Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Level Up! Blogfest: Citadels

I am a gamer in every sense of the word--I love everything from Zelda, Mass Effect, League of Legends and Mario Kart, to Dutch Blitz and Poker, to Ticket to Ride and Settlers of Catan, to Mafia and Dictionary, to Kick the Can and Capture the Flag. So you can understand how hard it was to pick only one game for this blogfest!

Since I talk about video games a lot, I decided to go with a "real" game (as my non-video gamer friends like to call them). But have no fear, this game is plenty geeky and plenty awesome.

Citadels is a card game, which I love because it doesn't take long to set up (and it's not expensive). You can also play with 2-8 players, and I find games are so hard to find that are for more than 4, so this is even more of a bonus.

The goal of the game is to build 8 district cards and make a citadel. The district cards cost gold to build, and at the end of the game are worth that amount of gold in points. Bonus points are given to those who have built the maximum 8 districts, the one who built 8 first, and to those who have a district of each possible colour.

The fun of the game is the characters. There are eight character cards that you shuffle, and every person selects one at the beginning of each round. Every character has different abilities--for example, the assassin can kill another player, the thief can steal from another player, the magician can take new cards or switch cards with someone, the king gets to go first the next round and gets bonus gold if he has a yellow district, etc.

Oh, the things you can do to make each other mad in this game. There's nothing like waiting until your neighbor has stockpiles of gold and then stealing it all from him as the thief. Of course, you have to guess his character correctly in order to do so.

I find Citadels requires the perfect amount of strategy and wiliness, as all games should. You have to think about what characters other people are going to choose, and be careful about who you choose in case they mean you harm, which they probably do. So much fun.

Thanks to all who have joined in the blogfest, and to Jamie for co-hosting this shindig with me! I'm excited to visit everyone and read about all your favourite games. Play on!

63 comments:

  1. I think it ate my comment...
    Sounds like a good game. I haven't played a card-based game in so long, my Magic cards have lost their magic.

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    1. I've been sucked into the video game world mostly these days, but sometimes I find time for Citadels!

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  2. I've never played Citadels or any of those type of card based games. I'm not sure why because they certainly sound like my cup of tea.

    Happy gaming!

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    1. It's a good one, that's for sure. You'd probably enjoy it :)

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  3. I've never played this one, but it sounds great!
    Thanks for hosting this!

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  4. That sounds like an awesome game for my family and me! Thanks for sharing! I'll have to find it soon.

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  5. Oh wow!! This game I would be interested in!! It sounds like a lot of fun and the description was perfect for someone in consideration! Thanks!
    I enjoyed visiting today, joined your blog too!! Sandy

    sandysanderellasmusings

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  6. I never gave these type of games a chance. Now, I fear I'm to old. It sounds like fun.

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    1. YOU'RE NEVER TOO OLD!! *ahem* (Inside voice)I mean, you're not too old. No one's too old for fun games :)

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  7. Some of the best games are the ones that only take a little bit of time to learn, but years to master. Citadel sounds like a fun game!

    Thanks for hosting such a fun hop :)

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    1. True, although Citadels doesn't take years, thankfully :) Thanks for participating!

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  8. Holy Hell!!! I've never even heard of this game! Why do i not see it sitting on the shelves of my game store?? Because it sounds awesome and i want to play it RIGHT NOW.
    Also, i'm super sad i missed this blogfest. I'm such a huge gamer, it would be right up my alley

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    1. That's what I thought when I found out about it!! I couldn't believe I hadn't heard about it before. It's not too late to join in! I don't know where you are, but it's still February 20 here in Canada.

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  9. WHy have I never heard of this game?? Sounds like it's right up my alley, too. Thanks for introducing me to it.

    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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  10. Hi, new follower who is obsessed with card games!! I think I might have to run out and buy this one!!

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  11. Sounds like fun. Thanks for hosting the blogfest!

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  12. Kinda reminds me of Magic the Gathering, only different. It's probably nothing like Magic, is it? I'm just trying to sound like I know what I'm talking about. :D

    Cool hop, by the way. ^_^

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    1. haha, it is nothing like Magic the Gathering, but points for mentioning it ;) Thanks for participating!

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  13. Sounds like a fun game...

    I chose to talk about a video game in my post :)

    Chippy

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  14. I love it! I've been wanting to go for something that can be played with 2 players (Munchkin is great, but works best with 3 or more).

    Super thanks for co-hosting with me, Allison. You've been awesome :)

    Jamie @ Mithril Wisdom

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    1. It is tricky finding something good for 2. Thank you, Jamie! You've been fantastic.

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  15. Very cool. I've heard of it, but I've not played it. Thanks for hosting this awesome blogfest! :)

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  16. I haven't played this, but it sounds like a blast - I like that you can play with so few or so many, and the strategies sound like a real challenge.

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  17. I've heard of Citadels but I've never played it. Sounds cool!

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    1. I'd never heard of it before some family introduced me not too long ago. It is cool!

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  18. I was going to agree with Alex, reminds me of magic - and I still have all my cards :)

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    1. haha, it's really nothing like magic, but just as fun!

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  19. I'm such a big gamer...how is it that I missed this blogfest?? Haven't ventured into many card games though.

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    1. Next time, DL :) And I'd still read a post about games on your blog!

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  20. Citadels sounds really cool. I've learned about so many cool games during this fest. Thanks for hosting!

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    1. It was a good place to add more games to my to-play pile :)

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  21. I've never played this game. I had three siblings and we played lots of games, but when I moved out I stopped playing most.

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  22. Citadels sounds really cool. I'd never heard of it before. You are the gaming authority! Thanks for the introduction and thanks for hosting the blogfest. :)

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  23. This sounds like a great game, I might have to consider getting it for myself - I can just imagine my family playing it together!

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  24. I've never even heard of this game, but I'd love to have the chance to give it a go. :3

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    1. It's been a good fest for introducing people to new games :)

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  25. That sounds like an awesome game! Is it like a card version of Sim City?

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    1. haha, I've never played Sim City, so I don't know.

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  26. I need to go spend some time with my friends who play card games like this so I can better understand the mechanics. They always seem like they would be fun but any time I've read the rules on my own I feel like I am reading a foreign language.

    Thanks for co-hosting this event, it is a really fun idea.

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    1. I don't like reading rules either. The key is to make a friend who loves reading rules--then they can teach games to you ;) This one's not too complicated, though.

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  27. will have to try thst strategy game with my boys!
    thanks for hosting this fun fest!

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  28. Strategy games have never been my thing - but I have never tried a card game like this. :) Thanks for Co-hosting.

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    1. It's really part strategy, part luck, part fun. Thanks for stopping by!

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  29. Cool, this sounds kinda like GUBS - which my fam got addicted to over Christmas!

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    1. Never heard of it, but the acronym is great :P

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  30. This sounds like a fun game, like an adult, fantasy version of Happy Families. :D

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  31. Now that sounds like a 'real' game that's up my alley! I could get into this along with Jamie's choice, 'Munchkin'! Thanks for this blog fest, I had a total blast. :D

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    1. Jamie's choice did sound pretty awesome too. Thanks for joining in the fun!

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  32. How did I manage to miss this blog fest? I am a games nerd, pure and simple :) I love love love board games and card games and computer games and and and :D

    This sounds like an awesome game, I love this publisher, they have brought out so many fantastic games already here, so I am definitely in.

    Going to post about games in a blog post next week, to compensate for missing this blogfest! :)

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