{"id":649,"date":"2013-10-04T08:42:22","date_gmt":"2013-10-04T12:42:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.euroquestcon.com\/?page_id=649"},"modified":"2025-10-28T08:08:49","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T12:08:49","slug":"wild-card-game-descriptions","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"\/index.php\/gaming\/wild-card-game-descriptions\/","title":{"rendered":"Wild Card game descriptions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tie Breakers for all games can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

2025 HOT NEW GAME: POPCORN<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Designer:<\/strong> Victor Saumont
\nPublisher:<\/strong> IELLO
\nBoardGameGeek info:<\/strong> Popcorn<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

GM: <\/b>John Weber
\nNumber of Players:<\/b> 3 – 5
\nLearn & Play demo:<\/strong> Fri 7:30 – 9:00 pm<\/p>\n

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In\u00a0Popcorn<\/strong><\/em>, each player manages their own movie theater and tries to show the best combination of movies in order to attract guests to their seats.<\/p>\n

The game plays out over nine rounds, and in each round you may acquire a new movie, build or upgrade your theater, and use advertising to attract new guests \u2014 then it’s showtime, with you drawing guests at random from your bag to see who has shown up. Place guests in the right seats to activate special powers; match them with the right movies, and you get a movie bonus as well, thanks to their enthusiasm for your good taste.<\/p>\n

The bonuses from a movie get worse the longer it runs, so be sure to bring in fresh films to keep guests on the edge of your seats. After all, happy guests can help your theater win awards in town; more importantly, they can keep the “popcorn” piling up in your coffers, and whichever theater owner fills their popcorn box the best wins.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n

LIGHTNING TRAIN<\/strong><\/article>\n
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Designer:<\/strong> Paul Dennen
\nPublisher:<\/strong> Dire Wolf<\/span>
\nBoardGameGeek info:<\/strong> Lightning Train<\/a><\/p>\n

GM: <\/strong>Legend Dan, Canton Games
\nNumber of Players<\/strong>: 3 – 4
\nLearn & Play demo: <\/strong>Thurs, 1:30pm<\/p>\n

Steer your railway company through a land of strategic opportunity in the bag-building train game\u00a0Lightning Train<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n

Build your bag to improve your company’s resources, then place your chips to open stations and train lines across eight regions of North America. There’s a fortune to be made by delivering goods to the cities that need them…but will you work together, or look to cut out the competition? Which stations do you need to secure a route to victory? How can the powerful lightning trains accelerate you past your rivals?<\/p>\n

Purchasing new chips opens up new strategic opportunities \u2013 but always at a cost! \u2013 and getting the most value out of the deliveries available requires balance and careful planning.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n

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ROCK HARD 1977
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Designer:<\/strong> Jackie Fox
\nPublisher:<\/strong> Devir
\nBoardGameGeek info:<\/strong> Rock Hard 1977<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

GM: <\/b>John Weber
\nNumber of Players:<\/b> 3 – 5<\/p>\n

It’s 1977. You’re an up-and-coming musician, dreaming of making it big with your band. Over the next few months you’ll rehearse, play gigs, write songs, and promote your band. With careful planning and a little luck, you’ll earn the most fame and become the best new artist of the year.<\/span><\/p>\n

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GREAT WESTERN TRAIL: EL PASO<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Designer:<\/strong>\u00a0Johannes Krenner, Alexander Pfister
\nPublisher:<\/strong> Lookout Games
\nBoardGameGeek info:\u00a0<\/strong> GWT: El Paso<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

GM: <\/b>Eric Wrobel
\nNumber of Players:<\/b> 3 – 4
\nDemo:<\/strong> Wed, 4:30<\/p>\n

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El Paso<\/em>\u00a0is mechanically based on its predecessors in the\u00a0Great Western Trail<\/em>\u00a0trilogy. In\u00a0Great Western Trail: El Paso<\/em><\/strong>, you take on the role of the ranchers of that time and bring your best cattle to El Paso to earn money and victory points. Hire more cowboys, builders, and engineers to get closer to your goals: Buy cattle to increase the value of your herd!; Construct buildings to unlock more actions!; Participate in the expansion of the railroad and secure the most attractive contracts!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n

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FINSPAN<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Designer:<\/strong> David Gordon, Michael O’Connell
\nPublisher:<\/strong> Stonemaier Games
\nBoardGameGeek info:<\/strong> Finspan<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

GM: <\/b>Richard Pearl
\nNumber of Players:<\/b> 3 – 5
\nLearn & Play demo: <\/strong>Thurs, 1:30pm<\/p>\n

You are a marine researcher seeking to find and observe an array of aquatic life in the colorful Sunlight Zone, ghostly Twilight Zone, and pitch-black Midnight Zone of the world’s seas and oceans. In\u00a0Finspan<\/strong><\/em>, the fish you discover over four weeks will generate a series of benefits as you dive deeper into the ocean.<\/p>\n

MOON COLONY BLOODBATH<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Designer:<\/strong> Donald X. Vaccarino
\nPublisher:<\/strong> Rio Grande Games
\nBoardGameGeek info:<\/strong> Moon Colony Bloodbath<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

GM: <\/strong>Linda Pollnitz
\nNumber of Players<\/strong>: 3-5
\nLearn & Play demo: <\/strong>Wed, 6pm<\/p>\n

Moon Colony Bloodbath<\/strong><\/em> is an engine-building, engine-losing tableau game, with a shared deck the players build that makes things happen, many of them bad things that kill people in your moon colony, but some positive, and some that let you build up. But whatever can go wrong will go wrong.<\/p>\n

The game lasts until one player’s moon colony has no people remaining, or until the players reach the bottom of the event deck. At that point, the player with the most survivors wins<\/p>\n

PATH OF CIVILIZATION
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Designer:<\/strong> Fabien Gridel
\nPublisher:<\/strong> Captain Games
\nBoardGameGeek info:<\/strong> Path of Civilization<\/a><\/p>\n

GM: <\/strong>John Weber
\nNumber of Players<\/strong>: 3-5<\/p>\n

Take the reins of your Civilization and make the choices that will make it the most prosperous. It doesn’t matter which path you take, as long as it leads your people to glory. Research new technologies to improve your nation’s Science, Military strength, Spirituality, Culture and Industrialization.<\/p>\n

SETI: SEARCH FOR EXTRATERRESTRIAL INTELLIGENCE
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\"\"<\/h5>\n

Designer:<\/strong> Tomas Holek
\nPublisher:<\/strong> Czech Games Edition
\nBoardGameGeek info:<\/strong> SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence<\/a><\/p>\n

GM: <\/b>Imran Akram
\nNumber of Players:<\/b> 3 – 5
\nLearn & Play demo: <\/strong>Wed, 7:30pm<\/p>\n

In\u00a0SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence<\/strong><\/em>, you lead a scientific institution tasked with searching for traces of life beyond planet Earth. The game draws inspiration from current or emerging technologies and efforts in space exploration. Players will explore nearby planets and their moons by launching probes from Earth while taking advantage of ever-shifting planetary positions. Decide whether to land on their surface to collect valuable samples, or stay in orbit for a broader survey. Additionally, by directing your telescopes to gaze into distant star systems, you may detect traces of alien signals or undiscovered exoplanets, and collect promising data to examine and study back home.<\/p>\n

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HARMONIES<\/strong><\/article>\n
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Designer: Johan Benvenuto\"\"
\nPublisher: <\/strong>Libellud
\nBoardGameGeek info:<\/strong> Harmonies<\/a><\/p>\n

GM: <\/strong>Chris Wildes
\nNumber of Players: <\/strong>3 – 4<\/p>\n

In Harmonies, build landscapes by placing colored tokens and create habitats for your animals. To earn the most points and win the game, incorporate the habitats in your landscapes wisely and have as many animals as you can settle there.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

LET’S GO! TO JAPAN<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Designer:<\/strong> Josh Wood
\nPublisher:<\/strong> Alderac Entertainment Group
\nBoardGameGeek info:<\/strong> Let’s Go! To Japan<\/a><\/p>\n

GM: <\/strong>Linda Pollnitz
\nNumber of Players:<\/strong> 3 – 4
\nLearn & Play demo: <\/strong>Fri, 5pm<\/p>\n

In\u00a0Let’s Go! To Japan<\/strong><\/em>, you are a traveler planning, then experiencing your own dream vacation to Japan.<\/p>\n

Players draw activity cards illustrated by Japan-based artists and strategically place them in different days in their week-long itinerary. These can’t-miss tourist attractions will have you bouncing between Tokyo and Kyoto as you try to puzzle out the optimal activities to maximize your experience while balancing your resources. The game ends with a final round in which you ultimately go on your planned trip, activating each of your cards in order along the way.<\/p>\n

APIARY<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Designer:<\/strong> Connie Vogelmann
\nPublisher:<\/strong> Stonemaier Games
\nBoardGameGeek info:<\/strong> Apiary<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

GM: <\/b>Chris Wildes
\nNumber of Players:<\/b> 3 – 5<\/p>\n

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In Apiary<\/strong><\/em>, each player controls one of twenty unique factions. Your faction starts the game with a hive, a few resources, and worker bees. A worker-placement, hive-building challenge awaits you: explore planets, gather resources, develop technologies, and create carvings to demonstrate your faction’s strengths (measured in victory points) over one year’s Flow. However, the Dearth quickly approaches, and your workers can take only a few actions before they must hibernate! Can you thrive or merely survive?<\/p>\n

FOREST SHUFFLE<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Designer:<\/strong>\u00a0 Kosch<\/span>
\nPublisher:<\/strong>\u00a0 Lookout Games<\/span>
\nBoardgamegeek Info:<\/strong> Forest Shuffle<\/a><\/p>\n

GM: <\/strong>Linda Pollnitz\/Bob Oliver
\nNumber of Players:<\/strong> 3 – 5<\/p>\n

Demo:<\/strong> Forest Shuffle-Dartmoor\u00a0 Wed, 6:30pm<\/p>\n

In\u00a0Forest Shuffle<\/strong><\/em>, players compete to gather the most valuable trees, then attract species to these trees, thus creating an ecologically balanced habitat for flora and fauna.<\/p>\n

Cards depict either a particular type of tree or two forest dwellers (animal, plant, mushroom, etc.), with these latter cards being divided in half, whether vertically or horizontally, with one dweller in each card half.\u00a0On a turn, either draw two cards \u2014 whether face down from the deck or face up from the clearing \u2014 and add them to your hand, or play a card from your hand by paying the cost, then putting it into play.<\/p>\n

Look for scoring synergies between cards, but don’t take too long: winter is coming! When the third winter card is drawn from the bottom third of the deck, the game ends immediately. Players tally their points based on the trees and dwellers in their forest. Whoever scores the most points wins.<\/p>\n

Note: All expansions and the Forest Shuffle Dartmoor game may be played.<\/p>\n

INK<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Designer:<\/strong> Kasper Lapp
\nPublisher:<\/strong> Final Score Games
\nBoardGameGeek info:<\/strong> Ink<\/a><\/p>\n

GM: <\/b>Marcy Morelli
\nNumber of Players:<\/b> 3 – 4
\nLearn & Play demo: <\/strong>Thurs, 11:30am<\/p>\n

INK<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0invites you to deploy your talent by creating sumptuous paintings worthy of the greatest collections.<\/p>\n

Combining tile placement, resource and hand management, and pattern recognition,\u00a0Ink<\/em>\u00a0challenges players to complete high-value contracts by carefully placing ink tiles to form harmonious patterns. The trick lies in balancing spontaneity with planning, every move you make affects not only your current canvas, but the options you’ll have in future turns.<\/p>\n

.SEA SALT & PAPER<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n

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Designer:\u00a0<\/strong> Bruno Cathala, Theo Riviere<\/span>
\nPublisher:\u00a0<\/strong> Bombyx<\/span>
\nBoardgamegeek Info:<\/strong> Sea Salt & Paper<\/a><\/p>\n

GM: <\/strong>Meredith Martini
\nNumber of Players:<\/strong> 3 – 4<\/p>\n

Learn & Play demo: <\/strong>Thurs, 9pm<\/p>\n

This unique & fast-paced card game is played in rounds until one player reaches the required number of points for victory. To win points,
\nyou must carefully choose the cards you take and use their effects wisely. Catching
\nyour opponents off guard could also be a good strategy. During your turn, you assemble your hand, maybe place cards for their effect, and decide if you want to end the round. But do you think you are the one with the most points in hand?<\/p>\n

OBSESSION<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/strong>Designer: Dan Hallagan
\nPublisher: Kayenta Games
\nBoardGameGeek info: Obsession<\/a>
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GM:<\/strong> John Weber
\nNumber of Players:<\/strong> 3 – 5<\/p>\n

You are the head of a respected but troubled family estate in mid-19th century Victorian England. After several lean decades, family fortunes are looking up! Your goal is to improve your estate so as to be in better standing with the truly influential families in Derbyshire.<\/p>\n

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Players should be aware that there are several published variants as well as several “Expert” variants that have been posted on Boardgame Geek. Furthermore, since this game debuted at EuroQuest in 2018, a second edition with a major expansion (Upstairs\/Downstairs) has added an additional dimension to the game, along with user-generated content such as additional Gentry cards and improvement tiles.\u00a0 Players should feel free to use any combination of these — since this is the Wild Card event, anything goes, i.e., any variant that all players agree upon is acceptable.<\/article>\n<\/div>\n
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CAN’T STOP<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"cant<\/a>Designer: Sid Sackson
\nPublisher: Parker Brothers, Franjos Spieleverlag,
\nBoardGameGeek info: Can’t Stop<\/a><\/p>\n

GM: <\/strong>Chad Martin
\nNumber of Players:<\/strong> 3 – 4<\/p>\n

In this Sid Sackson classic, there is a board with all the possible results of two six-sided dice: two through twelve. The object of the game is to move a little marker to the top of three columns by rolling that result, but you need many more sevens than you need twelves, based on the likelihood of each result. During your turn, you roll the dice and place temporary markers onto the board. You can continue moving these markers until either none of your dice match (your turn is over and all progress you’ve made is gone), or cut your losses and end your turn (placing a permanent marker in your rows). Nice light filler for opening or closing a session.<\/p>\n

LOST CITIES<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"lost<\/a>Designer: Reiner Knizia
\nPublisher: 999 Games, Rio Grande Games
\nBoardGameGeek info: Lost Cities<\/a><\/p>\n

GM: <\/strong>Chad Martin
\nNumber of Players:<\/strong> 2<\/p>\n

Lost Cities is a card game from the Kosmos two-player series. The object is to mount profitable expeditions to one or more of the five different lost cities. Card play is quite straightforward, with a few agonizing moments sprinkled through what is mostly a fast-moving game. If you start a given expedition, you’d better make some progress in it, or it’ll score you negative points. If you can make a lot of progress, you’ll score quite well. After three rounds, the highest total score takes the day.<\/p>\n

Rules Clarification<\/b><\/p>\n

Three hands must be completed for an official game. As per the rules, highest aggregate score will determine the winner.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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VEGAS SHOWDOWN
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\"VS\"<\/a>Designer:\u00a0 Henry Stern
\nPublisher: Avalon Hill (Hasbro)
\nBoardGameGeek info: Vegas Showdown<\/a><\/p>\n

GM:<\/strong>\u00a0 Eugene Yee
\nNumber of Players:<\/strong>\u00a03 – 5<\/p>\n

Players compete to build the most famous hotel\/casino. Room tiles representing slot machines, lounges, restaurants, and other casino-related places appear on a central board and the players hold auctions to win the rights to have those rooms in their building, garnering them income, population, or fame. Bidding wars escalate, values fluctuate, and designers renovate until finally the hotel\/casinos are put to the test to determine whose garners the most fame.<\/p>\n

Rules clarifications:
\n1. There is a confirmed (with the game designer) misprint on one of the Sports Book tiles. There should be two “A” tiles and one “B” tile. Before game play, take one of the “B” Sports Book tiles and shuffle it into the “A” pile. Place the “A” tiles underneath the “B” tiles and draw from the bottom of the stack.\u00a0 After the improperly marked “B” Sports Book is revealed, place the remaining A tiles back on top and draw from the top of the stack going forward.
\n2. If the Event card “Lower Prices” is pulled when a Prestige tile is at the minimum bid of 3, that tile is to be discarded and a new one
\ndrawn immediately, using a new Event card to determined which stack to pull from.
\n3. If two Taxes events are drawn, the effect is not stacked. Income for everyone is halved, not quartered.
\n4. If two Visionary events are drawn, the effects are stacked. (i.e. gain 2 fame per overbid)
\n5. If two Good Relations events are drawn, the effect is not stacked. The effect is the same as if one was drawn.
\nTie-breakers: Follow the tiebreakers in the standard rules and, if still tied, furthest away from start player is the winner.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tie Breakers for all games can be found here. 2025 HOT NEW GAME: POPCORN Designer: Victor Saumont Publisher: IELLO BoardGameGeek info: Popcorn GM: John Weber Number of Players: 3 – 5 Learn & Play demo: Fri 7:30 – 9:00 pm In\u00a0Popcorn, each player manages their own movie theater and tries to show the best combination … Continue reading Wild Card game descriptions<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":997,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/649"}],"collection":[{"href":"\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=649"}],"version-history":[{"count":337,"href":"\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/649\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10724,"href":"\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/649\/revisions\/10724"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/997"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=649"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}