luck makes for tough deliberation” - Mo Rocca, CBS Sunday Morning

“Scrumptious! Clever and more complex than it appears, but still makes for a very quick game.” - Jonathan Liu, Wired.com

“Short and definitely sweet, this can take the cake for hard core and easygoing players alike” - Rick Heli, Spotlight on Games

“So what’s so interesting about this game?  Its mechanics, the degree of player interaction, its accessibility to non-gamers, its quick playing time, and its plain and simple fun. Quick and light games have their place in the world, and this is one of the best.” - Kenneth Hullet, Expressive Intelligence Studio

“Feels perfect.” - Corné van Moorsel, game designer and head of Cwali publishing

“Nice, quick, innovative 'I divide - the others choose' game. Rating: 5 of a possible 6 (Nettes, schnelles, innovatives 'ich teile - die anderen wählen'-Spiel.)” - Rolf Braun, H@ll9000


"So simple, the gameplay appears at first glance, so tactical it is then in its details.
... a fast paced game with high replay appeal for in-between, where there is more to it than one might initially think (So simpel des Spielprinzip zunächst aussieht, so taktisch ist es dann auch in seinen Details...ein flottes Spiel mit hohem Wiederspielreiz für Zwischendurch, in dem mehr drin steckt als man vielleicht zunächst glaubt)." - Ingo Hackenberg, Spielkult.de


"A quick game with simple rules, comical theme and nice implementation, good for beginners or inbetween times (Ein schnelles Spiel mit einfachen Regeln, witzigem Thema und netter Umsetzung, gut für Einsteiger oder zwischendurch)." - WIN Spielejournal.


"Taken as a light game with a short play time, Piece o’ Cake is fantastic. I very much enjoyed cutting up the pies and looking over the potential slices that I thought my fellow players would take. Though it doesn’t provide the strategic depth of some games (nor is it meant to), this light diversion is entertaining, worthwhile, and enjoyable each and every time we play. I would also have no qualms playing this with kids." - Giant Fire Breathing Robot.

“The fun comes in when you realize that the slices don’t have to be equal AT ALL. Overall, the game can be quick and fun.  It takes a bit of thought and foresight to cut the cake as you can’t rearrange the wedges to better suit your cutting desires. It definitely was a deeper game than I anticipated and I enjoy playing it even though I have yet to win.”  - Kim Vandenbroucke, The Game Aisle.

“If anything, I underestimated the enthusiasm with which my children embraced this game. Apparently, cake is such an exciting theme for a child that little else matters (should I have been surprised by that?). Given the strongly favorable first impression, the durability of the game components, the ease of rules explanation and the game weight and length, I predict that this will be a popular choice for a filler game with our family and guests in the foreseeable future.” - Meng Tan, Father Geek

“Nice blend of tactics and strategy. I also think it meets the most important criteria for a dice rolling game: it's exciting.” - Shannon Applecline, Shannon-a.livejournal.com

“Whilst it has dice-rolling at its heart, the decisions to make are tactical and very interesting.” - James Sheahan, Metagames (blog.metagames.co.uk)

“This game has proved popular with everyone in my group.  Recommended.” - Stuart Dagger, Counter Magazine

“This dice fest is one that works, as there are plenty of options for each player to consider, some limited interaction and plenty of laughs as the extraordinary roll is made.  Everyone I have played with has liked it and the range of decisions that accompany it.” - Alan Howe, Counter Magazine

"There’s a lot of different options to go after, a good amount of strategy,

some good recovery mechanics if you’re not doing well, and all-in-all, a I think it’s a very well-designed game." – Ryan Metzler, The Dice Tower

"I really, really like the dice mechanic at the heart of this game." - Mark Jackson, aka pastor guy

“The fantastic quality of the components (not to mention the game play!) gives it a sufficient veneer of theme for me to enjoy playing it and I enjoy it a lot; I would thoroughly recommend this as a family game and for gamers who fancy a night away from the heavy stuff." - Paul Lister, BoardgameGeek.com

"Turns are relatively quick as all you do is play a tile and draw a tile. But deciding where to play the tile to score the most points, deciding how to score the tile that you’ve played (victory/farm/or a combination of the two), and making sure that you haven’t set up the player behind you while trying to set up your future plays introduces interesting and sometimes agonizing game moments." - Valerie Putman, BoardgameNews.com

“I’m happy enough to have a light multi-player abstract with good quality production and a sound game system.” - Alan Howe, Counter Magazine

“The game will certainly appeal to families with children and to them this game is highly recommended…a robust, well-developed game.” - Barbara van Vugt, Gamepack.nl

“What makes this game special is the dynamic tension between taking quick scoring in the fields, vs. getting sustained scores from farms vs. getting animal tokens that score big at game end. All paths are viable and I think a balanced strategy is also viable. Heartland is an excellent example of a very accessible game that can be taught in about ten minutes and plays quickly. I think this is a game that potentially has broad appeal but has not really been given the exposure it deserves.” - Jason Farris, BoardgameGeek.com

4^th place on Fairplay Magazine’s À la carte Preis 2010 for best cards games of the year.

"Wampum sounds simple, but after the first game, some subtleties are discovered. Timing is the key skill as you try to work your plays based on the size of the other players' hands and when the game will end. Experience definitely helps and that isn't immediately obvious upon reading the rules.  But despite this, the game retains the light feel required of a filler.  Overall, though, I quite like this little game.  It plays quickly, but good judgment is necessary to do well.  Experience pays, as getting the timing right takes some familiarity with the mechanics, yet the game is picked up easily enough.  It makes a fine opener or closer to a gaming session.” - Larry Levy, GamersAlliance.com

“At the start of the game, you quickly realize that there is much more to Wampum than you initially thought, even though it is a ‘only’ a card game.

As a card game with fairly simple rules, Wampum is surprisingly challenging and tricky, with the traders often faced with difficult dilemmas and must adapt to the constantly changing conditions. (Beim Spieleinstieg fällt recht schnell auf, dass bei Wampum viel mehr beachtet werden muss als anfangs gedacht, und das obwohl es „nur“ ein Kartenspiel ist. Für ein Kartenspiel mit insgesamt recht einfachen Regeln ist Wampum überraschend fordernd und knifflig, da sich die Händler häufig in Zwickmühlen befinden und sich auf dauernd wechselnde Gegebenheiten einstellen müssen).” - Markus Donaubauer, Ludoversum.de

“[This card game] resembles more a board game with strategic objectives. Whoever wants to gets together with his friends or family to learn a fun game, Wampum is idea. It’s also an exciting and challenging game, and the little tin box holding the cards enables one to bring along this complex gaming fun when traveling or at other times when one cannot take a 'big' game. (…es ähnelt von der Spielidee her eher einem Brettspiel mit strategischen Zielsetzungen. Wer freilich zusammen mit seinen Freunden oder der Familie Spaß daran hat, sich in diese witzige Spielidee einzuarbeiten, für den ist Wampum ideal, handelt es sich doch um ein spannendes, herausforderndes Spiel; und die kleine Blechdose samt Karten ermöglicht den komplexen Spielspaß auch auf Reisen oder bei anderen Gelegenheiten, bei denen man ein ‘großes’ Spiel nicht mitnehmen kann).” - Regina Károlyi, Media-mania.de

“It’s very clever, but the options opened up mean that you will need a few test hands in order to adjust your normal card-playing instincts.  - Stuart Dagger, Counter Magazine

“Great trick taking game with a very unique and engaging thematic rule.” Rating: 9.5 of a possible 10 - Ted Alspach, game designer, head of Bezier Games publishing and creator of the Board2Pieces comic strip.

"I’m a big fan of card games, and in particular, trick-taking games and Pala is exceptional…one I’d suggest to anyone who likes trick-taking, and it offers two different variants to try out which, I think, both have their merits." – Ryan Metzler, The Dice Tower

“Changing the color of a trick while it's in play is fun.” - Jeremiah Lee, designer of Zombie in My Pocket

“An innovative trick taking game that combines trick taking with the color palette. Very cool; very fun. Relatively easy to pick up the rules, and as with many trick taking games, somewhat difficult to master. The more I play this game, the more I love it.  I have come to feel that it is in a league of its own for trick taking game.  I cannot think of a game that packs more of a punch for what's in the box than this one.” - Eric Foldenauer, BoardgameGeek.com

“Excellent excellent game -- I feared it would be a bland trick-taking game, but it didn't feel that way at all. The way that the colors mix is fantastic, and I really like the mix of two game modes.” - Clint Herron, BoardgameGeek.com

"When played, Pala demonstrates a positive deviation from traditional trick-taking games (Im Test zeigte sich Pala dann zwar positiv abweichend vom traditionellen Stichspiel).” - Bernhard Tischler, Spieletest.at

“Pala is an innovative trick-taking card game. It is thematically consistent, fun and offers a new side to trick-taking games. (Pala ist ein innovatives Stichkartenspiel. Es ist thematisch stimmig, macht Spaß und bietet eine neue Seite des Stichkartenspieles).” - Peer Sylvester, Spielbar.de

“The two games are similar, but play completely differently. As independent games, they are just as interesting and exciting as other card game – certainly worth a purchase (Die beiden Spiele sind sich zwar ähnlich, spielen sich aber dennoch völlig unterschiedlich. Als selbständige Spiele sind sie aber genauso interessant und spannend wie manch anderes Kartenspiel – eine Anschaffung lohnt sicherlich).” - Michael Janßen, Roachware.blogspot.de