New Game Round-up: Wonderland Comes to Games (Again), Noises from Space & More Hobbits, More Games

The board game Wonderland features two separate realms: Earth and Wonderland. The realms are artfully depicted on the double-sided board and switching between them adds a unique twist and an added level of complexity to the game that few other board games offer. Players compete against each other, each player trying to complete specific goals while the other players try to foil their attempts at progressing.

It is the 1920s, a time of much industrial building and growth. In Titans of Industry, you must invest in building factories and businesses in order to produce goods and sell them to gain victory points (VPs). Game play involves a delicate balance of money, production, and goals. The person who can best manage his buildings and meet his goals in seven years will win.

Each player starts the game with four workers and $6,000. Every turn, players first buy buildings, then place workers on those buildings or on the board. Factories allow you to produce goods, while Businesses allow you to sell those goods for money or VPs. A good player needs to balance production and sales, and encourage other players to sell with them to maximize sales. Board elements allow players to take advantage of bonuses, such as extra production, building improvements, and Corporate Strategy cards. Corporate Strategy cards help give players additional goals and direction, by specifying additional ways to gain victory points.

Three times during the game – years 1923, 1925, and 1927 – upkeep will be due, and players must pay to maintain their buildings, or will need to take out loans. Players will need to sell enough goods before then to have enough money to cover the costs, as loans are worth negative victory points at the end of the game. After year 1927, whoever has the most victory points from combined sales, buildings, and Corporate Strategy cards wins the game.