Pirate Ninjas Rule

I got to play a game I’ve seen a few times lurking on the edges in Amazon also boughts.  Smash Up by AEG

http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/122522/smash-up

I had very few expectations going in, I figured it was going to be a bit like King of Toyko but it’s not.  It’s borrows from a number of different games.  I’m not sure where exactly it stands.  Definitely a filler game, definitely as good as King of Toyko but it needs more play to be sure and I intend to give it some.

The game I played was a two player and it allows up to four which I suspect would be as crazy as after eights eaten at 7:30.

It’s quick to learn. A player starts with five cards which are of two types either actions or minions.  On the board are a number of bases with all very colourful titles  (Monkey lab anyone?) a completion value (from say 18-24 or so), a score value for first, second and third positions and a special ability.

Each turn a player gets to place a minion against a base, use the minions special ability (which could be kill another minion there, increase some variable, do something, I dunno else, it varies quite a bit from faction to faction) and also play an action, which could be Kill another minion, increase some variable (you get the idea).  Each minion has a strength value or say 2-5 and when enough minions in total from everyone are at a base the based is scored, the highest strength of minions from one player gets the first scoring value and the next gets second prize and so on.  You obviously want to be first if possible to snag the highest score.  Once it’s scored a new base is wheeled out and the process repeats until someone scores 18 points or more, then pulls their jersey over their head and does their winner dance/slide/gesticulation

What makes for an interesting game is that at the start you pick two sets of factions from a base game of around a dozen or so.  These vary a good bit so you have some colourful stuff, like Pirates, Zombies, Ninjas, Cthulu and so on.  I opted for the obvious awesomeness of Pirates and Ninjas whilst my opponent went with Time Travelling and Zombies.  You then carefully blend the play decks of your two choices together and wind up with a combined deck of 40 cards and play begins.

It was surprising fun, the theme of each it very well done, Ninjas are sneaky and good at assassination, Zombies just keep coming back again and again.  Mixing two factions together makes for a different experience each time.  Maybe even 132 different combos, (though my maths may be off)

Would I recommend it? yes, I would. I wouldn’t rush out and buy it, but I’d definitely play it if it was lying around.  It’s not getting bumped up on my must buy list, but it’s good fun and if you have a spare 20 minutes and this at hand you could do a lot worse

Huzzah!

Vic