Technically I am a day late in this declaration, as it is 2 January 2016 down here. (I apologize for the funny date format. I have to force myself to use it for work.)
As I related in the inaugural post, I resolve this year to play more game and to get more consistent use out of the breadth of my growing collection. To that end, I want to play some game every day this year.
So far, I am on track.
Day 1 Gaming report: No Joke
This play is a significant milestone for me. Not only is it is beginning of the resolution quest, but this was the first time this particular game copy had been played. Ever.
This likely does not sound like a big deal to most readers of this chronicle, as most of you know I get and play new games with some regularity. Allow me to explain.
This copy of No Joke is a first edition printing the game, dated 1941. I picked this up at an antique mall some time ago and was excited because the game pieces were still in their original wrappings. This poor game had gone 60+ years with no one to play.
Unfortunately for the game, I consider myself to be a game collector in addition to a game player. I resisted the urge to break the seal, so to speak. I held out some hope that, some day, this nearly antique unplayed game would be worth some money.
Well, last night my logical brain caught up and I broke the seal. (Actually the bands slid right off. I could make it look unplayed again, at least to the untrained eye.) Now I wish I had done this sooner. This is a really fun, lightweight game.
No Joke consists of 36 tongue depressors with a series of three symbols painted on each end: hearts, diamonds, clubs, spades, stars. In the simplest version of the game, one player starts by laying down a stick. The next player must then lay a stick with at least one matching symbol. If they cannot, they draw until they can, or have ten sticks in their hand. Play of the hand continues until someone lays their last stick. Scoring happens throughout. If during play, a run of three of more matching symbols in a row is created and then broken, the last person who placed a stick within the run claims and scores all of the sticks up to the break. First person to 50 points wins.
Other games I have played lately: Killer Bunnies and the quest for the Magic Carrot
I have been wanting to get this one one the table with my eldest for a while, mostly because it is almost as goofy as it sounds and I figured he would enjoy it. I was mostly right. Killer Bunnies, especially with 2-3 expansions, actually has quite a bit going on. As such there are a lot of fiddly rules to either keep track of, or constantly reference the rulebook. There is a lot of "Take That" in the game, which is something that my son really enjoys, especially when aimed at me. Fortunately I got the last laugh as the magic carrot was, in fact, one of mine.
Now everyone else go be bold and play games!
For posterity's sake, from your loving sister: "But not *too seriously." Miss you guys and can't wait to play some of these games with you!
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