Alrightgames: Zombie Fluxx promos

Zombie Fluxx promos

I have a surprisingly good time playing Zombie Fluxx, if it can really be described as playing when you're at the mercy of the draw and frequently have your choices reduced from limited to none. They've milked it with a bunch of promo cards over the years, some of which (Larry and the Zombie Boss) were incorporated into my version anyway, others of which can be tried out by substituting other cards from surplus Fluxx sets and pretending they've got those words and pictures on. If I wasn't such a cheapskate, I'd barely have any games.

Flame-Thrower ***

I hesitated for a long time over paying £1 for a bit of card, but it's so deliciously overpowered that it seemed like a worthwhile investment to make the game a bit more entertaining and a little less annoying. I also liked the prospect of making other Fluxxes more amusing when immolating abstract concepts. Take that, War! It's a keeper. And also a Keeper.

Start the Clock *

Released to symbolise the countdown to the zombie edition, but it really seems like an impractical response to the criticism that Fluxx games can drag on. I don't need to try this out to realise how awkward and pathetic it is. When my daughter gets bored and wants to stop playing, she just says so, without needing official permission. We're not robots.

Zombies Eat Brains *

Both games have Brains in them, but this is specifically a zombie-themed addition to vanilla Fluxx released in misleading Zombie Fluxx packaging to promote the new game. You know, like promos are supposed to work. If this goal permutation didn't exist before, it seems pointless to add it in now. Where's the zombie?

Foam Brain **

An equivalent of the Radioactive Potato or the tribble thing from Star Fluxx for your zombie game, except now it's an occasionally useful keeper, so you can't kill it. I've been using the Brain from regular Fluxx to stand in, but it isn't doing much. Maybe use your brains to come up with an idea that's not just brains?

I Was Bitten by a Zombie! ***

Designed for Mystery Fluxx, I think, but it's on theme and the new card type is welcome, adding similar tension to the Zombie Victory Ungoal but even usurping it to become the new scariest card in the game. This might have been worth £1 if I'd seen it, but a substituted Death card from plain Fluxx gives the message clear enough.

Zombie Portal **

This was available when I bought the Flame-Thrower, but another random card draw effect wasn't interesting enough when there are already too many of those to keep track of by design.

Alrightgames: Zombie Fluxx

Zombie Fluxx

2007 (2008 Zombie Boss Boxx version) / Card game / 2-4 players

***

Having already parted with the uninteresting Star Fluxx, I wasn't planning on adding more themed variations to the collection, but this vintage set looked like a distinct enough experience from the standard game to be fun and have character, while also coming in a nice wooden box, for some reason.

As hoped, the constant threat of the zombie horde and addition of the Ungoal game-over condition make it more of an actual game and the generic tropes keep it on the approachable level of a lighthearted zombie apocalypse simulation rather than an overly-referential parody for nerds. Throwing in the Flamethrower promo and soundtracking it with the Misfits bumps it up to ****.

Alrightgames: Boss Monster 2 – The Next Level

Boss Monster 2: The Next Level

2015 / Card game / 2-4 players

****

Its predecessor isn't the most impressive game I've played this year, but it keeps drawing me back with its simple mechanics and simpler art, so the inevitable sequel was an inevitable purchase. It makes the heroes harder and room effects fiddlier, but mainly, like any good sequel, it's more of the things you like. I was a bit disappointed that they leaned way more into direct references this time though ("LMFAO, that is from Pokémon, with which I am familiar!!!"), which makes it feel more like a basic parody than a real lost game, but those are watered down when you inevitably mix it all together.

Alrightgames: Takenoko solo variants

Takenoko solo variants

I did buy it as a family game, honestly, but thanks to some variably official bastardisations, it doesn't have to sit on the shelf after the child's gone to bed (and all the rest of the time she isn't that interested in playing it).

Cooperative Mode ***

A belated official variant that makes the cute family game friendlier, though working together on tasks is less fun than ganging up on Dad. It doubles up as a solo mode that's good for practice, but trying to beat your high score (78) isn't especially thrilling.

Takenoko Automa (Solo Mode) ***

A cleverly-designed system of flowcharts that reasonably imitates a second player (though one who's obsessed with gutters), but is too much hassle to go through every game. Playing against myself still wins.

Babyliography CCXLIII

Dr. Seuss, Dr. Seuss' Sleep Book

1962 / Library book / 56 pages

***

One of his duller ones, which presumably helps.

Emilie Dufresne and Danielle Rippengill, Why Do I Sleep?

2019 / Library book / 24 pages

***

Authoritative answers to her questions and encouragement to go to bed.

Emily Bone and Terry Pastor, Usborne Beginners: The Solar System

2010 / Library book / 32 pages

***

She eagerly informed me of familiar facts the morning after her bedtime learning.

Rob Alcraft, Collins Big Cat Phonics for Letters and Sounds: How Not to Be Eaten

2017 / School book / 24 pages

***

Variably impractical survival tips about regurgitating your innards and things.

Dr. Seuss, Horton Hears a Who!

1954 / Library book / pages

***

An earlier and much more conventional fable with a hero, villains and a moral. We probably won't read it again.

Babyliography CCXLII

Dr. Seuss, I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew

1965 / Library book / 64 pages

****

A silly Odyssey designed to trip up early readers with a good message all the same.

Raina Telgemeier, Ghosts

2016 / Paperback / 256 pages

***

Raina goes supernatural. I was concerned that the focus on death might make this a bit troubling for a six year old, but she's been into other morbid things like Monster High and the Bible for a while, so she rolled with it.

Mika Song, Donut Feed the Squirrels

2023 / Library book / 112 pages

**

Sparse and predictable fluffy comic caper.

Catherine Baker and Charlie Alder, Collins Big Cat Phonics for Letters and Sounds: Disaster Duck

2021 / School book / 24 pages

**

The kind of reading book that would have tricked me into thinking I'd lucked out with cartoon art.

Unknown, Weird But True! 2024

2023 / Hardback / 256 pages

***

Even as free charity shop surplus, I wasn't sure it was worth the shelf space, but at least we now have a book depicting elephant defecation.

Babyliography CCXLI

David Alderton, My Little Book of Cats and Kittens

2017 / Library book / 64 pages

**

A confusingly-titled large-format book of cat breeds, if you're into eugenics.

Dr. Seuss, The Sneetches and Other Stories

1961 / Library book / 65 pages

****

Some nice, silly, inconsistently meaningful stories that she was motivated to read again by herself afterwards. She's six, I can probably stop pointing that out now.

Unknown, Incredible YouTube Records and Fantastic Feats

2025 / Library book / 96 pages

**

It's quite a feat to make a book like this so uninteresting, but we didn't find anything worth following up.

Dr. Seuss, Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now!

1972 / Library book / 64 pages

***

I think I've been Marvin K. at times.

Dana Simpson, Unicorn Time Machine: Another Phoebe and Her Unicorn Adventure

Collected 2024 / Paperback / 176 pages

***

Some good gags and typically mundane time travel. We've almost caught up to the present with these collections and will run out of new ones soon, but we can loop around again while waiting.

Apology

A few months ago, I reacted badly to inconsistent design choices on the spines of a children's book series. I now recognise that I overreacted and it wasn't such a big deal after all, so I would like to apologise for my outburst and unacceptable language.

Now it looks like this:

Alrightreads: Sunny Day, Sweeping the Bodies Away

R. L. Stine, Fear Street: The New Girl

1989 / Audiobook / 168 pages

***

Having a growing child is the perfect excuse to be theoretically testing out these juvenile junk treats on her behalf, but it's more about escaping back to the 20th century when all you had to worry about was homework and ghosts.

R. L. Stine, Fear Street: The Surprise Party

1989 / Ebook / 168 pages

***

A nicely convoluted High School Gothic detective story with shades of Twin Peaks and Dark Shadows before a Second Amendment finale. I could get into this series.

R. L. Stine, Fear Street: The Overnight

1989 / Audiobook / 160 pages

**

We take a premature break from Fear Street and its disproportionately murderous and paranormal residents for an overnight trip to... what's the name of the place we're sending the kids to? "Fear Island?" Sounds totally fine and non-foreboding.

R. L. Stine, Fear Street: Missing

1990 / Ebook / 168 pages

***

The occult rears its bejewelled monkey head, and it's pretty goofy. Referencing characters from other books in the background helps with the world-building, as long as he remembers which ones he's killed.

R. L. Stine, Fear Street: The Wrong Number

1990 / Audiobook / 165 pages

**

Like much shlock horror, this peaks at the cover, which tells you everything you need to know. The following 165 pages are superfluous, but at least we learn the mundane origin of the street's name.

Alrightgames: Takenoko – Chibis

Takenoko: Chibis

2015 / Board game expansion / 2-4 players

***

The irresistible family theme would have made this an essential add-on to the tug-of-bamboo if I hadn't adopted a pre-loved bundle in the first place. It's slightly disappointing that the baby pandas are only represented by dull tokens rather than more figurines, and that the mum doesn't do anything except pump out babies, but kicking bamboo production into overdrive almost makes up for it.

Per the expansion credo, this overcomplicates the game a bit more than necessary in some areas, especially for a young player, but we don't have to include everything.