Tag Archives: board game

Chess gets a minimalistic, fresh upgrade to elevate your gameplay experience

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Chess, a game of strategy and intellectual prowess, has been enjoyed for centuries. While the rules and gameplay remain unchanged, the aesthetic appeal of chess sets has evolved. One remarkable example is the conceptual design for a minimal chess set with partly self-balancing pieces, presented through this stunning Chess set.

The minimal chess set immediately catches the eye with its clean lines and contemporary aesthetics. The designer’s vision combines simplicity and elegance, resulting in a visually pleasing set that stands out among traditional designs. The focus is on creating a modern interpretation of chess, offering players a fresh experience while retaining the game’s essence.

Designer: Louis Berger

One of the standout features of this chess set is the innovative use of partly self-balancing pieces. Each individual piece has been meticulously designed as a rotational body, enabling it to achieve a delicate equilibrium when placed on the board. This remarkable engineering not only enhances the visual appeal but also adds a touch of functionality by improving the stability of the pieces during gameplay.

The chess set is available in two material variants, each offering unique characteristics and visual appeal. The first variant is crafted from solid beech, a durable and environmentally friendly wood known for its warm tones and natural grain patterns. This choice provides a classic and timeless look, blending seamlessly with various interior styles. The second variant utilizes 7000 series aluminum, a lightweight and robust material often used in aerospace and automotive industries. The aluminum variant infuses a sleek, modern touch into the design, adding a contemporary flair to the chess set.

To achieve the desired design language, the production process involved the use of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining. The designer employed a subtractive method, gradually removing material in a minimal number of passes. This approach creates simple yet distinctive elements that enhance the visual appeal and functionality of the chess set. The precision and attention to detail in the manufacturing process ensure that every piece meets the highest standards of quality.

The conceptual design for this minimal chess set with partly self-balancing pieces represents a perfect harmony of aesthetics and functionality. With its clean lines, innovative engineering, and choice of material variants, this chess set offers a fresh take on a classic game. Whether you prefer the warmth of solid beech or the sleekness of 7000 series aluminum, this exceptional design will undoubtedly captivate chess enthusiasts and design lovers alike. Embrace the elegance of the minimal chess set and elevate your gameplay experience to a whole new level.

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There’s now an official Wordle board game that you can buy to spice up your house parties!

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While the app may have gotten acquired and somewhat died down in initial wild popularity, the WORDLE board game provides the same thrill as its virtual counterpart… however, it takes the solo game and turns it into a fast-paced and fun game for 2-4 players! Here’s the best part – you can play it as many times as you want without having to wait 24 hours for the levels to reset!

Designer: Hasbro

Click Here to Buy Now

If you haven’t been consumed by Wordle’s craze in the first half of 2021 (probably because you were living under a large boulder), here’s how it’s played. You’re given 6 tries to guess the 5-lettered Wordle of the day. You start completely clueless, and with each subsequent guess, you’re given clues about what the word can be. When your word features yellow highlighted letters, it means you’ve got the characters right, but in the wrong order. A green highlight confirms the right character in the right place. Characters (like vowels) can be repeated, so that’s something to remember. The idea is to guess the word before you exhaust your 6 tries.

The board game works the same way, although it requires one player to provide the Wordle while the others guess it. Answers are recorded on a dry-erase card with a whiteboard marker, and translucent yellow and green tiles are awarded to players based on their guesses. Each player also gets a paper shield to prevent others from cheating.

A unique characteristic of the Wordle app was the fact that it could only be played once a day. Each day revealed a new ‘Wordle of the day’, and everyone guessed it without cheating by looking up the answer on the internet. You could even share your score with people via social media by broadcasting the yellow and green square grid (the more green and the lesser rows, the better).

The board game doesn’t let you gloat online the way the app does, but it DOES let you play as many times as you want! Supporting as many as 4 players, each can take turns deciding the Wordle for that specific round, while others guess away. Player scores are recorded on a score card, and the player with the highest score gets bragging rights for being the undisputed Wordle champ!

Click Here to Buy Now

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Arena’s concrete chess set can start one heavy battle of wits and courage

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Arena Chess Set Design

They say a chess game improves a person’s cognitive skills, but if the chess set is heavy, will you be more intelligent? Maybe you will in terms of knowledge about ancient Rome. This particular chess set is a new interpretation of the old game but still gives the same excitement, especially if you’re into chess.

The Arena is a different version of chess based on the Roman amphitheater. This recreates the ancient times when gladiators would fight under the watchful eyes of the spectators. The Arena is a version of chess where every position in the army is represented by the chessmen wearing different architectural armor.

Designer: MIM Studio

Arena Chess Set Pieces

All the chessmen from both mighty armies enter the battle with the determination to win. However, victory will depend on who is controlling them—you and your opponent. So go on, start preparing to defend your kingdom. Once ready, take the positions and begin the battle of wits and strategy.

Arena Chess Board

Arena – The Game of Chess is one expensive chess set made from concrete. It’s heavy so you may want to decide where to place the board. We suggest you set it by the window as every position offers a beautiful play of shadow depending on the time of day. The Arena is where two opponents will fight and hold ground. It is one intriguing version of chess where strength, courage, and fearless are required.

The Arena chess set weighs 2770 grams and the board itself measures 304mm x 304mm x 40mm. It is made of concrete so it took some time to create a whole set. There are 32 chessmen (chess pieces)—16 pieces each in Dark Grey and Light Grey.

Arena Chess Set Details

Chess is already centuries-old but it continues to be one rewarding and fascinating game for people of all ages. Others may find it boring, but we understand the game’s thrill, especially when a King is checked mate unexpectedly. We don’t claim to be champions, but this particular set evokes a feeling of bravery—the kind you should feel when you’re about to get into an arena to fight for your life.

The amphitheater is a famous symbol of Roman architecture. It is an ideal battlefield for even as simple as a chess match, at least, on your tabletop. Designed by Material Immaterial Studio (MIM Studio), this $400 Arena chess set defines strong aesthetics and magnificent details. Every piece is made of concrete, so be careful that you don’t break them.

Arena Chessmen

This Arena Chess Set will become more than just a conversation starter. It will make you play a game or two just for the sake of playing. Every corner of your house must have something unique, quirky, or interesting. The Arena Chess Set is one to capture any guest’s attention. Just make sure you really know how to play chess in case somebody challenges you to a game.

Arena Chess Set 3

Arena Chess Game

Arena Chess Set 2

Arena Chess Set Price

The post Arena’s concrete chess set can start one heavy battle of wits and courage first appeared on Yanko Design.

This DIY Magnetic Cube game brings the thrill of Minecraft and Rollercoaster Tycoon to real life!

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Building on the success of the MagnetCubes game from last year, this year’s edition comes with a new type of gameplay that merges the building aspects of LEGO and Minecraft with the competitive nature of multiplayer survival games like Chess and Fortnite (or even Squid Games, if you’re that intense!) The MagnetCubes doesn’t let you simply play a game, it involves you in the design process too, allowing you to build your own gaming board in three dimensions. With two separate styles of gameplay, the 2021 MagnetCubes lets you either build a 3D Hot Wheels-style track for metal marbles to run in an infinite loop, or play a game of CubeClimbers where various players compete against each other to climb to the top of the MagnetCubes mountain.

Designers: MagnetCubes by J. S. Wolfe, CubeClimbers by Benjamin Hwang

Click Here to Buy Now: $49. Hurry, only 2/158 left!

Using a transparent framework of pillars and beams held in place by magnets, MagnetCube gives you the joy of building first, and then of playing. The cube format lends itself to two different games – a multiplayer game called CubeClimbers, or a rollercoaster-building game called Liftpack. CubeClimbers is all about ascent, and starts by building a tall multi-level structure by snapping the cubes together to make a pixelated mountain with steep ascents and drops. The mountain is then explored by small plastic climbers, who either climb up or fall down based on what the roll of the die says.

CubeClimbers is a strategy game for 2-4 players where you compete for the highest spot of a mountain by stacking MagnetCubes.

A set of 16 power cards make the game much more interesting, by allowing players to add or remove cubes from underneath players, freeze them for a number of turns, levitate above them, or my personal favorite, kick them off a precipice in what could potentially be a friendship-ruining move! A rulebook helps you through the game, and the infinite customizability of the magnetic cube’s gaming terrain makes each game absolutely unique and just as fun.

The Liftpack game quite literally turns you into a RollerCoaster Tycoon, letting you build out elaborate coaster tracks and Rube Goldberg machines for marbles to run through. The game still relies on the modular magnetic transparent cubes, but the cubes simply form a framework for red-colored plastic rails that you assemble on top, making a pathway for your marbles to roll on. The game comes with everything you need to make an infinite loop for your marbles, along with a motorized chain lift to carry the marbles up to the top of the coaster, only to have them rolling, sliding, and speeding down the track again!

LiftPack has everything you need to build this infinite looping track.

The two games are available as separate sets. The CubeClimbers set comes with up to 8 player pieces and has 16 power cards, a rollable die, and a rulebook. The Liftpack set, on the other hand, is available in Standard and Advance variants (just like last year’s edition), allowing you to be small and efficient, or embrace a go-big-or-go-home attitude and make a wild track that’s filled with twists and turns. Each Liftpack kit comes with ball-bearings that ride on the tracks you build, relying on their design and a combination of gravity, inertia, and potential/kinetic energy to get from A to B.

With its 2020 campaign seeing over 4,000 backers, the Liftpack got a fair deal of attention from kids as well as adults who wanted to relive their childlike fantasy and build out a mini rollercoaster track. For gamers who love the competitive spirit and like playing board games that are filled with intrigue, strategy, and a sprinke of betrayal, the CubeClimbers is a perfect alternative! Select your MagnetCube game set and back the campaign now, and you’ll get your game around July next year.

Click Here to Buy Now: $49. Hurry, only 2/158 left!

Monopoly Glass Edition Features a See-through Game Board

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Every other edition of Monopoly exists, so why not one with a glass board? Monopoly Glass Edition from the WS Game Company features a 16″ x 16″ tempered glass game board along with diecast zinc game tokens and translucent houses and hotels. Fine, but I get to be banker, and I will be wildly misappropriating funds to my own benefit.

Glass is cool, but if they really wanted to get fancy, they should have made the board out of crystal. And all the game tokens and houses and hotels out of precious gemstones. I mean, what else are eccentric billionaires going to spend their money on – going to space for five minutes?

Of course, I imagine the real purpose of making a glass board is to add an extra element of surprise and danger when I flip the game after losing. Will I have to use one of my get-out-of-jail-free cards, so my wife doesn’t make me sleep on the sofa? You know there’s a reason I take them from every Monopoly game I come across.

‘Darkest Dungeon II’ early access is coming in 2021

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Red Hook Studios announced the sequel to its hit RPG Darkest Dungeon all the way back in February 2019, and now we have a clearer idea of when you'll be able to check it out. Darkest Dungeon II will debut in early access next year.Things will look a...

A Pac-Man edition of ‘Monopoly’ includes a mini arcade game

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Pac-Man just turned 40 years old and to help mark the anniversary, there’s a new version of Monopoly centered around the iconic character. It includes a digital banking unit that doubles as a mini arcade game you play whenever you pass Go.You’ll play...

Monopoly Voice Banking isn’t that smart, but it makes the game tolerable

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Monopoly is one of the best known board games... and one of the most reviled. Games take forever to finish, and can end in tears or fisticuffs. But that hasn't stopped Hasbro from churning out version after version, with themes ranging from Mario Kar...