If you want to see what’s possible with just regular d6 dice, or a regular pack of 52 cards then the two Knizia books Dice Games Properly Explained, and New Tactical Games with Dice and Cards are a must.

I particularly like Dice Games Properly Explained. Scattered between the many explanations of games are some interesting chapters explaining probability and stuff. The game descriptions not only describe the rules but also give advice on tactics. I think my favourite game so far from this book is Ship, Captain, Crew, a Yahtzee style push your luck game.

According to Amazon I was missing two Knizia books, Poker Plain and Simple, and Blazing Aces! A Fistfull of Family Card Games.

So naturally I had to order them. And they arrived yesterday.

I don’t play poker. However I’m familiar with Texas Hold’em. Mainly from YouTube videos and tv. Plus whatever version of poker I’ve seen played in westerns.

I certainly know poker hands from numerous board games where they are used as a mechanic such as Dice Town, or The Gang.

One thing that has confused me about Texas Hold’em is the bidding, especially the checking. But not enough to google it. So I’m looking forward to Knizia explaining it.

When you throw in the likes of Regicide what you can play with a regular pack of cards is incredible. So I’m looking forward to seeing what Knizia has come up with in his western themed book of card games.

Anyways more for the reading pile for while the little monsters are enjoying the warmth of the spring sun.

My best friend Duncan asked me if I’d be interested in a copy of the board game the Cat and the Tower.

I hadn’t heard of it before so I clicked on the YouTube video that Duncan shared with me about the game.

The theme instantly grabbed me. I didn’t make it to the part of the video where it went into the actual game play.

I’m not a big dexterity player. I think I have just the one dexterity game in the collection. That being the amazing Tokyo Highway.

It’s not to say I haven’t played dexterity games. I’ve played Rhino Hero which is the first one that came to mind after Tokyo Highway.

However as a genre it’s not one that has grabbed me, say like trick taking games have.

The YouTuber basically summed up the following in his opening introduction to the game.

“”Hang on Mama, I’m on my way!” Toto the black cat said, skittering towards the lopsided tower looming before him. Having been told that his mother left the world of the living to become a star in the sky, Toto and the rest of his feline friends bound unwaveringly for the top of the tower in the hopes to meet her again.” Taken from the Cat and the Tower bgg page

I was welling up just at that part.

So many questions started to enter my head.

Such as how this comes through in the game play, if at all?

Is this a game like Alice is Missing that provokes a strong emotional response?

I could have looked at the rest of the video and try and get answers from the reviewer’s comments.

I have a rough idea of the game play after skim reading a review on bgg.

But that reviewer wasn’t looking at the game with the lenses I would be approaching it with.

I’m curious, intrigued about this game.

I have a lot of emotional baggage that as you can tell even just hearing about the theme caused an emotional response.

Yes I have a lot of issues that are not buried that deep.

As I type this post in my garden, Dolly and Loki on my lap, and Diogo lying at my feet. I look up and there is Nico’s grave. I talk to him a lot.

We are enjoying the spring sun. Well the little monsters are. I’m suffering the warmth of the sun for them.

I’m one of those people that believe games whether cardboard or video can deal with very serious and deep subject matters. Not only that but create an emotional experience.

Whether that’s a game like Brenda Romero’s Train (I really want to play this now infamous game) or Alice is Missing. Both games known for the subject matter they deal with and the emotional responses they create.

It’s from this angle I want to look at Cat and the Tower.

So I can’t wait for it to drop through my letter box and it hitting the table.