Latest news with #deckbuilding
Geek Dad
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Dad
Find Fame in ‘FlipToons'
Everyone wants to be the next big breakout cartoon—assemble the best cast of characters and find fame! What Is FlipToons ? FlipToons is a deck-building game for 1 to 4 players, ages 10 and up, and takes about 15–30 minutes to play. It retails for $19.95 and will be released at Gen Con 2025, with pre-orders open now that will deliver in August. The game is a mix of deck-building and auto-battler (more on that below), and is pretty easy to learn, so the game is family-friendly but isn't just for kids. FlipToons was designed by Jordy Adan and Renato Simões and published by Thunderworks Games, with illustrations by Diego Sá. FlipToons components. Photo: Jonathan H. Liu FlipToons Components FlipToons is entirely cards: 24 Starting cards ( 6 per player) 4 Fame cards 4 Reference cards First Player card Critic's Choice card 53 Toon cards 5 Price cards Big Button mini-expansion: 4 Big Button cards 2 Axolotl cards A sampling of the toon cards. Photo: Jonathan H. Liu The bulk of the cards in the game are toon cards, done in the old rubber-hose style and depicting various animals. Each card has a rank and indicates how many are in the deck. Below that is a fame amount, and often some additional card effects. For the most part, the card effects are pretty easy to understand, but there is a section in the rulebook that provides further details about specific animal abilities. The fame cards are a simple double-sided chart, two columns per side, numbered 1 to 40. The player reference card has a turn order on one side and an icon glossary on the other, but also includes an arrow at the top of the card—you use it with the fame card to indicate your current fame each round. Other cards are pretty self-explanatory: price cards just have a big number on them from 3 to 15 indicating the price of a card in the market, and there's also a first player marker and a Critic's Choice card that shows a '+3' on it. If you order FlipToons from Thunderworks Games, you'll also get the Big Button mini-expansion—I'll explain how that works at the end of the 'How to Play' section. The whole thing comes in a box with a small footprint, just big enough to hold two decks of cards side-by-side, with a little extra room in case you sleeve cards or they come out with several more mini-expansions. I usually associate deck-building games with big boxes and hundreds of cards, so it's always fun to see something like this that's very compact. How to Play Fliptoons You can download a copy of the rulebook here. The Goal The goal of the game is to score the most fame in the Final Flip, which happens after any player reaches at least 30 fame. The card market, where you can hire more toons for your show. Photo: Jonathan H. Liu Setup Lay out the price cards in order. Shuffle the toon cards and reveal five cards below the price cards for the market—arrange them from lowest to highest rank so the lowest rank card costs 3 and the highest rank card costs 15. Set the Critic's Choice card nearby. Give each player a set of 6 starting cards, as well as a fame card and a reference card. The player who most recently watched a cartoon takes the first player card. Gameplay Each round has four phases: Flip, Check Fame, Market, and Cleanup. My first flip of the game, I earned 5 fame. Photo: Jonathan H. Liu Flip : The flip phase is done simultaneously by everyone. Shuffle all of your cards, and then play them out face-up in a grid: two rows of three cards each. Some cards have abilities that are triggered immediately when played, though none of the starting cards do. These could result in more than 6 cards being played. Once you complete the grid, you stop flipping cards even if you have cards left over. If you run out of cards before you fill your grid, you just stop. During this phase of the game, you don't make any choices—you just play the cards in the order they come up. Check Fame : Everyone checks fame simultaneously. Add up all of the fame shown on all of your face-up cards. Some card abilities will let you stack cards—all face-up cards count, even if they have other cards stacked on them. Mark your fame using your reference card and the fame card. If anyone generated at least 30 fame, the player with the most fame this round takes the Critic's Choice card, and the next round will be the Final Flip. Market : In turn order, each player gets two market actions, which can be used to hire or dismiss toons. To hire a toon, pay the fame cost shown above that card in the market. To dismiss a toon from your grid, pay 5 fame and then place it in your own personal 'dismissed' cards pile. (You may only dismiss face-up cards in your grid; cards that have been turned face-down or that are still in your deck cannot be dismissed.) Note that unspent fame does not carry over to the next turn, so use it or lose it! After both of your market actions, refill the market if needed, making sure to arrange all the toons by rank order. Cleanup : Collect all the cards in your grid and add them to your deck, and reshuffle your entire deck. (In a 2-player game, you also discard the leftmost and rightmost cards in the market and refill.) If nobody reached 30 fame this round, pass the first player card clockwise and start a new round. Got a little closer this time—20 fame! Photo: Jonathan H. Liu Game End When a player has achieved at least 30 fame, the next round will be the Final Flip. The Critic's Choice card, which is given to the player who had the highest fame during the round, is worth +3 fame in the Final Flip. The player who earns the most fame during the Final Flip wins! In case of a tie, tied players collect all their cards and flip again. Continue until there is a winner! The Big Button card, front and back. Photo: Jonathan H. Liu Big Button Expansion If you order FlipToons from Thunderworks Games, you'll get the Big Button expansion included for free. During setup, give each player a Big Button card, and shuffle the 2 Axolotl cards into the toon deck. Once during the game, you may push your Big Button (flipping it over to the broken side) to redo your flip phase. Shuffle your grid back into your deck and flip again. The Axolotl is a Rank 26 card (the highest so far) worth 7 fame; when you hire it, you may immediately reset your Big Button if it has already been used. FlipToons is GeekDad Approved! Why You Should Play FlipToons FlipToons hasn't been released yet, but since I got an early copy back at the end of April, I've already played it over a dozen times. It's a quick, snappy game that takes a popular game mechanic—deck-building—and combines it with one that may not be as well-known: auto battler. Auto battlers are games in which you make some decisions about how things are set up, but then there's a portion of the game that just plays out on its own. Challengers! is another example of a favorite game that uses a similar mechanic—you add cards to your team, but when it comes time to play a match against another player, you both just play out your cards in order. There are 25 different animals represented in the toon deck, and I like the variety of powers, which can make for some cool combos. There are a couple that will flip other cards face-down, nullifying them, but they usually provide a lot of fame themselves. The Rabbit can stack on top of face-down cards (and each other), giving you several cards' worth of fame in a single grid slot, and the Bull gets an extra 7 fame if there are face-down cards. The Cat and the Tiger both get fame boosts based on how many cards you've dismissed—these can be particularly good with the Alligator and Snake, which will both dismiss cards randomly from your deck or grid. It can be a bit chaotic and unpredictable, but if you get that going early enough, those felines can be quite formidable. Several animals provide extra fame based on their positioning, so you're hoping they turn up in the right place: the top row, the bottom row, the middle column, or next to particular animals. A possible but improbable grid that scores a whopping 53 fame. Photo: Jonathan H. Liu As an example of how cards can combo in ridiculous ways, I set up the above photo with a whole lot of combos. We start with the Elephant, which flips the previous card face-down—but since it was the first card, it provides 7 fame with no downside. Next is the Monkey—if it's in the top row, it moves up and creates its own row, leaving its original space open. Then comes the Turkey, which stacks on top of the previously played card so it's also in that extra upper row. Then the Dragonfly, a starting card that can still be valuable because it awards fame based on unique adjacent cards. The Ostrich is next—only 1 fame, but the next card played stacks on it. That would be the Bull, which gives extra fame if you have any face-down cards. In the bottom row, the first card is the Eagle, which flips the next card face-down. Then come two Rabbits—they stack up on the face-down card—the Dragonfly is now worth 6 fame! Finally, there's a Bear, which gives extra fame for every face-up card in the grid. Of course, it's unlikely that you'd be able to get this exact build in your deck, and even if you did, the cards have to come out in just the right order, but you can get a sense of how different cards can synergize. The cards are always arranged by rank in the market, so that the weakest card is cheapest and the most powerful card is the most expensive—but that does mean the specific price of any given card is not set. If you're lucky, the market is full of high-ranked cards, and you could get a rank 20 Turkey for only 3 fame. If you're unlucky, you might end up being unable to afford even a Rank 8 Camel because it has been bumped up to the higher prices. Dismissing a toon always costs 5 fame, so that's always an option if there isn't anything in the market that you want. And as with many other deck-building games, it also matters what you get rid of. If you hire a bunch of cards but don't dismiss anything, then your fame levels can vary wildly from round to round, particularly if you're only drawing a small portion of your total deck. And, of course, your starting cards are typically weaker and won't provide as much fame or powerful effects compared to cards you can hire from the market. I know that a lot of game publishers have made changes to their 2025 lineup due to the tariffs, with many of them looking for smaller, often card-based games that are cheaper to print and ship, so expect to see a lot more small games hitting the shelves this fall and winter. FlipToons is definitely smaller than most of Thunderworks Games' titles, but it has been a big hit with my gaming groups and I've had a lot of fun introducing it to folks. I think it can be both a nice introduction to deck-building for folks who are new to that, as well as a refreshing twist on the genre for experienced players. FlipToons is on the simpler side: you make decisions about what goes into your deck, but you don't have any control over the order that they'll come out. Flipping out your grid of cards feels a bit like pulling the lever on a jackpot, and hitting that perfect combo is a thrill! Visit the Thunderworks Games website to pre-order a copy of FlipToons ! Click here to see all our tabletop game reviews. To subscribe to GeekDad's tabletop gaming coverage, please copy this link and add it to your RSS reader. Disclosure: GeekDad received a copy of this game for review purposes. Liked it? Take a second to support GeekDad and GeekMom on Patreon!
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Decked Out WNY helps give a veteran his independence back
NORTH TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WIVB) — Decked Out WNY is helping honor our nation's heroes by donating a deck to a veteran every year. 'It should be done more, and I'm doing my small part, but it would be nice if more people did it,' said Pat Williams, owner of Decked Out WNY. Williams said his family has a long history of military service and he's been motivated to give back. Along with sponsors LENCO Supplies and Fiberon Decking — who help cover the costs of the materials — every year Decked Out WNY receives hundreds of nominations in October and announces the winner on Veterans Day. Then, in the spring or summer, they build the deck. 'I wish people would do this every day, and it's not done enough, they have done so much for us,' said Kevin Conklin of LENCO. This year, out of hundreds of entries, the hero who was randomly selected is David Brenon of North Tonawanda. Brenon's family believes this comes at a perfect time. 'He'll be able to get in and out on his own. This is his freedom. He hasn't had much of that,' said Lori Brenon, David's wife. 'We were the ones that always gave, and now we're getting that back. It's just incredible.' Lori Brenon said that David was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer last year, and he has a rare syndrome called paraneoplastic syndrome. It's a syndrome where his cells attack his body and nerves. 'It just hit slowly, and all of a sudden, bam, I was having a hard time walking and all of a sudden I can't walk,' said David Brenon. David Brenon is now in a wheelchair, and there is no cure for the syndrome. Doctors say there is a treatment, but they don't know how long he will be in a wheelchair. 'Your nerves only heal 1/32 of an inch a day, and this stuff ate me alive for three months or longer. Even before I went into the hospital, it was affecting me,' said Brenon. David was in the hospital when he found out his niece entered him into this drawing — and that he won. 'Uncle Dave has been the rock. He's been our person, not just for me but for all of my cousins (too),' said Heather Korte, David's niece who entered him into the contest. 'It was quite a surprise,' said Brenon. 'This is an awesome experience. They're wonderful people. The humbleness is there for it. In this crazy world we're in right now, a lot of people don't think about this stuff, but they should.' Decked Out WNY is building the Brenons a ramp to their front door so David can get in and out of his home safely, and help get his independence back. 'This is going to give David the opportunity to get out on his own. If he wants to get outside, he's going to be able to do it on his own,' said Lori Brenon. 'We won't quit. We are not quitters and we're going to keep plugging along, and this is such a huge part of this.' To find out more information about Decked Out WNY, visit its website here. Hope Winter is a reporter and multimedia journalist who has been part of the News 4 team since 2021. See more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Digital Trends
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
The Nintendo Switch taught me to love an entire genre of games
Sometimes it isn't what you play, but where you play it that makes all the difference. Ever since the Nintendo Switch came out, more and more games have been described as 'perfect on Switch' for feeling more at home on a handheld device. I appreciated this sentiment, but didn't think it went beyond the comfort and convenience factor of the device. I certainly never thought my Switch would completely flip my opinion on not just a game, but an entire genre. That's exactly what happened with the deckbuilding genre, and now I am ready to see if the Nintendo Switch 2 can pull off the same trick. Recommended Videos Pick a card My love for roguelikes started with The Binding of Isaac. Specifically, the Rebirth version on PS4 that was added to PlayStation Plus. I was hooked on the game, slowly unlocking more characters and items, and marveling at just how many possibilities it could account for. If my PlayStation game clock is to be believed, I have over 300 hours in the game. Once the vice grip the game had on me began to wane, however, I knew I needed something else to fill that void. I played most of the big roguelikes after that, such as FTL, Into the Breach, and Nuclear Throne and enjoyed them all, but nothing could quite replicate the hold Isaac had on me for so long. When I heard about the new Slay the Spire and how it was receiving universal acclaim and soaring to the tops of many best roguelike lists, I knew I had to give it a shot. The art wasn't all that special, but neither was Isaac's, but it was held up as nailing that 'one more run' quality I had been itching for. On paper, it sounded like my ideal game. And I hated it. This was weeks after launch when it was still only available on PC, which wasn't my ideal platform. At the time, my rig was not meant for gaming and I was still intimidated by the apparent cost and complexity of PC gaming as a whole. With no other choice, and Slay the Spire being such a low-demanding game that even my weak setup could run it, I gave it an honest try. I could most easily boil down my distaste for Slay the Spire as feeling unfair. With so many hours in the genre, I knew better than to think I would waltz into this game and be a master. But all of my initial runs ended in just a few encounters. Because it is a deckbuilder, I blamed my losses on the randomness of my draw without ever getting to fully engage with the actual building elements much at all. In all fairness, Slay the Spire is a very difficult game. Being hard alone wouldn't turn me off, but starting and ending my runs in just a few minutes without seeing any progress convinced me that the deckbuilding angle just wasn't for me. It just felt too complicated and difficult, as well as at odds with the random elements of the genre. That's why I didn't pay much mind to the Switch port a little later until conversations sparked up once again about the game's quality and how it was 'perfect on Switch.' This was a rare moment where I am glad to have succumbed to FOMO. I am normally content with realizing a game with high praise just isn't for me, but I couldn't shake the feeling that it was for me and that I was missing something. My first Switch run came one lazy weekend morning. Getting nice and comfy on my couch, I immediately noticed a change in my approach. On PC, I had been able to click and flick the cards I wanted to play as soon as I saw them, but on Switch I was forced to slow down. Navigation with a controller isn't clunky, but certainly more deliberate. That somehow gave me permission to think things through a bit more and start to realize I wasn't playing the game on its terms before. I was treating 'basic' enemies like I would normal fodder in another roguelike, but every encounter in Slay the Spire demands respect. This little breakthrough finally got me to the point where I could start tinkering with the actual deckbuilding of it all. What I had initially thought of as inconsequential or unimpressive cards before suddenly started to make more sense when I slowed down and looked at my deck as a whole. But the biggest boon was when I would realize some potential synergy or interaction I might be able to exploit on a boss or elite and could test it out as soon as that inspiration struck. To this day, PC games always feel 'locked' to my office chair — physically and mentally — while the accessibility of the Switch freed me up to take Slay the Spire with me, again, mentally and physically. This broke open a wall into an entire genre of deckbuilders I adore that I know I would have passed over had the Switch not overturned my initial impressions of Slay the Spire. Now, I'm eagerly awaiting Slay the Spire II to arrive and am currently rushing through this very article to get back to the newly released Monster Train 2. With the Switch 2 on the horizon, I am ready to let my preconceived notions or poor first impressions with a genre be overturned yet again. I am anticipating that will be the case for many with strategy and 4X games, thanks to the mouse functionality, but I would love for it to be something unexpected. Even if it doesn't happen, the Switch did show me just how big of an impact the platform I play on can have on my perspective.
CNET
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNET
PlayStation Plus Subscribers Can Play One of 2024's Best Games Now
Balatro was selected as CNET's Best Game of 2024, and if you haven't played the poker-themed deck-building game, now is your chance. All PlayStation Plus subscribers can play the popular game and others from now till June 2. PlayStation Plus is Sony's version of Xbox Game Pass, and it offers subscribers a large, constantly expanding library of games. The three plans starting at $10 a month, but each tier gives subscribers access to monthly games and rewards. Here are all the games PlayStation Plus subscribers can access now through June 2. You can also check out the latest games Sony added to the PlayStation Plus Library in March, including Hogwarts Legacy. Balatro This addictive roguelike deck-building game, which shot to cult status and was played for a total of 1,742 years on Steam in its first few weeks, is coming to PlayStation Plus. In this poker-inspired card game, you play standard poker hands, earn chips to beat blinds and play Joker, Tarot and other types of cards to give you the upper hand. Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun Scour your enemies from the stars as you step into the armor of a Space Marine in this Doom-style frenetic retro shooter. Search an alien planet for a source of immense power that could help the Imperium of Man destroy those who stand in its way. Don't fail your brothers, and make the God Emperor proud. Ark: Survival Ascended In this action-adventure survival game, your character wakes up on an island filled with dinosaurs, but this is not Jurassic Park. Instead, there are tribes of humans who tame, breed and use the prehistoric creatures like farm animals. This version of the game also includes all of Ark's worlds, including Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction and more. You can play this game with up to 70 others in public online multiplayer. If you ever wanted to ride a T-rex into battle, now's your chance. For more on PlayStation Plus, read everything you need to know about the service. You can also check out the latest upcoming games on Xbox Game Pass and Apple Arcade.
