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 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!
This month, we shine our Publisher’s Spotlight on our new friends from R&R Games Inc. R&R Games is currently headquartered in Tampa, Florida and was established in 1996 by founder Frank DiLorenzo. They are committed to providing the best play experiences possible by offering engaging and challenging toys and games that will bring people together to have fun and create lifelong memories.
The true beginnings of R&R Games where when founder Frank DiLorenzo had an idea to provide his gatherings of families and friends with a fun new form of entertainment. Frank created Riddles & Riches, a treasure hunting game that provides an investigation and exploration pursuit experience. The game was so well received that Frank was encouraged to pursue his passion and lifelong dream of designing and publishing games on a full-time basis. This dream was realized with the establishment of R&R Games in 1996.
Something that sets R&R Games apart from the rest of the gaming industry is that they have long been known as the kings of the party games. Their most famous party game titles include: Times Up!, You Must Be an Idiot!, and Smarty Party. These games have been in print for eighteen years and have a rabid fan base that eagerly await each new expansion from these popular titles. In fact, in delivering the games that people want to play, they have created lifelong friends and ambassadors through fans that they have met from all over the world. R&R Games also takes to time to meet with future designers and encourages them to succeed in their passion for game development.
While R&R Games has already established themselves as a publisher of amazing party games, over the last eight years, R&R has also become known for releasing some tremendous strategy games. Their game Hanabi, which won Game of the Year in 2013, is a Malted Meeple favorite and sees play often. Their other recent titles in their strategy line, Ulm and Touria, have also been well received.
The folks at R&R Games understand that while working in the gaming industry it is important to have fun! One small fact about their company that sets them apart is that each of their games features a puzzle hunt, complete with prizes if you can successfully solve the riddles contained within their rulebooks! There is also a grand prize if you can guess what R&R stands for!
We look forward to seeing their next strategy game releases: Dragon Island and Rajas of the Ganges. Dragon Island designed by Mike Fitzgerald was recently demonstrated at Origins and was well received.
The next time you visit The Malted Meeple, be sure to ask your Game Master for their favorite game from R&R Games!
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.