New Game Round-up: Magnetic Partnerships, A Trio of Expansions, and New Editions of Fairly New Games

New Game Round-up: Magnetic Partnerships, A Trio of Expansions, and New Editions of Fairly New Games
Board Game: Mag-O-Mag
• Thames & Kosmos, the North American branch of German publisher KOSMOS, has passed along its schedule of 2017 game releases, and as with many U.S. publishers, their list is longer than it was the previous year. Only one title is new to the worldwide market as far as I can tell, and that game is Mag-O-Mag from Klaus and Benjamin Teuber. Here's an overview of the game, which is primarily for 3-4 players and due out August 2017:

Quote:
Mag-O-Mag features an innovative vertical holder with interchangeable game boards and magnetic game pieces that allows you to play three fun, action-packed games. The games are played in teams, playing one at a time. One teammate must move the guide magnet on the backside of the game board, while the other teammate sees the game magnet move on the front of the board. This teammate must communicate with the one controlling the magnet and tell them how to move the magnet to complete the game challenge without the magnet falling off or going to the wrong spot.

In the racing game, the object is speed: Which team can complete the course fastest — while making sure you don’t crash!

In the golf game, the object is precision: How many strokes does the team need to take to reach the hole? Traps await everywhere!

In the treasure hunt game, players must collect as many gems as possible in a given time. Who can amass the most valuable treasure?

Mag-O-Mag includes cooperative game variations and special rules for two-player games.
Board Game: Exit: The Game – The Abandoned Cabin
Board Game: Word Slam
Board Game: Monster Trap
• Aside from this title, Thames & Kosmos plans to release the first three EXIT: The Game titles from Inka and Markus Brand — The Abandoned Cabin, The Pharaoh's Tomb, and The Secret Lab — in English in May 2017. June 2017 will see English versions of Word Slam and Monster Trap (both from the Brands), Michael Rieneck's Brutal Kingdom (Mit Liste und Tücke in German), and Florian Nadler's Harry Hopper. These will be followed in July 2017 by Kirsten Hiese's Kerala, the kids' games Jungle Party from Stefan Dorra and Manfred Reindl and Lagoonies from Jens-Peter Schliemann and Bernhard Weber, and a new edition of Reiner Knizia's Ingenious that features a new graphic design and a new plastic game board.

Rio Grande Games plans to release a second edition of the Dominion Big Box in January 2017 — conveniently titled Dominion Big Box II — with this item containing the second edition versions of both Dominion and Dominion: Intrigue, along with enough base cards to allow for up to six players in a game at the same time.

• A second edition of Vital Lacerda's CO₂ will be released in 2017 from original publisher Giochix.it, with this edition featuring "completely new iconography, an entirely new rulebook with lots of 3D pictures for easy comprehension of the rules, more balanced gameplay, a new events deck, improved and streamlined mechanisms, upgraded wood components for the power plants instead of the cardboard tokens" as well as a shorter playing time, a cooperative mode of play, and solitaire play based on goals. As for a U.S. release, Stephen Buonocore of Stronghold Games has said that he "hopes to bring this great game back into print", which makes it sound uncertain, but I think Stephen is simply trying to maintain an air of mystery.


Board Game: CO₂: Second Chance
Non-final artwork


Board Game: Destination Fun Combo Pack
• In Q1 2017, Alderac Entertainment Group plans to release Destination Fun Combo Pack, which contains expansions for the three titles in its Destination Fun series: Trains, Planes, and Automobiles. Here's a summary of what those expansions are:

Quote:
Trains: Coastal Tides features all-new cards and strategies for you to build the best rail system in Japan. This expansion not only features new cards, but also three entirely new boards. Two of the boards are designed specifically for two-player games, while the Okayama map is a new challenge for 2 to 4 players. Route bonus cards are also included, allowing you to score additional points for being the first to connect specific stations.

Planes: Round Trip features two new boards, providing more airports to explore. An entire deck of new playing cards allows players to experience the game with new actions and goals. New planes tokens gives players more options to customize airport boards with endless variety.

Automobiles: Racing Season includes three new race tracks, including two that are tighter for two-player games. New garage, pit, handling, performance, and engine cards offer more options for customizing your race car. Season campaign rules allows players to race a series of tracks to determine an overall winner, complete with unique driver skills and wealthy sponsors.
Board Game: Automobiles: Racing Season
Automobiles: Racing Season, as shown at BGG.CON 2016

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