Castle Panic Boardgaming Tour of Scotland

Posted on 1 Comment
Blair Castle

In cooperation with RPG Travel, we are thrilled to announce the Castle Panic Boardgaming Tour of Scotland to launch the second edition of Castle Panic. Join us October 9-16, 2022 to sightsee and play board games in castles and other venues throughout Scotland. One stop that we are particularly excited about is Duarte Castle, home of Clan MacLean, from which Justin descended. Games will include the Castle Panic Deluxe Collection and a giant version of the second edition of Castle Panic. The full itinerary may be viewed below.

To join the tour, you can sign up by clicking here or below. If 30 travelers sign up, the price per person will be reduced by $350. We hope you can make it. It’s going to be so fun!


Day 1 (October 10, Monday) – The group will arrive mid-morning into Edinburgh airport. Meet your guide and proceed into central Edinburgh. On arrival, there will be a guided panoramic tour of this amazing city featuring Old and New Towns and the Royal Mile. Later this afternoon, there will be a ‘City of the Dead’ walking tour of Edinburgh Old Town followed by a visit to the famous Edinburgh Castle (guided tour on the outside). Enjoy a group dinner at the hotel restaurant.

Day 2 (October 11, Tuesday) – Enjoy a morning gaming session at The Caves, a truly unique venue that makes up the substructure of the 18th century South Bridge. There was once so much Scottish whiskey stored here that it became known as ‘Whisky Row.’ Non-gamers will experience a visit to a traditional farm, tasting local cheeses, pastries and participate in a hands-on lunch experience. Afterwards, enjoy afternoon tea time at a local and intimate restaurant. Later in the evening, attend the ‘Taste of Scotland’ dinner show at the Prestonfield Stables. Experience a night of Scottish music, dancing and entertainment.

Day 3 (October 12, Wednesday) – After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy free time for sightseeing and shopping in the city this morning. The group will meet around late morning and drive to Stirling for some free time and lunch in the town of Stirling. Next head to the Wallace Monument to take a self guided walking tour, followed by a private tour of Stirling Castle, one of Scotland’s grandest castles. You will also learn about Wallace Monument which stands facing Stirling and is the location of the Stirling Bridge. Afterwards, enjoy dinner, gaming and drinks in the castle. Gaming will begin again after dinner.

Day 4 (October 13, Thursday) – Depart for a full day excursion to the scenic region of the Highlands. This is the largest region of Scotland of nearly 10,000 square miles which includes the UK’s highest mountains and the beautiful Loch Ness. In this region, you will visit Blair Castle (self-guided tour), known to be the home to 19 generations of Stewarts and Murrays of Atholl. Also experience a whisky distillery for a tour and tasting. There will be a gaming session in Blair Castle as well.

Day 5 (October 14, Friday) – After breakfast, depart the hotel and travel to the Isle of Mull today. This isle of over 338 square miles with the highest peak at 3,169 feet. Take the ferry from Oban to Craignure. On arrival, travel to Duart Castle for a guided tour followed by lunch at a nearby restaurant. Duart Castle is a 14th-century keep that sits atop a rock face at the end of a peninsula. It’s also the home of Clan MacLean, which is Justin’s ancestral clan. In the afternoon, enjoy a gaming session in Duart Castle! Return by ferry to Oban and check in to your hotel.

Day 6 (October 15, Saturday) – Depart hotel this morning and drive south via Loch Lomond and then to Glasgow. Loch Lomond is a beautiful freshwater loch surrounded by beautiful hills and is part of The Trossachs National Park. Enjoy some free time in Glasgow, known for its Victorian architecture and vibrant art scene, for independent sightseeing or shopping before continuing to the airport hotel for your last evening in Scotland and gaming session. Farewell group dinner this evening.

Day 7 (October 16, Sunday) – Spend the morning at your leisure before heading to the airport for your return flight back to the U.S., arriving on the same day.
“This itinerary is subject to change without prior approval. Please note that if a last-minute cancellation occurs, a replacement visit of equal value will be arranged.

Price per person based on double occupancy (based on minimum 20 travelers), $3,550
*Single room supplement – $675

Payment Schedule:
June 15, 2022 – $500 Non-Refundable Deposit Due
August 15, 2022 – $ Remaining Balance Due
*3% transaction fee for all credit cards

Included: Ready to play gaming venues (15+ hours) minis, games, accessories, table experiences, prize drawings, and giveaways, accommodations, bus transportation, guide tours/technical visits, entrance fees that are included are noted in the above itinerary, meals as indicated on itinerary (water, coffee or tea): B= Breakfast L= Lunch D= Dinner

Not Included: international airfare, gratuities for guide/driver, soft drinks or alcoholic beverages with meals, meals not shown on itinerary, Covid testing requirements for entry and exiting the United Kingdom, cost of valid U.S. passport or other documents necessary for travel to the United Kingdom, alcoholic beverages, travel insurance coverage (highly recommended), airline seat upgrades, excess baggage fees, souvenirs, leisure activities on free days, hotel charges for incidentals (including telephone calls, pay per view movies, mini bars, and snack trays, personal laundry, room service, and hotel penalties for smoking in hotel rooms).

www.RPGTravel.com
This itinerary remains the property of RPGTravel and is subject to change without notice. Its unauthorized use, in whole or in part, is an infringement of copyright laws.

Fireside Games stands with Black Lives Matter

Posted on Leave a comment
Black Lives Matter in white text over a solid black background

Fireside Games unequivocally stands with Black Lives Matter. The breadth and depth of the social injustice faced by Black people is devastating and is rightly challenged. We’re encouraged to see cities and institutions beginning to make overdue changes and to see the world rise up together to demand an end to systemic racism.

We join the change by making a donation to Movement for Black Lives (which includes Black Lives Matter Network) and by overhauling our business practices to consciously reach out to Black creators, developers, and providers to ensure participation and representation in the board game community. If you fit any of those categories and would like to be contacted the next time a project is available, please email us at info@firesidegames.com. We want to be a part of ensuring your equal opportunity for expression.

My First Castle Panic Demos Hit Stores!

Posted on Leave a comment
My First Castle Panic demos

My First Castle Panic demosKids have been playing Castle Panic with parents for 10 years. Now, there’s a reading-free version that 4-year-olds can play independently! They can even teach each other to play. Game stores across North America will be hosting free demos of My First Castle Panic March 16–17.

 

Find a participating store near you from the list below and get your little one in on the fun!

UPDATED: 3/1/2019 More stores added!

Arizona

Game On (Prescott), 928-227-2000

The Hidden Village Games (Yuma), 928-581-2174

Imperial Outpost Games (Glendale), 602-978-0467

 

Arkansas

Gear Gaming Store (Fayetteville), 479-276-8110

 

California

Crazy Squirrel Game Store (Fresno), 559-431-0188

Game Empire (San Diego), 858-576-1525

 

Colorado

Crit Castle Games (Aurora), 303-745-4140

 

Connecticut

Connecticut Gaming Center (Waterbury), 203-527-3918

The Portal (Manchester), 860-432-0711

 

Georgia

Tyche’s Games (Athens), 706-354-4500

 

Hawaii

The Armchair Adventurer (Honolulu), 808-843-1250

 

Idaho

Gaming Adventures (New Plymouth), 208-649-4244

Safari Pearl Comics (Moscow), 208-882-9499

 

Illinois

AlleyCat Comics (Chicago), 773-907-3404

 

Indiana

Good Games (Indianapolis), 317-493-1423

Saltire Games (Indianapolis), 317-823-1645

The Game Annex (Fort Wayne), 260-459-4263

Family Time Games (Indianapolis), 317-429-9817

 

Kansas

Mission: Board Games (Mission), 913-242-7970

TableTop Game & Hobby (Overland Park), 913-962-4263

 

Michigan

Acropolis Games (Adrian), 517-577-6192

Pandemonium Games and Hobbies (Garden City), 734-427-2451

Nostalgia, Ink (Jackson), 517-784-8955

 

Minnesota

The Gaming Goat (Saint Paul), 651-690-4628

 

Missouri

Cards ‘n Stripes Games (Republic), 417-647-5151

Fountain City Gaming (Kansas City), 816-214-8093

 

Mississippi

Panda’s Pair O Dice (Gulfport), 228-206-4484

 

Nebraska

The Game Shoppe (Omaha), 402-991-8699

Sparta Games (Omaha), 402-934-8330

 

New Mexico

Zia Comics and Games (Las Cruces), 575-405-0461

 

New York

Alterniverse (Hyde Park), 845-233-4234

Just Games Rochester (Rochester), 585-586-0586

 

North Carolina

Event Horizon Games (Raleigh), 919-977-4009

Rocket City Games and More (Jacksonville), 910-577-5556

 

North Dakota

Force of Habit Hobby Shop (Minot), 701-837-0032

Paradox Comics-N-Cards (Fargo), 701-239-9505

 

Ohio

Barnes & Noble (Pickerington), 614-751-0927

Beyond the Board (Dublin), 614-553-7677

GameScape (Mount Vernon), 740-392-4263

The Guardtower (Columbus), 614-488-4311

 

Oklahoma

Carolina Comics (Lawton), 580-353-5164

 

Pennsylvania

The Games Keep (West Chester ), 484-905-5533

 

South Carolina

Firefly Toys and Games (Columbia), 803-764-0596

 

Texas

Dragon’s Lair (Houston), 832-761-0072

Flash Candy and Toys (Lockhart), 512-668-5075

Half Price Books (Dallas), 214-379-8000

Outlaw Moon (Austin), 512-454-6648

The Gathering Place (Abilene), 325-672-4263

 

Utah

Game Grid (Lehi), 801-477-7680

Game Haven (St. George), 435-627-0616

 

Washington D.C.

Labyrinth Game Shop, 202-544-1059

 

Wisconsin

Gnome Games (Appleton), 920-884-7504

Gnome Games (Green Bay East), 920-965-1380

Gnome Games (Green Bay West), 920-499-4263

I’m Board! Games & Family Fun (Madison), 608-831-6631

Menagerie Games (Pleasant Prairie), 262-361-8238

The GameBoard (Sheboygan), 920-453-4263

 

West Virginia

Four Horsemen Comics and Gaming (Bridgeport), 304-848-9210

 

INTERNATIONAL

Canada

GameKnight Games and Cool Stuff (Winnipeg), 204-487-4263

 

Mexico

Mana Screw (Costa Azul), 52-1-646-176-4406

 

Read all about the game here.

International Games Week

Posted on Leave a comment
IGW-logo

IGW-logo

For a few years now the American Library Association has put together a huge gaming event called International Games Week. The idea is simple. Get people to play games and use the local library as a great community space to do it! This year, Fireside Games is going to be participating here in our great town of Austin.

The event runs from November 4th through the 10th, but Justin and Anne-Marie will be spending this Saturday, November 10th at the Austin Central Library (the one with the 37 foot tall Grackle inspired sculpture!) running free demos of a bunch of games.

The Library is at 710 W. César Chávez St. and the gaming will be all the way up on the 6th floor. The event goes from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and our friends from Steve Jackson Games will be there as well, so there’s really no reason not to come join the fun.

If you’re looking for an event in your neck of the woods, check out the ALA’s website, where they have information about all the goings on. In addition, here’s a great map that shows all the libraries around the world that will be participating in IGW!

International Games Day Map 2018

Can’t make it out to a library, or there isn’t an event near you? Not to worry. ALA has you covered with an entire page full of links to FREE Print-and-play games! Give your printer and your scissors a workout and you can get in on the fun as well.

No matter how you celebrate it, we hope you have a great time spreading the awesomeness that is board gaming during International Games Week!

The 3rd Annual International Panic Day

Posted on Leave a comment
Panic-Day

Castle-Panic

We’re thrilled to be celebrating our 3rd annual International Panic Day! What started out as a funny way of observing a silly holiday has turned into a great way of sharing the love of Castle Panic.

 

This year, we are celebrating on June 2 with new Castle Panic Event Kits. Each kit supports 16 players and offers 3 different game formats: casual play, team play, and scenario play.

  • Casual play is noncompetitive and offers new players the opportunity to learn this evergreen, cooperative game.
  • Team play provides a group competitive experience in which teams add up slain monsters to win prizes.
  • Scenario play offers a unique, exclusive way to play Castle Panic. In this format, 2 teams play head-to-head in Nightmare Mode, throwing their slain monsters into the forest of the competing team. The goal is to have the last tower standing. And it is a fast blast!

 

Each participant receives a new promo card. Team and scenario play winners receive exclusive suede Monster bags (as does the Event Coordinator). Runners up go home with Monster-eye game totes. And the person who most contributes to the spirit of the event is awarded the Defender of the Realm pin.

 

Kits include the rewards listed above as well as event instructions, an event sign-up sheet, and 2 demo copies of Castle Panic. An Add-On Kit is also available without the demo copies. Retailers may contact distributors for pricing and to place orders.

 

For retailers and distributors, we also have the following marketing assets here.

 

  • images of the kit contents
  • web banners
  • shelf-talker (to place below Castle Panic)
  • Facebook ads (with and without text)
  • 1920×1080 in-store TV ads

 

Hope to see you at your local game store this June 2 to celebrate!

 

2018-Event-Kit

 

Castle Panic Event Kit

Stock number: FSD 1001EK1

 

Castle Panic Event Kit Add-On

Stock number: FSD 1001EK2

 

Remember the Brave

Posted on Leave a comment
Firefighter Memorial

Hotshots-Game-Layedout

Hotshots is an exciting game that depicts real life danger and heroism. On September 6, the official release date, we’ll be taking a moment to honor the many firefighters who risk their lives to protect our families and communities. To express our gratitude, we invite you to join us in making a donation to one of the following charities.

Firefighter Memorial

 

Prescott Firefighter’s Charities

https://www.prescottffcharities.org/

This is the official charity for the Granite Mountain Hotshots, 19 of whom gave their lives to protect Yarnell, Arizona, on June 30, 2013. You can read more about their sacrifice on these websites:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yarnell_Hill_Fire

http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/30/us/beyond-the-call-of-duty-granite-mountain-hotshots-yarnell-hill-wildfire-arizona-anniversary/index.html

https://www.outsideonline.com/1926426/19-true-story-yarnell-hill-fire

 

Wildland Firefighter Foundation

https://wffoundation.org/

This organization supports wildland firefighters and their families across the United States, especially to provide financial support to families immediately after a tragedy and to provide long-term grief recovery.

 

National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

https://www.firehero.org/donate/

This foundation works to assist survivors and to reduce firefighter deaths and injuries across the country.

 

When you have a moment, please hold our nation’s brave firefighters in your thoughts and hearts.

Come Smash and Burn with Fireside Games

Posted on 4 Comments
Smash and Burn Tour

Tour- Smash and Burn

We’re taking to the road on our Smash and Burn Tour! Join us in person or through social media as we visit 16 stores in the Midwest. We’ll be demoing our new releases, Hotshots and Kaiju Crush, and giving out promos. It’ll be a great opportunity to meet Justin De Witt, designer of Castle Panic, Hotshots, and more. Bring in your favorite Fireside Games, and he’ll be happy to sign them. You might also make it into our store videos!
Tour-Smash and Burn-PromosFor more information on the games, check out these links:

https://firesidegames.com/games/hotshots/
https://firesidegames.com/games/kaiju-crush/

 

Tour Schedule
8/22 (Tuesday), 6:00–10:00 Family Time Games (Indianapolis, IN)
http://www.family-time-games.com/

 

8/24 (Thursday), 6:00–10:00 Epic Loot Games & Comics (Centerville, OH)
http://www.epiclootgames.com/

 

8/26 (Saturday), 1:00–4:00 Good Games (Indianapolis, IN)
http://www.goodgamesna.com/us/stores/indiana/indianapolis.html

 

8/27 (Sunday), 1:00–4:00 Saltire Games (Indianapolis, IN)
http://www.saltiregames.com/

 

8/29 (Tuesday), 6:00–10:00 Beyond the Board (Dublin, OH)
https://www.facebook.com/BeyondTheBoardLLC/

 

8/31 (Thursday), 6:00–10:00 The Malted Meeple (Hudson, OH)
http://maltedmeeple.com/

 

9/1 (Friday), 6:00–10:00 The Game Annex (Fort Wayne, IN)
http://www.thegameannex.com/

 

9/2 (Saturday), 1:00–4:00 Secret Door Games (Elkhart, IN)
https://www.secretdoorgames.org/

 

9/12 (Tuesday), 5:30–8:00 Cat and Mouse Games (Chicago, IL)
https://cat-n-mouse.com/

 

9/14 (Thursday), 6:00–10:00 Da Sorce (Chicago, IL)
http://dasorce.com/

 

9/19 (Tuesday), 5:00–9:00 The GameBoard (Sheboygan, WI)
http://the-gameboard.com/

 

9/21 (Thursday), 6:00–9:00 I’m Board! Games (Middleton, WI)
http://www.imboardgames.com/

 

9/25 (Monday), 6:30–9:30 Pegasus Games (Madison, WI)
http://www.pegasusgames.com/

 

9/29 (Friday), 5:30–8:30 Gnome Games—Green Bay West (Green Bay, WI)
https://gnomegames.com/gnomeblog/

 

9/30 (Saturday), 1:00–4:00 Gnome Games—Green Bay East (Green Bay, WI)
https://gnomegames.com/gnomeblog/

 

10/1 (Sunday), 1:00–4:00 Gnome Games—Appleton (Appleton, WI)
https://gnomegames.com/gnomeblog/

 

10/7 (Saturday), 1:00–5:00 Castle Perilous Games (Carbondale, IL)
http://castleperilous.com/

International Panic Weekend

Posted on 2 Comments
International Panic Weekend 2017

(UPDATED 6/23)

For a variety of reasons, we had decided not to celebrate International Panic Day this year, but after a groundswell of requests, we thought a small-scale event would be nice. One thing led to another, and now we are thrilled to report that between June 29 and July 2, we will have 137 stores spanning 44 states and 3 countries opening their doors and teaching people how to play Castle Panic and Munchkin Panic.

For the event, we’ve created a new Castle Panic promo, called Fickle Fortune.  And for Munchkin Panic, we have the original Bookmark of Free Masonry.

Panic Day Promos 2017

To see if there is a participating store near you, check out the list below. Have a great time playing Castle Panic and Munchkin Panic. Enjoy the day and the promos!

 

Alabama

Quality Collectibles (Jasper)

Gamers N Geeks (Mobile)

Game Time Hobbies (Opelika)

 

Alaska

Gateway Games (Ketchikan)

 

Arkansas

Dragon’s Keep Gaming Room (Fayetteville)

Mena Game Lounge (Mena)

Imagine! Hobbies & Games (Sherwood)

 

Arizona

Imperial Outpost Games (Glendale)

WesterCon 70 (Tempe)

 

California

Paladin’s Game Castle (Bakersfield)

Games of Berkeley (Berkeley)

Crazy Squirrel Gaming Store (Fresno)

The Dice House (Fullerton)

Comic Quest (Lake Forest)

At Ease Games (San Diego)

Empire Collectables (San Diego)

Crazy Fred’s (San Diego)

Pair A Dice Games (Vista)

 

Colorado

Shep’s Games (Aurora)

 

Connecticut

Your Friendly Neighborhood Tabletop Shop (Newington)

 

Florida

Gods & Monsters (Orlando)

Kitchen Table Games (St. Petersburg)

 

Georgia

Tyche’s Games (Athens)

Quest Comic Shop (Carrollton)

 

Hawaii

Other Realms Ltd (Honolulu)

The Armchair Adventurer (Honolulu)

 

Idaho

Safari Pearl Comics (Moscow)

Infinite Heroes Games (Nampa)

 

Illinois

Castle Perilous Games & Books (Carbondale)

Da Sorce (Chicago)

Fair Game (Downers Grove)

 

Indiana

Reader Copies (Anderson)

Better World Books (Goshen)

Castle Comics and Cards (Lafayette)

 

Iowa

The Hobby Corner (Iowa City)

 

Kansas

Boom Comic Shop (Lawrence)

Collector’s Cache by Feral Events (Olathe)

 

Kentucky

Hobby Town (Bowling Green)

Comics 2 Games (Florence)

 

Lousiana

Plus 1 Gaming (Metairie)

Mechacon 2017 (New Orleans)

 

Maryland

Xpanding Universe (Aberdeen)

Canton Games (Baltimore)

Play More Games (Gaithersburg)

Dream Wizards (Rockville)

 

Massachusetts

Round Table Games (Carver)

Greenfield Games (Greenfield)

 

Michigan

Acropolis Games (Adrian)

Dreams of Conquest (Bay City)

TC Paintball (Traverse City)

TC War Room (Traverse City)

Imperium Games (Wixom)

 

Mississippi

maCnarB Gaming (Gautier)

Tupelo Sportscards and Games (Tupelo)

 

Missouri

Capital City’s Game Emporium (Jefferson City)

CCYDNE Hobbies (Lebanon)

 

Minnesota

Lionheart Games (Waite Park)

 

Montana

Orion’s Keep Games (Hamilton)

 

Nebraska

The Game Shoppe (Bellevue)

Game On – Grand Island (Grand Island)

Game On – Kearney (Kearney)

Hobbytown USA (Lincoln)

Gauntlet Games (Lincoln)

Game On – McCook (McCook)

Game On – North Platte (North Platte)

The Game Shoppe (Omaha)

 

Nevada

Little Shop of Magic (Las Vegas)

Games Galore (Reno)

 

New Hampshire

Double Midnight Comics (Concord)

The Relentless Dragon (Nashua)

 

New Jersey

The Bearded Dragon Games (Bernardsville)

Arcana Toys, Games, and Hobbies (Washington)

 

New Mexico

Zia Comics and Games (Las Cruces)

 

New York

Alterniverse (Hyde Park)

The Game Gamut (Pittsford)

The Arena (West Babylon)

Freakopolis Geekery Inc. (Whitehall)

 

North Carolina

Hillside Games (Asheville)

The Spot (Newton)

Red Door Games (Richlands)

The Comic Monstore (Salisbury)

DreamDaze Comics, Fun, & Games, Inc. (Wilson)

3 Blind Dice (Winston-Salem)

 

North Dakota

Force of Habit Hobby Shop (Minot)

 

Ohio

Sci-Fi City (Cincinnati)

The Rook OTR (Cincinnati)

Flying Monkey Comics and Games (Delaware)

Beyond the Board (Dublin)

Fun Factory (Mt. Gilead)

Barnes & Noble (Pickerington)

Checkmate (Toledo)

 

Oregon

Funagain Games (Eugene)

Guardian Games (Portland)

 

Pennsylvania

Mister J’s Asylum (Muncy)

Six Feet Under Games (New Holland)

AnthroCon (Pittsburg)

The Games Keep (West Chester)

 

South Carolina

Firefly Toys & Games (Columbia)

Boardwalk Games (Greenville)

 

Tennessee

Pair A Dice Games (Athena)

The Game Cave (Hermitage)

 

Texas

Wonko’s Toys and Games (Austin)

Clockwork Games & Events (College Station)

Cards and Comics Connection (Conroe)

Dragon’s Lair (Houston)

Ettin Games (Houston)

Flash Candy and Toys (Lockhart)

Three Suns Unlimited (Longview)

Sockmonkey Junction (Mansfield)

Fleur Fine Books (Port Neches)

The Gaming Goat (Spring)

Gerard’s Gaming and LAN Center (Webster)

 

Utah

Gunjah The Bead Forest (Cedar City)

Game Grid (Layton)

Blackfyre Games (Pleasant Grove)

High Gear Games & Hobbies (Salt Lake City)

Gameland World (Spanish Fork)

 

Virginia

The Island Games (Centreville)

 

Washington

Mox Boarding House (Bellevue)

Uncle’s Games, Puzzles, & More—CrossRoads Mall (Bellevue)

Diversified Games (Chehalis)

Fantasium Comics & Games (Federal Way)

Uncle’s Games, Puzzles, & More—Redmond Town Center (Redmond)

Shane’s Big League (Renton)

The Comic Book Shop (Spokane)

Uncle’s Games, Puzzles, & More—Downtown Spokane (Spokane)

Uncle’s Games, Puzzles, & More—Spokane Valley Mall (Spokane Valley)

Uncle’s Games, Puzzles, & More—Tacoma Mall (Tacoma)

 

Wisconsin

Lake Geneva Games (Lake Geneva)

Let’s Play (at the Gnome Games booth) (Appleton)

Pegasus Games (Madison)

 

West Virginia

Nerd Rage – Morgantown (Morgantown)

J and M’s Used Bookstore (Parkersburg)

 

Wyoming

Games of Chance (Riverton)

Games of Chance – Flying Eagle Location (Riverton)

 

Canada

Dragon’s Den Games (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)

 

New Zealand

King of Cards (Auckland)

 

The Panic Line Variations: Similar Elements. Worlds of Difference.

Posted on Leave a comment
Panic Line Differences

 

Panic Line Variations

 

One of the best developments to come out of Star Trek Panic is a better understanding of the whole Panic line. It would drive us crazy when we’d be at a convention happily demoing and we’d overhear this conversation between two friends walking by.

Friend 1: Ooo, Dead Panic. What’s that?

Friend 2: That’s just Castle Panic with zombies.

“No!” we wanted to say, “It’s a whole different experience! Come back! We’ll show you!”

Panic Line VariationsNow, friends are debating which variation in the Panic line is their favorite. That, of course, means they are talking about the differences among the games. To help the discussion, here are the ways each game connects and differs in the Panic line.

 

CP-Panic-Line-1

 

 

 

 

 

Castle Panic

Overview: Castle Panic is the cornerstone of the Panic line and what started it all. It’s a friendly, cooperative tower-defense style experience that appeals most to light gamers and families. It’s often referred to as a gateway game, a game that can be used to introduce new people to the board game hobby. It’s the nicest of the Panics.

How It Plays: In Castle Panic, you work together to defend the 6-tower castle in the center of the board against the monsters coming out of the forest at the edge of the board. The board is set up in colored concentric rings that the monsters move through to get to the castle in the “bull’s eye.” You use cards to hit and slay the triangular-shaped monsters in specific rings and colors. It’s like a conveyor belt of evil! When the monsters are hit, you rotate them down to show how many health points they now have. To win, you must slay all 49 monsters and have at least 1 tower left standing.

Panic Line Variations

How It Forms the Foundation: The concentric-ring design of the board, the triangular-shaped monster tokens, playing cards to hit/slay the monsters, and rotating the tokens to track damage are the elements shared by all of the variations in the Panic line. Beyond that, the ways that the other themes integrate with the system (changing objectives and rules and introducing additional mechanics) create unique experiences.

 

DP-Panic-Line-1

 

 

 

 

Dead Panic

Overview: Dead Panic is the first variation in the Panic line and has a much more cinematic feel than Castle Panic. The way players excitedly retell the game afterward sounds more like a movie. The new mechanics make it a better choice for people with some experience playing modern board games, although this is not a brain-burner by any stretch. The lack of gore in the art makes it a good choice for families who enjoy a little zombie-slaying together as well. Our favorite memory of demoing this game was to a father and son, who had this exchange.

Son: Dad! I can’t believe you killed me with a chainsaw!

Father: Son, I had to! You were a zombie!

Dead Panic has also had a surprisingly strong appeal to tween girls. Something specifically empowering about cutting down all of those undead coming at you.

How It Plays: In Dead Panic, you play as characters in the game with special abilities. You search the hunting cabin in the center of the board for items and weapons you can use to hold the zombies at bay while survivors attempt to bring radio pieces to you. After assembling the radio pieces, you have to call the rescuers and make it out into their van in the woods to escape to safety. If you die in the process, you return as a zombie and fight against your former teammates. Players who have experience with Castle Panic often make the mistake of trying to defend the cabin. You will die doing that. This game is all about escaping the zombie apocalypse while you can.

One-Does-not-simply-meme-1

How It Differs: In addition to the introduction of characters that can move around the board and have abilities, the possibility of dying and returning on the opposite side of the battle, and the change in objective, Dead Panic also includes Event cards that change up the conditions of the board each round. And instead of simply marching straight toward the hunting cabin (as monsters move toward the castle), zombies are attracted to humans and will rotate toward any in their line of sight. Those changes create a completely new experience. No one has ever played Dead Panic and said, “Yeah, that’s just like Castle Panic.” Usually, they breathlessly jump up from the table and yell, “I can’t believe we made it out!”

 

MP-Panic-Line-1

 

Munchkin Panic

Overview: Munchkin Panic is most like Castle Panic in its basic play. That was a decision to introduce Munchkin players to the foundational Panic mechanics before throwing them into the full Munchkin-meets-Castle-Panic experience that the More Munchkin Mini-Expansion provides. We should have known better. No need to coddle a Munchkin player after all!

Evil-todler-meme

How It Plays: In the basic setup, you work together to defend the castle towers against the Munchkin monsters emerging from the forest. Unlike in Castle Panic, these monsters are carrying treasure. When you slay the monsters, you draw cards from a treasure deck that you can combine with the Castle cards for stronger attacks. The Castle deck also now includes Curse cards that you can use to thwart opponents and end up with the highest monster-point count. Playing for individual points is one way to play Castle Panic, but it is the ONLY true way to play Munchkin Panic.

How It Differs: The differences really shine with the More Munchkin Mini-Expansion. (Did we mention that it’s included in the base game? It is! I know, right?!) With the expansion, you no longer have to defend that needy castle. It’s all about the points. In fact, if you are in the lead, you might want to play Monster Enhancers to help take down some towers and end the game quicker. Now the card combos take on a deeper dimension, and the negotiating gets intense. No polite, mutually beneficial trades happening here. It’s all about the art of the deal! You also pick a character based on the Races and Classes from Munchkin and use their ability to gain an advantage. Unlike Dead Panic, though, the characters do not appear in the game and are not in any danger themselves. Why risk your own skin?

 

 

STP-Panic-Line-2

Star Trek Panic

Overview: The latest entrant to the Panic line has brought a whole new level of excitement. (Munchkin Panic is a little jealous. Dead Panic is eating brains—again. Castle Panic just wishes everyone would get along.) The objective here is to fend off enemy threats while trying to complete 5 missions. It comes with a model U.S.S. Enterprise that players maneuver (what?!), the enemy’s attacks are ranged, and the defensive responses are based the direction the Enterprise is facing. There might also be a little cloaking going on . . .

Panic Line Variations

How It Plays: Players work together as members of the original Star Trek crew, with special abilities drawn from their functions on the T.V. series, to defend the Enterprise while completing 5 missions. The missions are based on episodes from the original series and the classic Klingon, Romulan, and Tholian enemies provide a lot of the Star Trek flavor.

How It Differs: The prime difference (see what we did there?) is in the change in objective. You must complete missions while defending the central structure (in this case, the Enterprise). Completing a mission may require committing certain cards, maneuvering the Enterprise, and more. It borrows the concept of how character abilities work from Dead Panic, but the actual abilities are based on the world it’s set in (Star Trek, for those not following along). There is no discarding. You get what they came to space with. (OK, you do get to draw and trade each turn.) During the Play Cards phase, you may also maneuver the ship 1 space clockwise, counter-clockwise, or forward. And a lot of decision-making goes into whether to use cards in defense/repair of the Enterprise or in completion of the missions.

The best thing about the Panic line variations is that you don’t have to choose. Let your mood pick your Panic. Up for a friendly, welcoming game? Castle Panic’s the one. Ready for a heart-pumping, edge-of-your-seat, “will-we-make-it-out-alive?!” time? Dead Panic will do the trick. Need a back-stabbing, treasure-grabbing good time? Munchkin Panic pairs nicely. Feeling bold, adventurous, and ready to reunite the crew? Star Trek Panic does the job. It’s all about choosing your experience.

TLDR-Panic-Line-1

For more on the differences between Castle Panic and Dead Panic.

 

Here’s a teaser for Star Trek Panic (that attention-hog).

 

And for how-to-play videos of all of our games check this video out.

Happy Birthday Gene Roddenberry!

Posted on Leave a comment
Gene Roddenberry and large Enterprise model

If you’re having fun with Star Trek Panic, we’ll gladly take some of the credit, but you really owe a hearty “thank you” and a “Happy Birthday” to Gene Roddenberry. The creator of Star Trek was born this day back in 1921. Before launching one of the biggest science fiction franchises ever, he won 2 medals in World War 2 as a pilot and even became a Sergeant in the LAPD.

USS_Enterprise_three_foot_model_in_Gene_Roddenberrys_office
Image CBS/Paramount

His vision of a future where Humanity is better than it is now inspired millions and made for some amazing stories and adventures along the way.

Perhaps one of the primary features of Star Trek that made it different from other shows was, it believed that Humans are improving – they will vastly improve in the 23rd century.” – Gene Roddenberry

We lost the “Great Bird of the Galaxy” in 1991, but his creation lives on. We are incredibly proud to have been given the chance to be a part of the Star Trek legacy and we hope Mr. Roddenberry would approve. Happy Birthday Gene!

June Events – Where to Play Our Games

Posted on Leave a comment
Where to play June 2016

June is a great month to get out and play some games! Our games will be available for demos and Play-to-Wins at several conventions around the country this month, as well as being in many game libraries.

You can also check out your Friendly Local Game Store to see what events they have planned and make some new friends over an evening of Dead Panic®.

PrairieCon Manitoba, Canada June 3–5
DieCon Colinsville, IL June 10–12
Origins Columbus, OH June 15–19
International Panic Day Various (click for list) June 18–19
RageCon Reno, NV June 24–26

 

International Panic Day 2016

Posted on Leave a comment
Just Panic and Play Games. Celebrate International Panic Day. June 18, 2016

PanicDay-Splash-EventPost
Join us on June 18th when we celebrate International Panic Day (yes, it’s a real thing) the only way we know how . . . with GAMES!

You can participate in the fun by visiting one of the stores listed below that will be providing FREE demos of the various games in our Panic Line. You can also host a game day with your friends and help spread the Panic!

If you are playing our games that weekend, please tag us in your social posts with #PanicDay and let’s see how far we can get this thing to go.

Don’t forget we have lots of helpful How To Play videos on our YouTube Channel if you run into a tricky situation and need a little guidance. There’s no shame in asking for a little help, especially when you are clearly panicking!

And don’t forget our special Panic Line Bundle will be available starting June 18! It includes one copy each of Castle Panic®, Dead Panic®, and Munchkin® Panic®. Each of these variations offers a different set of objectives and gameplay twists for a variety of game play experiences each time you sit down at the game table.

panic-line-bundle-image

Each game in the bundle comes with an EXCLUSIVE promo piece only available in this bundle and the bundle is only available through brick and mortar game stores!

RETAILERS! Are you hosting an in-store event? Not on the list below? Contact Us and let us know so we can add you to the list!

STORE NAME LOCATION
Dragon’s Keep Gaming Room Fayetteville, AR
Imperial Outpost Games Phoenix, AZ
Game Kastle Fremont, CA
Crit Castle Games Aurora, CO
Dragon’s Lair Wallingford, CT
Emerald City Clearwater, FL
Smallville Hobby Store Macon, GA
Tyche’s Games Athens, GA
The Armchair Adventurer Honolulu, HI
GameQuest Fort Wayne, IN
Game Preserve Indianapolis, IN
Better World Books Goshen, IN
Secret Door Games Elkhart, IN
TableTop Game & Hobby Overland Park, KS
Boom Comic Shop Lawrence, KS
A+ Comics and Games Lexington, KY
Hobbytown USA Frederick, MD
Brainstorm Comics & Gaming Frederick, MD
Acropolis Games Adrian, MI
TC War Room Traverse City, MI
Game Nite St. Louis, MO
Dark Knights Gaming Long Beach, MS
maCnarB Gaming Gautier, MS
Penta Smite Gaming Pearl, MS
Red Door Games Richlands, NC
Spielbound Omaha, NE
The Game Shoppe Bellevue, NE
Arcana Toys, Games, and Hobbies Washington, NJ
Elite Battlegrounds Green Brook, NJ
The Game Room Store Woodbridge, NJ
Alterniverse Hyde Park, NY
Legendary Realms Games Plainview, NY
Rockin’ Rooster Comics & Games Cincinnati, OH
Six Feet Under Games New Holland, PA
The Temple Games Pawtucket, RI
The Game Cave Hermitage, TN
The Next Level Games Madison, TN
Clockwork Games & Events College Station, TX
The Island Games Centreville, VA
Leesburg Hobbies & Collectibles Leesburg, VA
The Compleat Strategist Falls Church, VA
Diversified Games Chehalis, WA
Pegasus Games Madison, WI
The GameBoard Sheboygan, WI
Lost Legion Games & Comics, The Rifleman South Charleston, WV

That’s A LOT of places to PANIC! We hope you can join us for the fun.

Let us know what games YOU’LL be playing on International Panic Day in the comments!

Panic Line Bundle with Exclusive Promos

Posted on Leave a comment
Special Panic Line Bundle with Exclusive Promos! Available June 18th

Have you been considering picking up the Panic Line? Want to try all the different variations for the unique experiences they provide, but don’t know which one to start with? Well, we’ve got you covered with the special Panic Line bundle coming June 18!

panic-line-bundle-image

The Panic Line Bundle will include one copy of each of the Panic Line variations currently available from Fireside Games: Castle Panic®, Dead Panic®, and Munchkin® Panic®.* Each of these variations offers a different set of objectives and gameplay twists for a variety of game play experiences each time you sit down at the game table.

As a special bonus to this bundle (which is already being offered at a great value of $99.95 MSRP for all three games), each game comes with an EXCLUSIVE promo piece only available in this bundle!

You can get the “Laser Sight” for Dead Panic®, the “Potion of Mwahahahaha” for Munchkin® Panic®, and the special “Promo Tower” for Castle Panic® that was only available in 2015 as part of TableTop Day!

These bundles will be available starting on June 18 to help celebrate International Panic Day and will only be available through brick and mortar retail game stores. Let your Friendly Local Game Store know you want one so they can put in their orders today!

A little Panic can be a good thing, and A LOT of Panic can be a GREAT thing… when it comes to games, that is!

Find a Friendly Local Game Store near you with our handy Store Locator map!

store-locator-map-link

*Star TrekTM Panic® is not included in this bundle. It will be released by USAopoly in late June. For even more ways to Panic, check out these expansions to Castle Panic®: The Wizard’s Tower, and The Dark Titan.

International TableTop Day 2016

Posted on Leave a comment

Table-top-day-2016-Logo

International TableTop Day is almost upon us! Quick! Grab some friends and a couple of games and plan a day around it!

We will be visiting a few local game stores in Austin, TX on the day (April 30th this year) and invite you to join us. Anne-Marie and Justin will be at Wonko’s Toys & Games from 12–2:30 PM CT and then from 4–6 they will be at Dragon’s Lair Comics & Fantasy-Austin. They will be playing Here, Kitty, Kitty! and showing off an early copy of Dastardly Dirigibles (releases in July)!

If you aren’t in the Austin, TX area but want to find a local place to meet some new gamers and hang out for the day’s festivities, check out the list of participating retailers on the official Geek & Sundry International TableTop Day page to find one near you.

ITTD-Promo-Tower-2016

We have also partnered with Geek & Sundry on the official retailer event kits and there will be special, exclusive Castle Panic promo towers at 300 stores around the country. Check with individual game stores to see if they will have a kit and how they will be distributing the goodies, it will vary by location.

Hosting an event with your friends at your house or neighborhood hang out? Be sure to use the official #tabletopday hashtag to connect with people near and far! You can watch the 24-hour live stream on Twitch and see what gamers all over the world are doing to celebrate gaming this year.

April Events — Where to Play Our Games

Posted on Leave a comment
Where to play April 2016

Our games will be featured at the following events this month in Game Libraries, Demos, and Play-to-Win Events thanks to our partners with the Envoy Program from Double Exposure.

The games available to play at each event may vary, please consult the individual conventions for details.

Who’s Yer Con* Bloomington, IN 4/1–4/3
Tric-Con Spring* Sioux City, IA 4/1/–4/3
MEGA Spring Meltdown Derby Line, VT 4/2
Emerald City Comic Con* Seattle, WA 4/7–4/10
GameFest* Denver, CO 4/11–4/13
Greenhill Ultimate Brain Race** Addison, TX 4/17
LexiCon* Lexington, KY 4/22–4/24
MEPACON* Scranton, PA 4/22–4/24
BABSCon** Burlingame, CA 4/22–4/24
PretzCon* Omaha, NE 4/29–5/1
CharCon Bonus Round* Flatwoods, WV 4/30–5/1

* Play-to-Win
** Library

Review Round-Up for Here, Kitty, Kitty!

Posted on Leave a comment
Here, Kitty, Kitty! Review round-up

here kitty kitty game coverTomorrow you’ll be able to get your own copy of Here, Kitty, Kitty! at a game store near you. And it is already getting high praise. Let the early reviewers tell you what they love about it and convince you to adopt one of your very own!

The artwork and theme win big with this one. Of course, you probably already guessed that, since who can resist a bunch of adorable kitties?

“It’s silly fun and the artwork on the cards is really excellent…” says Go Fatherhood.

I love the artwork. This game pulls no punches on any of the humor,” raves Rick Perez of Let’s Level Up. “The artwork in this game is tremendously humorous. There are just so many funny cards that I just got a good chuckle at, which I think should be commended because I think that the artwork is fantastic.”

What about game play? This game is so much more than just a pretty face. While it is simple to learn, there is a depth to the game that leaves players desiring another go to hone their strategies and grow their hoard of kitties.

GeekDad declares, “Here, Kitty, Kitty! is a fun little family game. It’s easy to learn and plays quickly.

“We all had a great time with this fast, simple game, so much so that when we finished, they immediately both asked for us to play a second game,” comments Go Fatherhood reviewer, Dave Taylor, about playing this game with his kids.

Tricia Victor from Golden Distribution was delighted by the added intricacy in the game. “My favorite part of Here, Kitty, Kitty! was the depth of strategy that was involved… It was fascinating to watch everyone’s strategy to obtain kittens evolve from one game to the next. Here, Kitty, Kitty! is competitive without anyone realizing how much movement, placement & area control happens with the neighborhood cats.”

Let’s Level Up agrees, “There’s plenty of room to be strategic, both on the offensive side and the defensive side, and there are a lot of important decisions that you make while you’re choosing your two actions. There are a lot of opportunities to think outside of the box.”

Here, Kitty, Kitty! is simple to learn, and will be a great filler or light game for your next game night. You can play it with an emphasis “…good old fashioned fun…” (InternetvsWallet), or take it a little more seriously like Perez did, “If you’re a fan of ‘take-that’ games, Here, Kitty, Kitty! is amazing in that regard.”

Final Verdict

Well, we’ll just let them tell you…
“…a fantastically fun game… I think it’s fabulous and ‘purrrfect.‘” – Rick Perez, Let’s Level Up
“It is a family friendly, lighthearted game… that will keep everyone coming back to the table for more.” – Tricia Victor, Golden Distribution
Buy this game. You and your family will love it.” – Internet vs Wallet
“Definitely recommended and a game I’m sure will move onto the active shelf.” – Go Fatherhood
“It’s easy to learn, appropriate for families, and features adorable plastic miniature cats.” – Ryan Morgenegg, Deseret News
“… it is AWESOME!.. this one really is the cat’s meow…” – Third Eye Games

You can watch Let’s Level Up’s full video review below, or choose any of the links above to view the full reviews shared in this article.