I have long followed the work of my fellow world-traveling compatriots (Krisztina Felmery, Tamas Leidal). Chili Mafia is a much-played, beloved card game of ours, and I even had the opportunity to get a sneak peek at the development of Reviving Kathmandu during a test session. The plan was for that to be the next product I acquired, but I ultimately couldn't resist the LUDOS Asia abstract game collection, especially after seeing that there was a Print and Play version available. The Kickstarter campaign was an incredible success (3624 backers), and I finally printed out the boards and played several rounds of the games.
Review
Print and play
The print and play pack I received after purchase perfectly meets expectations. It includes everything needed, along with instructions, making it very user-friendly. I only printed out the rules and the boards, which I also laminated. As I work in game pedagogy, I have plenty of tools at home, so the pieces and throwing sticks were easily assembled, but it's not out of the question that I might also beautifully craft these components for the set one day.
Games
If you purchase LUDOS Asia, you can explore four games. Bagh Chal is a true asymmetric battle where one side aims to strike and the other to trap, offering enjoyment on both sides. Hasami Shogi is an interesting variation of Shogi ("Japanese chess"), simpler and easy to learn, yet a clever game where you can quickly approach victory, but the final move is much harder to execute. Jarmo is distinguished by its board and the surprising network of connections between its squares, while the game itself is very simple, as you move, occasionally strike, and simply try to reach the other side. However, the unusual layout of the squares often finds you inexplicably out of position as a novice. Yut most resembles the game Pachisi with its throwing sticks adding a special ambiance, while the board layout and linking of pieces make the game deeper and more exciting, although luck still plays a very strong role.
2 players
Although Yut can be played with multiple players, I consider this entire package to be an abstract two-player game collection. I really enjoy this format, whether I'm playing with my 7-year-old daughter, my wife, my friends or my students. The intimacy of two-player games can be incredibly special, and I'm happy when I can create a gaming environment, whether at home or at school, where winning is completely secondary.
Illustrations
I really like the boards; they are uniform, beautiful, and the whole thing has a great atmosphere. I was a bit uncertain whether I should go for the boxed edition, but right now I'm quite attracted to the world of print and play, so I'm sticking with it for now. In any case, the names Ivett Perlaky, Tímea Kőszegi, and Lívia Varga should be mentioned here because they did an excellent job.
Overall Impression
I would like to reiterate: this is an important release, as it makes old classics visible and does so successfully, reaching many people. The quality is excellent, the rules are good and filled with welcome additional information. My personal favorite is Bagh Chal; I really want to unravel the mystery of the goats. I've long enjoyed Shogi, and that will certainly be brought out often as well. Actually, I've put together a nice travel pack with the 4 boards, 40 pieces, and four throwing sticks, so I'll be making a lot of people happy with this in the coming period.
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