Counter Magazine
Greg Schloesser
January 2006
United Kingdom

A LOOK AT SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM OUT OF THE BOX

Out of the Box Publishing is a small American game company that has quietly been releasing some intriguing games. Best known for their immensely popular Apples to Apples game, they have stepped-up their presence with re-releases of previously issued games, as well as new creations, including such titles as Reiner Knizia’s Tutanchamun, Reinhard Staupe’s Basari, and the 10 Days In series from Alan Moon. All of these games are “bridge” games in that they are ideal for introducing new people to more sophisticated and interactive games.

Recently, the company has taken yet another bold step, partnering with PIN International to market and distribute their line of wooden games. These games are quite stunning in appearance, being constructed of sturdy, attractive wood. This alone is nothing new, as many games have been released to be showpieces, or “coffee table” centerpieces. Sadly, many of those games were pretty to behold, but not much fun to play. The PIN line – at least the games I’ve played – get it right on both counts. Not only are they visually pleasing, they are also, for the most part, quite captivating.

My aim here is to spotlight a handful of games in the PIN line, as well as provide a bit of information about this interesting partnership. According to Matt Mariani of Out of the Box:

“PIN is a natural extension to our line. We didn’t have a line of games that players could leave out on a coffee table. These games look great, and are easy-to-learn and fun to play.”

That truly is a great summary of the line. I’ve managed to play half of the games in the current line, and am quite pleased with six of them. That’s quite a batting average. Further, everyone with whom I’ve played has also enjoyed them. Even my wife admits that they are fun and attractive, although she is still fighting me over leaving them on display in our living room!

The most popular game in the line is COLUMNS, which sold extremely well in 2005. Columns challenges two players to slide various pieces onto wood columns, arranged in a 3x4 grid. The ultimate aim of the game is to place the most “roundels” (round pieces) at the top of the columns. The wooden pieces come in a variety of shapes, some of which fit snuggly over two columns, while others are “L” shaped occupy two vertical spaces on a column.

Blocks have critical placement restrictions. The larger square-shaped “blockers” are used to prevent an opponent from placing a roundel atop it, while they also cannot be placed atop a single other piece. Small “blockers” do not have this latter restriction. These restrictions, along with the limited supply of each piece, force players to make tough placement decisions. The game is tense and fast, and leaves players with that “one-more-time” urge. I can easily see why it is a top-seller in the PIN line.

CITYSCAPE has also garnered some attention from gamers, and is quite likely the most visually appealing of the line. Richly-stained blocks in five sizes are placed onto an oak 4x4 grid, ultimately forming the skyline of a city. Each player secretly establishes four goals using the pips on dice, and the object is to stack the blocks so that the number of buildings visible from eye level matches the number of pips on the die set as a goal for that row. So, if a player placed a “3” on the die for the first row, the player will attempt to have three buildings visible in that row. A “5” on the die means the player will attempt to have two or more buildings of the same height in the corresponding row, while a “6” means the player will attempt to have the tallest building on the board in that row.

Once all blocks are placed, points are earned, with more points being earned for the goals that are more difficult to achieve; that is, the higher valued numbers. While at first glance there appears to be a great degree of control, the reality hits you after a round or two that this is largely an illusion. Still, strangely and perhaps inexplicably, I find the game fun to play. There is a certain sense of achievement when goals are met, even though you know that it was mainly accomplished via sheer luck. That really should bother me … and it usually does. But for some reason, I still find myself enjoying the game.

My personal favorite in the line is OCTILES, a game that has a similar feel to Trax, a game that has been around since 1981. Players reveal and place octagon-shaped tiles, each containing four pathways. As each tile is placed, the active player moves one of his pawns as far as he can across the paths, with the ultimate goal being reaching the haven on the opposite side of the board. “Stop squares” are located throughout the board, and these serve as stopping places for pawns moving along the pathways. Pawns located on these spaces block the movement of opponents’ pieces. Victory goes to the first player to move all of his pawns to the opposite side of the board.

The game plays well with 2 – 4 players, but can get a bit congested with the full contingent of four. Most games play to completion in about 45 minutes or so, but longer times are possible due to congestion. Still, I find the game fascinating, with some interesting placement and blocking choices.

CAMBIO combines the sliding mechanism of Amazing Labyrinth with the five-in-a-row victory condition of 5ive Straight. Cubes depicting geometric symbols are slid into a 5x5 grid, with the objective of aligning five like symbols in a row. The game is quite challenging, but a bit prone to last a tad long.

POISON POT challenges two or three players to assemble their pots into a large grouping without being adjacent to the dreaded poison pot. 36 cauldrons – 12 of each color – are mixed face-down, and players alternate placing one-at-a-time onto the board. Before placing a pot, however, the active player may slide one pot that is already on the board in a straight line. This causes the board configuration to change ever-so-slightly, yet oftentimes dramatically. Clever moves are possible, but plans can often be upset by similar moves by one’s opponents. This is fast and fun.

A game I just can’t get my head wrapped around is OUTFOX. The rules are simple, yet the strategy eludes me. Players each receive a set of nine pieces, with each set containing a square, triangle and circle in each of three colors. The ultimate object of the game is to place pieces so that you arrange a line of three-in-a-row, either of one color in three different shapes, or of the same shape but in three different colors. For some reason, I have a difficult time remembering this, in spite of attempting to repeat this over-and-over again in my head as a mantra.

Play is similar to that of Poison Pot, but in reverse. First, the active player places a piece, then he slides an adjacent piece in a straight line. That’s it. Fulfill the victory conditions and you win. Well, try as I might, I just can’t do it. I’ve been beaten mercilessly by everyone with whom I’ve played. I’m sure there is some sort of spatial visualization skill required, and my brain is deficient in that skill. Still, I keep trying.

So far, the only game in the line I’ve played that I don’t particularly care for is MEGALITH, a re-release of Reiner Knizia’s Stonehenge. Players alternate placing numerical discs face-down onto a triangular grid. When a row fills, the discs are revealed, and the player with the greatest total in that row places a megalith. When the board is filled, the player who placed the greatest number of megaliths wins.

Placements are completely blind, a mechanism that I tend to disdain. As a row fills, however, the discs are revealed, giving the player a bit more information when making his placements. Still, the game just doesn’t grab me, as there isn’t much to go one when making one’s placements.

As mentioned, I’ve played just half of the games in the line. Normally, I am not a fan of wooden abstract games. While I’ve always appreciated the tactics and skills required to play them well, I’ve generally found them to be rather dull and a bit too confining. The PIN line of games has proven to be the exception for me. The games are generally fast, and filled with interesting decisions. For the most part, they do not bog down into a “think-fest”, with two players somberly staring at a board for long periods of time. Rather, they offer an intriguing challenge, and seem fresh and new. They transcend the usual abstract fare, making them a welcome addition to my collection.

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