One of the things we like to do here at the Malted Meeple is give some extra attention to our favorite board game publishers and designers. In our monthly Publisher’s Spotlight we provide a bit of a background on the publisher, discuss a few of their games, and may even announce a visit to The Meeple by some of the publisher’s representatives!
In 2012, Arcane Wonders released their flagship game: Mage Wars. Developed by Bryan Pope, Mage Wars pits two or more players against each other in tactical, arcane combat. Many dueling games use a randomized deck of cards to resolve combat. This can cause bad luck or good fortune to unfairly tip the balance in one player’s favor. One of the unique things about Mage Wars is its use of the spell book mechanic. With the spell book, players have access to their entire deck every turn. This offers players many more tactical choices over the course of the game, leading to a much more fulfilling game experience.
Today Mage Wars has numerous expansions and has branched off into two separate game formats. The classic game has been retitled as Mage Wars: Arena and offers players a plethora of new and interesting mages each with their own unique abilities and play style.
Mage Wars: Academy on the other hand offers players who are new to Mage Wars experience the opportunity to learn the game through a much more approachable format. Mage Wars: Academy is also fully compatible with Mage Wars: Arena, so when players feel they are ready, they can step into the arena and test their might against other mages.
Arcane Wonders also publishes a line known as “The Dice Tower Essentials”. These are games which Tom Vasel of the Dice Tower Network believes every gamer should have in their collection. The flagship game of the Dice Tower Essentials line is Sheriff of Nottingham.
In Sheriff, players take on the role of merchants of questionable integrity, trying to bring their legal and not-so-legal goods to market. Each player also take turns as the sheriff and try to catch the other players sneaking contraband into the market. Players are encouraged to bribe, make deals, and lie to the sheriff. If the players are caught with contraband, then the players must pay a penalty to the sheriff. If the players were telling the truth then the sheriff must pay the player.
Sheriff of Nottingham is a favorite here at The Meeple, and has also been featured as Ravenwood Castle’s Game of the Month. The next time you visit us at the Malted Meeple, grab some mead and play a game by Arcane Wonders!
Karington Hess is a lifelong gamer whose passions for hospitality and all things game-related led him to Ravenwood Castle, where he served as an Innkeeper before joining The Malted Meeple. When not pouring beers, crafting milkshakes, or teaching boardgames, Karington can be found behind the DM’s screen, weaving intricate stories for his fellow gamers.