Hand Management

American baseball was on its last legs as a spectator sport. Football had become the predominant national pastime — that is until the year 2032, the year baseball decided to revolutionize the game and regain the throne!

Starting in 2032, baseball games were shortened to six innings. Pitchers were encouraged to have bionic arm implants to improve their pitching. These cyborgs, or 'Borgs as they're affectionately known, were immediately popular and soon ruled the league. In 2041, robotic players were introduced to get more offense back into the game. These robots were similar to designated hitters in that they were used only to bat and did not field. However, recent reports indicate fielding 'Bots are on the way.

Now in 2045, human players are still in the game and known as Naturals. They are the best fielders by far but are sorely challenged when it comes to hitting and pitching. Some Naturals have learned to hit by swinging before the pitcher starts his windup, which gives them a chance to hit the ball. Although it's hard for a Natural to get into the league, those who do are popular. Many Naturals have named themselves after the great players of pre-2032 baseball by taking a first and last name borrowed from different star players of the past. The fans love them, and their presence on the team ensures good revenue!

The stage is now set! The fans are energized and root fanatically for their new favorites, be they 'Bots, 'Borgs or Naturals!

Baseball Highlights: 2045 is like watching TV highlights of early 21st-century baseball games, with the gameplay being full of theme with no outs or innings and without bogging down in a play-by-play baseball simulation. In this quick and interactive game, two players build their teams as they play, combining both strategy (building your team) and tactics (playing the game) without any of the downtime. During each "mini-game", each player alternates playing six cards to simulate a full game's highlights. The mini-game includes defensive and offensive actions, and your single card play may include elements of defensive and/or offensive plays. Do you try to thwart your opponent's pending hits, put up strong offensive action of your own, or use your better players to do both? Players buy new free agents after each mini-game to improve their roster, and the team who wins the most mini-games in the series is the champ!

The contents of Baseball Highlights: 2045 box is:

1 rulebook

4 stadium mats
4 reference sheets

120 cards:

60 starter cards
60 free agent cards

60 wooden pawns:

20 red
20 white
20 blue

12 cardboard markers:

4 triangular markers (visitor/home)
8 circular markers

Pandemic: Hot Zone – Europe features the same nail-biting co-operative experience of Pandemic in which players win or lose together, but in a smaller form that you can take anywhere and play in a shorter amount of time. As members of an elite team, you use your character's unique abilities to treat cases, stop outbreaks, and research the cures. Discover all three cures in time to win! Add extra challenges with new mutation cards!

—description from the publisher

The Rifts changed our world. Villages were torn apart, Riftforce emerged from it and spread across the land. What seemed lifeless before started to rise and wake. Flames left campfires and waves poured out of their riverbeds. Even the sun and moon leave their footprints in the ground.

We learned how to control those living elementals and formed guilds to perfect this knowledge. While competing for Riftforce the guilds forged temporary alliances to share their unique abilities and guard the access to the Rifts.

Now it is your time! Choose your guilds, combine their powers and rush into battle. Gain Riftforce from the land you control and all the elementals you destroy until you have enough to ascend into a higher state of power.

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In Riftforce, the two-player duel card game, each player starts by drafting four of the ten different guilds, each with a unique power, to forge their own asymmetrical alliance. Every game of Riftforce gives you a chance to discover new synergies between guilds which will greatly influence your overall strategy and strengths. Can you combine the flexible and mobile water guild with the all-consuming fire elementals who even harm their allies and unleash their full potential?

The guilds’ elementals are the lifeblood of the game - they are your troops and at the same time the resource necessary to attack. Soon you will find yourself wondering how to use them best. Each turn you are torn, choosing one of three possible actions. Do you want to strengthen your position at the Rift, sacrifice elementals for powerful combo attacks or gather support for your next turn?

Gain Riftforce by destroying the elements of your opponent and by controlling locations along the Rift. Only then will you ascend and win the game.

Discovering new synergies between the different guilds, clever gameplay combos and the deeper layers of strategy will keep you coming back to enjoy the game again and again.

The Aliens attack, and only you can defend Earth. Charge your Weapons and destroy all Aliens, before you lose too much energy! Level by level, danger raises ... are you ready to accept the challenges, and win all 9 Levels?

In Fire! you can play either in Solo Mode, playing all 9 Levels on your own, or in Team Mode, fighting cooperatively with a friend against all Aliens!

Fire! uses the Fable Game™ system introduced in Fabled Fruit. With the presorted deck of cards and a rules booklet separated in 9 sections, you will discover all 9 challenging Levels step by step. You can reset the game at any time and play it again!

Elevenses is a card game in which respectable 1920s socialites strive to serve the finest morning teas!

Each player starts the round with an identical set of eleven morning tea cards. Each card has a point value as well a special action which must be carried out when it is played. The lower the point value of a card, the better its power. The powers lead to surprising interactions between the players! Cards must also be played to a specific position on the table. Whenever a card is played, in most cases you pick up the card that was previously in its position, requiring you to plan your morning tea carefully!

The round ends when a player plays the "Elevenses" card. It's time for tea! The players compare the value of their cards. Points are awarded to the highest scoring morning teas. The game continues until a player has 7 or more points. She has served the finest morning teas of all and wins the game!

The six-card expansion Elevenses: The Special Guests is included in the game. With this expansion, each player is dealt one special guest card in secret at the start of each round. Each guest will come to your morning tea only if you serve certain things. If you play the right combination of morning tea cards, the guest arrives, you reveal the card, and your morning tea goes up in value!

Game #2 in 'The Mike Line' of games from Grail Games.