Alrightgames: Pocket Mars

Pocket Mars

2017 / Worker placement card game / 1-4 players

***

I'd been intrigued by this budget colonisation simulator for a while, but lukewarm reviews put my space program on hold until I saw an irresistible price and could get my ass to Mars. Ultimately, it is just about moving coloured cubes between cards, but I think it's a neat little game. The solo mode feels justified as the feature attraction rather than an afterthought, and you can increase the difficulty when you quickly work it out.

Alrightgames: Boss Monster

Boss Monster

2013 / Card game / 2-4 players

****

I don't need card games to look like they're video games to get me to play them, and was sceptical that this wouldn't have much more than nostalgia bait going for it when trying out a cheap eBay listing. But it hits that sweet spot of lightweight games that involve a bit of tactical thinking, but are so dependent on the luck of the draw that things are mostly out of my hands (see also: Star Realms), so I can just relax and enjoy it. More than I'd enjoy playing a lightweight video game nowadays, plus I'll still be able to play this after the great EMP destroys all computers to save us from the AI revolution, so it's got that going for it.

Alrightgames: 7 Wonders Duel – Solo

7 Wonders Duel: Solo

2020 / Card drafting game variant / 1 player

***

For want of similarly aged and boring opponents, I'm happy enough fighting a Me1 vs Me2 Duel and trying our best to wreck each other's civilisations, but I gave the lockdown solo rules a try.

The automated leaders' privilege means they get to take most of the red and green cards for free, making military and science victories a lot more likely (even inevitable) than when I'm scuppering my own plans. That means less points admin, at least, which might swing it once I start complicating things with expansions, but for now I'll stick to playing with myself.

Junior Gamesmaster: Tails of Equestria – Finding a Kid

My Little Pony: Tails of Equestria – Finding a Kid

DIY roleplaying game adventure

We hadn't played "story game" in a while, but after giving an impromptu presentation about the game system to her Nana, she naturally wanted to have a go with our latest, untested characters. I had another generic dungeon occult library ready to go, but she preferred to tell her own story and set her own challenges, which turned out somewhat reminiscent of a scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Being preoccupied as Game Master and going easy on herself meant she neglected her character's development, but I squeezed some educational alchemical accidents in to help my guy along, I can't afford to be complacent with her in charge.

Babyliography CCXXXVIII

Dana Simpson, Unicorn Crush: Another Phoebe and Her Unicorn Adventure

Collected 2024 / Paperback / 176 pages

***

Gentle introduction to bestiality.

Richard Jones, An Anthology of Butterflies and Moths: A Collection of Butterflies and Moths from Around the World

2025 / Library book / 128 pages

***

Mainly used as a freaky flip book, no offence to the lepidopterans.

Unknown, Colour Illusions: Visual Tricks, Fantastic Facts, and Impossible Puzzles

2014 / Hardback / 32 pages

***

A shame the 3D glasses and other bits of plastic we're supposed to look through were long gone, but I complained and got a refund, so the rest of the permanent vision damage was free.

Zanna Davidson and Nuno Alexandre Vieira, Fairy Unicorns: Kingdom Under the Sea

2022 / Hardback / 112 pages

***

This inexplicably rare volume finally dropped to a regular price before she grew out of fairy unicorns (as if!). Kicking off the sequel trilogy, it's a refreshing change from the old formula, replacing it with a new formula.

Zoë Clarke and Edu Coll, Collins Big Cat Phonics for Letters and Sounds: The Stone Shadows

2021 / School book / 24 pages

**

More of a boy one, she helpfully explained to me what "peril" and "urgent" meant.

Babyliography CCXXXVII

Ben Clanton, A Waffle Lot of Love: A Narwhal and Jelly Book

2026 / Library book / 96 pages

***

The duo return to aromantically tick off Valentine's Day.

Harriet Muncaster, Isadora Moon and the Pop Stars

2025 / Library book / 150 pages

***

Practically tailor made for her interests, but she still didn't care for more than a few chapters. Needs more unicorn.

Clare Helen Walsh, Collins Big Cat Phonics for Letters and Sounds: Amazing Webs

2022 / School book / 24 pages

***

I'm convinced they're trying to desensitise kids to yucky bugs, and it seems to be working. Plenty for parents to learn too.

Gale Galligan and Ann M. Martin, The Baby-Sitters Club: Logan Likes Mary Anne!

2020 / Library book / 176 pages

**

Drawn back to the series for her first chaste teen romance story, she couldn't put it down. Update: She then read it again from cover to cover by herself over several days.

Jamie Smart, Max & Chaffy: What a Delicious Discovery!

2025 / Library book / 128 pages

***

The perpetually grumpy Foghorn steals the show again with just one word of dialogue.

Babyliography CCXXXVI

Unknown, Minecraft Epic Bases: Builds to Spark Your Imagination

2020 / Library book / 96 pages

**

Unachievable standards to shoot for. I like her more modest houses.

Chris Bradford and Korky Paul, Collins Big Cat Phonics for Letters and Sounds: Jake and Jen and the Balloon of Doom

2021 / School book / 24 pages

**

I genuinely didn't see the twist ending coming.

Nel Yomtov, Anything but Ordinary: Strange Beasts

2020 / Library book / 48 pages

***

Cool weird stuff.

Rob Alcraft, Collins Big Cat Phonics for Letters and Sounds: This Is Our Planet

2020 / School book / 24 pages

***

One of the more worthwhile entries, even if they're fixated on kite birds at the moment.

Jake Banfield, Magic Tricks with Coins, Cards and Everyday Objects

2016 / Library book / 120 pages

**

Not much new for a six-year-old veteran.

Alrightgames: HeroQuest

HeroQuest

1989 / Dungeon crawling board game / 2-5 players

****

Resold

Better late than never, and a crazily underpriced eBay listing meant I could finally experience the junior roll-n-hack proto-RPG, before deciding it wasn't really for us and selling it on to the next adventurer. I can't tell if it would have been a childhood favourite in an alternate timeline, but it didn't have a great deal to offer a 40 year old, nor a 6 year old pony RPG veteran, who got bored by the repetitive quests and preferred to use it as a weird doll house.

Alrightgames: 15 Days expansions

The Matchbox Collection: 15 Days expansions

These matchboxes are roomy enough for more cards and tokens, so fortunately Kickstarter backers helped to sort that out (before deciding they weren't interested after all and selling their unopened sets at a loss on eBay).

Feathers & Lag Season ***

Extended season sets win the game, so here are more extensions to fight over.

Mid-season **

Upgrades the wooden animal actions to be more powerful. Possibly overpowered when playing against humans, this feels more like a fix for the difficult solo mode that means I can actually win now, unless I'm cheating.

Alrightgames: 15 Days

The Matchbox Collection: 15 Days

2020 / Card game / 1-4 players

***

I was sceptical about the quality matching the quantity when bidding on this set of five purpose-built microgames for the usual price of one (plus "expansions," that I'll get to), but if some Italians could be bothered to design, produce and market these, the least I can do is play them.

This first outing is a pleasantly dull set collection card game (Spoiler: They're all card games). Its wooden animal totems and pastel nature clipart are a welcome break from my usual dark and exciting themes, though the bastard solo automaton keeps it from being too relaxing.