International TableTop Day 2017

International TableTop Day is here again and we have returned to Redemption Alewerks, as has been the tradition every year for TableTop Day.  Claire had the Taxman SpinOff, a dry-hopped Sour Saison with boysenberry and ginger, while I had the Cream Ale and the Sooey Saison, a Blind Pig Confessions pale ale, with subtle hints of orange peel, coriander, and peppercorns.  A great combination of farmers ales from great local breweries.  While we are enjoying our beverages, this year we’re reviewing a silly farming themed game called Farmageddon.  All the farming are belong to us!  

Farm fresh produce is in higher demand than ever!  There's just one problem, well....several.  Higher demand means more yay-hoos trying their hand at the soiled science.  There are also rampant dust storm, errant robotic threshers, and... Frankencrops?  No worries.  As they say, the early bird gets the worm -- and any taters attached to that worm. 

Farmageddon is a lightly-skilled game of hand-management for 2 - 4 players that takes 30 minutes to play.  Choose when to plant, what to fertilize and with a little luck, you'll be the master of the farmer's markets when the dust settles.  The goal of the game is to earn the most money by the end of the game!  This is done primarily by planting, fertilizing, and harvesting crops.  But watch out, as you cannot harvest your crops on the same turn you plant them, and other players will want to steal your crops when they can and destroy them when they cannot.  The final round is triggered when the last crop card is drawn, and when the player who drew the last card finishes their turn, the game is over.  

The quirkiness of Farmageddon is fun, a little silly but not crude.  The fact that it is a hand-management game where the point is to plant, and harvest for money, reminds us of another game we just reviewed recently, but so, so much better!  There's actually cards that have varying effects on them that do different things and have consequences.  We aren't simply planting and harvesting for the sake of only planting and harvesting.  There's not just point value like Bohnanza, we actually get to perform other actions and do things in this game.  I wouldn't say it's one of the top 5 hand-management games that we own, but we like this game!  It's very small for transporting, the artwork is quirky and fun, the end goal of the game is more interesting with the type of variety that we are looking for in a light-weight hand-management game.  The theme may not be for everyone, but it worked well for us and we look forward to playing this one again.

Farmageddon
Overall Meeple Rating: 6/10


Game Mechanics:
1) Hand-Management
2) Take That

Have any thoughts or questions?  Leave a comment below.