Tile Placement

Publisher's description of this new hex-tile game scheduled to debut at Essen 2008:

"Logan Stones is a two player strategic game that encourages memory and tactical thinking. It is played without a board, using 18 tactile pieces that are etched and painted on both sides with different symbols.

The game has simple rules that are based on the visually recognizable symbols of Rock Paper Scissors.

Logan Stones takes the simplicity of ‘Rock Paper Scissors’ and adds to it a fast paced, fun game, that can also be played with strategic precision for a much more thought provoking experience. The aim is to make a line of 4 of the same symbol, but as you and your opponent are in control of the same stones and with them constantly being flipped over to reveal new symbols, it’s not as simple as it sounds."

Description from BoardgameNews.com:

Army of Frogs is for 2-4 players and resembles Hive in that the gameboard is created while you play. The goal of the game is to create one large group of frogs—an army, if you will—through tactical manoeuvring and placement of the pieces, which are hexagonal Bakelite frogs. Each player starts with two randomly drawn frogs, and on a turn a player takes the following three actions to build and shift an island of frogs in the center of the table:

if possible, move a frog of his color that’s on the board to a new location (something that’s obviously skipped on the first turn)
add one of the frogs in his supply to the board, and
draw a new frog from the bag and add it to his supply.

The first player to link all their frogs (with at least seven in play) wins the game.

From the Publisher:

Hive is a highly addictive strategic game for two players that is not restricted by a board and can be played anywhere on any flat surface. Hive is made up of twenty two pieces, eleven black and eleven white, resembling a variety of creatures each with a unique way of moving.

With no setting up to do, the game begins when the first piece is placed down. As the subsequent pieces are placed this forms a pattern that becomes the playing surface (the pieces themselves become the board). Unlike other such games, the pieces are never eliminated and not all have to be played. The object of the game is to totally surround your opponent's queen, while at the same time trying to block your opponent from doing likewise to your queen. The player to totally surround his opponent's queen wins the game.

Online Play

Boardspace.net (real-time, AI option)
BoardgameArena (real-time)

Cartoona is a creature-building, tile-laying game featuring the pop art of Robert Burke. The goal is to be the first player, or team to reach 50 points by building colorful and odd cartoon creatures. This is accomplished by placing tiles of different creature parts together and by playing cards that speed the process, or hinder your opponents. The game box includes 94 creature part tiles, 70 action cards, 8 player screens, and a rules booklet.

Akrotiri places you in the role of an explorer in Classical Greek times, combing the then-uncharted Aegean sea for lost Minoan temples that have long ago fallen into ruin. You've not only heard of these temples hidden around the island of Thera, but you actually have access to the secret maps that tell you of their hidden locations! Two mountains to the north? A volcano to the west? This *must* be the spot...

But running an expedition can be costly. In order to fund your voyages into the unknown and excavate the ancient temples, you will have to first ship resources found on surrounding islands back to the resource-poor island of Thera.

In Akrotiri — which combines tile placement, hand management, and pick-up and delivery — players place land tiles in order to make the board match the maps that they have in hand. Players excavate temples; the ones that are harder to find and the ones further away from Thera are worth more towards victory, but the secret goal cards keep everyone guessing who the victor is until the end! May the gods forever bless you with favorable winds!