Tag: How To

International Panic Weekend

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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)

 

Origins Fun Planned

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Origins Game Fair. Where Gaming Begins

We can’t believe Origins is next week! We’re so excited to see everyone there. Come by booth 106 for free demos of Hotshots and Kaiju Crush (our new games this year), free promos and coupons for $5 off each game purchased, and special discount and sale items. We’ll also have play events every night in the Gaming Hall.

 

 

Demos: Be among the first to play our new games Hotshots and Kaiju Crush! Although they won’t be for sale until later this year, you can check them out at Origins. We’ll also have easy, step-by-step, self-guided demos of Bears! and Here, Kitty, Kitty! if you haven’t played those games.

Promos: Stop by to pick up the special River Tile promo for Hotshots and the Siphon Portal promo tile for Kaiju Crush. We’ll also give away the following promos with the purchase of the games they support.

  • Here, Kitty, Kitty!: Milkshake
  • Dastardly Dirigibles: Smoke Bomb
  • The Village Crone: Silver coaster
  • Castle Panic: 2017 ITTD Tower
  • The Wizard’s Tower: Crossbow coaster
  • The Dark Titan: Agranok Level 6
  • Engines of War: Jury Rig
  • Dead Panic: Laser Sight
  • Munchkin Panic: Potion of Mwahahaha!
  • Bloodsuckers: Midnight Sun
  • Bears! and Trail Mix’d: Alarm Clock and scoring sheets

Deals: In addition to receiving $5 off coupons for every game purchased at our booth, we will have discounted games and special items for sale.

  • Dead Panic: $30 (reg. $40)
  • Munchkin Panic: $25 (reg. $40)
  • The Village Crone: $30 (reg. $50)
  • Bloodsuckers: $20 (reg. $40)
  • 2017 International TableTop Day Tower: $5
  • Fireside Games Mug: $5
  • Fireside Games Tumbler: $5

Events: We’re also hosting play events for the first time at Origins! We’ll be in the Gaming Hall from 6:00 to midnight, and here are the games you can get in on each night.

  • Wednesday: Here, Kitty, Kitty!
  • Thursday: Dastardly Dirigibles
  • Friday: The Village Crone
  • Saturday: Castle Panic with all 3 expansions

Castle Panic Snowflake Pattern – FREE Download!

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Add a little Castle Panic cheer to your holiday with this FREE snowflake pattern.

It’s easy to make and you can use them for fun, gamer decor this holiday season. Hang them on your tree, on a window, make a garland of them, or just attach one to that special package under the tree… you know, the one that holds The Wizard’s Tower expansion for the Castle Panic player in your life!

How To Make Your Very Own Castle Panic Snowflake

  1. Download and print the PDF pattern.
  2. Cut out the circle template
  3. Fold the circle in half, then in half again to make a quarter circle.
  4. Fold the quarter circle in thirds, using the grey lines as guides and keeping the pattern wedge visible.
  5. Cut away the grey areas of the pattern. Be careful around the skinny parts!
  6. Unfold the snowflake and revel in your creativity!

Happy Holidays from Fireside Games!

Want to get this kind of thing delivered to your inbox? Join our monthly newsletter mailing list! We shared this pattern with our subscribers a few weeks ago.

Bringing the Heat–How Fire Works in The Wizard’s Tower

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If you’ve been following this week’s blog series on The Wizard’s Tower expansion for Castle Panic, you know how to set up the game by removing certain Monsters and replacing them with new ones, swapping a Tower, and shuffling in the new Castle cards. You’ve also discovered the Wizard deck and all the wondrous magic it holds.

Today we are going to teach you about FIRE!

With this expansion you will encounter Monsters who breathe fire and can catch your Castle structures on fire! But don’t worry, there are ways to put the fire out and even use it to your advantage. You are now able to catch Monsters on fire as well! After all, Dragons are only flame retardant on the INSIDE.

Watch the video for a full explanation of the different ways fire will play a key role in your game play.

How to Set Monsters on Fire

Some of the Wizard cards allow you to set Monsters on fire. When on fire, Monsters will take 1 point of damage for each flame token on it during the Move Monsters Phase of a player’s turn. You can use this new mechanic as part of your strategy by catching Monsters on fire while they are in the Archer ring and letting them burn themselves out before reaching your Castle.

What Happens When the Castle Is on Fire

Among the new Monsters included in The Wizard’s Tower expansion are a few Monsters who can breathe fire and will catch your Castle on fire! Castle structures on fire are weakened and can be destroyed with no damage to the Monsters (they will not take damage when hitting a flaming structure) on that turn. However, a Monster knocking down a flaming Wall will take on that flame token and on his NEXT movement he will take fire damage.

Your Castle structures can handle up to 2 fire tokens and remain standing. However, the third fire attack by a Monster will destroy the Wall or Tower automatically. No Monsters are injured.

How to Put out Burning Castle Structures

Players are able to extinguish flaming structures by playing 1 Brick or 1 Mortar card on their turn for each flame token on the structure. If there are multiple flame tokens on a Wall, you will need multiple Bricks or Mortars to put out all the flames. You may also use the Fortify Wall card to extinguish all flame on a Wall, but you do not get to also fortify that wall.

For more details on how you will be interacting with Fire see pages 7 & 8 in the The Wizard’s Tower Rulebook.

You can also check our FAQs page for The Wizard’s Tower if you have questions about other mechanics and situations.

Wizard Cards in Castle Panic: The Wizard’s Tower

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Games Magazine 2011 Traditional Games 100 Award

One of the biggest changes to Castle Panic when you add The Wizard’s Tower expansion is the addition of the Wizard deck of cards that infuse the game with magic and new abilities for the players.

How Do You Get Wizard Cards?

Players can obtain Wizard cards during Phase 2 of their turn: Discard and Draw 1 Card. You can only get one Wizard card per turn this way. You cannot draw up to your full hand in Phase 1 from the Wizard deck. You may also obtain a Wizard card during your Trade cards phase if another player is willing to trade you one from their hand.

The Wizard deck is only available to players while the Wizard’s Tower is still standing on the board. If the Wizard’s Tower is knocked down by the Monsters, you lose access to that deck of cards and all the magic within.

What is in the Wizard Deck?

The Wizard cards include new ways to attack Monsters, including cards that you can play against Monsters that are still in the Wizard Card examplesForest. Remember, in the base game, you cannot attack Monsters until they enter the Archer ring. The cards with Forest play options have a tree symbol on them to help remind you. There are also some new cards with the Castle symbol you will recognize from the base game as indicating you can use them against Monsters that have entered the Castle ring.

Some Wizard cards require you to play them with another card such as a Hit card or to “pay” to use the card with an additional card. An example of this is Mystical Manufacturing, which requires you to play a brick or mortar card with the Wizard card to be able to rebuild a Tower.

Oh, yes, you can rebuild a Tower! You need the Mystical Manufacturing card to be able to do so, but this gives you an additional chance at survival by allowing you to recover from a lost Tower.

Watch this video for a quick overview of the Wizard deck and what you get when you add The Wizard’s Tower expansion!

Of course, the expansion doesn’t just make the game easier, we’ve added lots of new Monsters with new abilities and movement effects. Stay tuned for further videos that explain the mayhem that comes with the expansion. You can see a full list of the Wizard cards, as well as the Monsters and new Castle cards, in The Wizard’s Tower Rulebook.

Need replacement pieces? We’ve got you covered if a Troll has gone missing or your cards are showing wear. Check out our webshop where you can get new pieces and the special Castle Panic Promo Pack of past promotional game pieces with in-game effects, as well as some extra fun swag!

The Wizard’s Tower–How to Set Up the First Expansion to Castle Panic

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You are pretty sure you have mastered Monster slaying and are looking for a challenge.

You’ve check our guide for How To Tell if You’re Ready for The Wizard’s Tower and decided to take the plunge.

Here’s a helpful video on getting the expansion to Castle Panic set up with the base game.

You will be removing some of the old Monsters and adding new, including Mega Boss Monsters! You get new Castle cards and a whole new deck of Wizard cards. You also get to upgrade one of your standard Castle Towers.

A helpful tip: All The Wizard’s Tower pieces (and cards) have a little wizard hat icon on them so you can easily switch back to the base game if you need a win to boost your morale.

Have a question about the rules? Check out our FAQ page for The Wizard’s Tower. Remember, a lot of the rules for the base game carry over, so if you don’t see it in The Wizard’s Tower rulebook double check the Castle Panic rules.

If you have any advice for new expansion players, share it in the comments. We’re all in this together, after all!

Can You Handle the Heat?

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So, you’ve been playing Castle Panic for a while now. You still have a good time, but you are wondering if there is more. Well, I’m here to tell you there is SO MUCH MORE! The Wizard’s Tower is the first expansion to Castle Panic and it really amps up the excitement and challenge of the game. There’s also the not-so-little matter of The Dark Titan, the second expansion that is due out in the Spring of 2015, which brings all new threats and some fun new twists.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Not everyone is ready to tackle the Mega-Bosses right out of the gate. It is a good idea to hone your Monster-slaying skills before taking the leap. If you need some help mastering Castle Panic, check out our How To Play videos in the How to Defend Your Castle post for some pointers from the designer, Justin De Witt.

“How do I know if I’m ready?” you may ask. We’ve put together this helpful guide.

How to Know if You’re Ready for The Wizard’s Tower:

1. You win more often than you lose (if you lose at all anymore), and you often have all or almost all of your Towers still standing.

2. Somebody in your gaming group says, “Castle Panic? Isn’t that a kid’s game?” and you want to shake them up a bit.

3. Fire has always held an allure for you and you want a fun way to play with it without actually getting burned.

4. You find yourself saying, “Oh, it’s just a 3-point Troll” when placing Monsters and long for more variety in your trophies.

5. You wish you had magical powers and have always wanted to face off against a mythical Monster such as a Dragon or a Chimera.

If any of these describe you, you may be ready for The Wizard’s Tower. But be warned, the forest is full of dark and dangerous things and the Castle will be depending on you.

Already playing The Wizard’s Tower? Tell us how/when you knew you were ready to advance. What is your favorite addition to the game from The Wizard’s Tower? Tell us in the comments.

If you are interested in purchasing The Wizard’s Tower, you can do so at your Friendly Local Game Store or through our web store.