The Black Campbell

Another game that came in from Noble Knight yesterday was Castle Panic by Fireside Games. It’s a cooperative game where players try to defend their castle from rampaging monsters. You have a six-walled tower, with six protective walls, and six zones to defend. You draw five cards, which allow you to hit the monsters at different ranges — archer, knight, swordsman, or castle (where you need a barbarian to take out the monsters before they knock the whole she-bang down and you lose.

It’s a deceptively simple game. The cards give you zones you can defend at the respective distances, and you can trade between players to try and strategize to stop the creatures. The actual doing is a lot harder. The few times I’ve played it, it takes between 45 minutes and an hour and a half. It’s great fun, there are a few expansions available, and at $30 is a steal. Definite buy.