Real-time

Micro Robots, a simultaneous play game inspired by Alex Randolph's classic Ricochet Robots, challenges players to quickly determine how a robot can move from one spot on the grid to another.

To set up, choose to use the black or copper side of the four game boards, then arrange them in a 2x2 square. Each game board shows nine dice, and once arranged the completed grid shows 36 dice, with the dice being numbered 1-6 and showing six colors, with each combination of number and color appearing exactly once. Roll the color die and number die to determine the starting location for the transparent robot, then mark this space with the transparent starting token.

In a round, roll the two dice to determine the target space; you can mark this space with a transparent victory token or simply have everyone remember which space they're trying to reach. Everyone simultaneously tries to figure out how to move the robot to the target space, and to move the robot, it must move orthogonally to a space that shares either the color or number of its current location. If the robot starts on "3-green", for example, it can move orthogonally to any space that shows either a 3 or is green; if you'd move it to "5-green", it can now once again move orthogonally to any space that shows either a 5 or is green; and so on.

As soon as a player has a solution, they yell out the number of moves, then take the robot and demonstrate the solution. If the solution takes exactly the number of moves claimed, the player earns a victory token; if not, the player gives one of their victory tokens (if they have any) to the player with the fewest tokens. In either case, the former target space becomes the new starting space for the next round.

If any player possesses five victory tokens, they win! If the 25 victory tokens are distributed before someone collects five, then whoever holds the most tokens wins, with ties being possible.

Expert Micro Robots players can increase the challenge of the game by placing the target victory token on the board, then rolling the two dice once again. The players must now determine a solution that first moves the robot to the space showing on the dice, then to the final destination.

The transparent robot in Micro Robots can also be used in Ricochet Robots. This robot moves like any other robot in that game except that for an additional move it can pass through a wall instead of stopping at it. It cannot move through the central barrier or the exterior walls, and the only target space on which it can land is the colored vortex.

JAB is a skill-centric strategic boxing card game. In JAB, you get direct control over your boxer's fists, providing an experience as close as possible to real boxing without getting punched in the face. JAB is played in real-time, meaning there are no turns.

Winning the game

To win the game, get a knockout by throwing staggering haymakers at your opponent until he eats canvas, or strategically win more rounds than your opponent by impressing the judges with your beautiful technique.

How is JAB different?

JAB attempts to innovate the real-time genre by challenging a player to be constantly making decisions, rather than simply recognizing patterns or performing calculations. The game also measures your ability to calmly manage your focus in a chaotic situation.

Stellar Conflict is a fast-paced space combat game with real-time elements set in the Among the Stars Universe.

In this game, which reimplements the James Ernest and Tom Jolly design Light Speed, players take over the role of an alien race taking part on a space battle. Each player has his/her own fleet and based on the size of the battle, he/she chooses which ships will be deployed for combat (deployment phase). Each race has its own power and abilities which grants it different advantages in combat.

After both players have deployed their forces in this time-limited real-time phase, the combat phase begins.

The Combat Phase lasts a random number of Rounds based on which ships have been deployed on the battlefield. Each Round, different ships fire their weapons and perform their abilities trying to destroy enemy ships and/or complete objectives.

Stellar Conflict offers a more advanced, deeper alternative to Light Speed. Each race has its own fleet of different ships and abilities guaranteed to offer lots of replayability.

The object of this game is to be the first player to position his pieces in the opponent's starting row. The catch is that the pieces are (one minute?) sand timers and that their movement is dictated by a die.

A timer that runs out of sand is sent back to its starting space. The die rolls are 1, 2, 3, S, S, S; an S is used to start a timer from the starting row (flipping it and advancing one space) or to flip an already running one. The number rolls simply advance a running timer.

In Camelot, players vie for control of Excalibur. Each player controls five Arthurs and a host of other Arthurian characters in a heated attempt to grab and retrieve the sword before any other player succeeds in this task.

On the surface, the game appears to be a very simple wargame, combat being quickly resolved without any dice as characters fight each other. The key to the game, however, is that two players are always taking turns at the same time, the turns being regulated by "turn tokens" that pass around the board. When one player finishes his or her turn, the turn-token is passed to the next player who does not already have one. If one player is a slowpoke taking his turn, then the other turn-token passes around the table, allowing other players to take turns. This forces players to take very fast turns, usually about 5 seconds each, allowing the game to move along with the intensity of a video game. Games usually take 20 to 30 minutes to play, even with three to six players.

Special rules resolve potential conflicts that could occur when two players try to perform actions simultaneously where priority is in question, resolving quickly and simply.

No player ever quite gets knocked out of the game due to loss of characters; Arthurs always "rejuvenate", returning to your pile of pieces (your "village") that can enter the board. Characters start at a chosen entry space at the edge of the board, and move to the center to grab Excalibur, returning the Sword to their entry space to win. Each of the 5 character-types (Merlin, Lancelot, etc) have their own unique abilities, but everyone starts with an identical set of pieces.

There are also two variants in the rules, allowing players to vary the game by going after the "Accoutrements of Kingship" instead of the Sword, or by gathering a number of gold pieces scattered around the board so as to "buy the kingship". Tokens are included for these variants.

The game is very intense and fast, requiring players to think on their feet and make fast realtime decisions; if you are a big fan of slow, deep thinking, strategy games, you might look elsewhere.