(Author's note: We apologize for the issue, however most of the pictures taken at this event by CJ were lost due to a technical issue)

In the summer heat of Ohio every year, the Greater Columbus area is home to many an event; fireworks, parades, celebrations, and conventions.  CJ got to cover the Origins Game Fair this year, and came back with him some great experiences.  2016 was a great year for them. Here are some of the stats:

· Unique attendance 15,480

· Turnstile attendance was 52,561

While there, CJ got to play a number of games, here are a few of them along with a brief review of his time with them:

• Tesla Vs. Edison: War of Currents
  • Official Description: 

    Tesla vs. Edison: War of Currents is a fast-playing, route building, economic and worker placement game focused on invention and industry in the roaring 1880's. It is easy-to-learn and appropriate for all gamers aged 14 and up.

    Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, and three other important inventors of the time struggle to determine who will be most remembered as the man who brought light to the masses. Contributing innovations in power generation, delivery, and illumination, you also choose to invest in Direct Current (DC) technology or the superior but later developing AC technology.

    Players control a small group of legendary figures from the War of Currents, each rated in Invention, Engineering, Finance and Public Relations. Each turn these legends are allocated to help research, commercialize or patent technology; influence the public's perception about the inventors and AC or DC technology; bid on and hopefully secure either residential, exhibition or power generation projects in cities around the 1880's United States. Money is tight and players may need to sell shares of their company in order to do everything they need to succeed. But be careful: other companies can buy stock you release, and the winner is the player whose company's stock is worth the most at the end of the game!

  • Review: This game is a blast! It makes you think several steps ahead of your opponent and try to call their bluff on where they are going, and try to get there before them.  We were playing with one of the volunteers at the booth, and his knowledge of the game was insane. This game took almost two hours with four of us, and admittedly may have been because of the tutorial portion, but even after we all got our acts together, the game still took a long time.  That's literally the only bad thing I have to say about it.  The game makes you think, which is my kind of game.  What stood out to me was, at the end, how many different ways there are to win. I went money, but you can win by geographical superiority, patents, or sheer domination. I didn't win, but almost bought this game, and will buy it in the near future.   

    Board Game Geek page

    Buy it on our Amazon affiliate page

Tanto Cuore

• BGG Description: 

  Tanto Cuore is a Japanese deck-building card game which has a mechanism similar to Dominion.

  Each player plays as the Lord of a mansion and hires maids to fill out their house to become the King of Maids! The end goal is simple enough, the player who has the most Victory Points at the end of the game wins! Players acquire Victory Points by employing a variety of maids and "Love" cards that allow for different strategies. You can even employ Private Maids that stick around to use their special powers each per turn! Some give you a bonus, or affect your opponents in a negative way. But beware, your opponents can make your maids sick or give them bad habits, affecting your maids in negative ways and decreasing your Victory Points!

  The game art is in the Japanese anime style and uses the theme of maids commonly seen in anime! All of the cards, dividers and manual fit into an easy to transport box so you can easily take the game with you wherever you want.

• Review: Japanese waifus and a deck building game in one? SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY! The concept was so good I sought out this game straight away and played this game four times, and even started teaching other people how to play.  Deck building is is my favorite kind of game, and this did not disappoint. It's only a matter of time before I own this and every one of the expansions. 

• Board Game Geek page

• Buy it on our Amazon affiliate page

Super Dungeon Tactics (PC)

• Official description: 
  Super Dungeon® Tactics is a turn-based strategy game in which players create a guild of Heroes to combat the Dark Consul’s forces throughout Crystalia. As the guild master you choose to take on bounties, answer the pleas of the public, or answer a noble call to adventure. Whether for altruistic reasons, just getting your cut, or a little of both, complete quests, gather loot, attract Heroes, and reveal the world of Crystalia by your own means.

• Review:  This was a lot of fun! Super Dungeon Explorer is a great thoroughly enjoyable board game and Tactics successfully captures not only the aesthetic, but also the humor of it. It feels a lot like Final Fantasy Tactics, with an odd cross of Munchkin, in a good way.  I cannot wait for this game to come out, I already have it pre-ordered.

• Official Page
• Steam Page
• Interview with the developers

In addition to those and more games, CJ also participated int he Weiss Schwarz regional tournament, in which he failed miserably.

Also, he scored an interview with the CEO of The Broken Token storage store.

And last but not least, CJ got a surprise interview with Wayne Grayson, voice of Joey Wheeler of the Yu-Gi-Oh animated series.

This was a great experience all around, and he cannot wait to go back next year.