About a year or so ago, maybe even two years ago, I went to visit my friend Steve of HMTK.com fame for a night of Hackmaster and hanging out. While Val and I were waiting for the rest of the group to show up Steve showed us a new game he was working on. The game, tentatively called “Quads” at the time, was fashioned out of stone tiles he made in his basement. I mean it was an impressive set of pieces and the box he made was also really nice. The game reminded me of Tri-Ominos, Dominoes, and something else (I can’t remember the name of it off-hand), but while reminding me of these games it was still unlike them. I liked it – a lot. It was very tactical and very much a thinking man’s (or woman’s) game, yet light enough that even mathematically-challenged people such as myself and Val could play it.
The reason I felt it was a thinking man’s game was because of the forethought required when placing tiles. Basically, you place tiles and… and… ah hell, there’s a frickin’ Flash video on how to play. Why am I going to waste everyone’s time trying to explain a game I haven’t played in years. The the video, Found Here, is on the SimplyFun Board Games page for Quartiles. Just follow the link. It’ll take you to the page that describes the game and has the video on how the game is played. Steve’s page about the game, found here, delves more into the game and whatnot. He’s much better at explaining stuff like this.
I vividly recall having a blast playing it and commented on how much the public would dig a game like this were they to play it. Steve said he hoped so since he was going to be marketing it. It looks like he was successful in the first part. Now people just need to play it so they can see how much fun it is. Looking at the pieces for the game it’s easy to see how beautiful both the pieces and the carrying box are made. This isn’t a game box you stash away in the closet. This is the type of thing you keep on your coffee table or next to your entertainment center for people to see. This is the type of thing you carry under your arm and bring to the park to play with strangers. For $40 it’s almost a steal considering most board games now-a-days range from $30-$70 and none look this good. I mean look at this thing:
That isn’t some cardboard monopoly board. That’s art. I plan on getting myself a set, and I think it is a GREAT idea for a gift so I’ll be nabbing a few for holiday presents. Now that it’s out I keep thinking back to the car ride home from Connecticut, where Steve lives, and talking about how much fun that game was and how impressed be both were (Val and I) that he made a game like that. Peep that shit, warriors.
-=Grim=-