Game Masters in Pittsburgh

Today we dropped into Game Masters. Our friend Garett had pointed out the place on New Years, when we were en route to brunch. We love board games, so I’ve been waiting for a free day to check it out.

We just wanted to drop in and look around, but we ended up talking with the owner, Phil, for over an hour.

Phil likes to tell jokes. He pointed at one game, Scoville, and told us about one of his tweets. I found it when I got home:

Anyways, we hadn’t planned on buying anything, but a few things caught our eye.

His daughter talked at length about Love Letter. As they described it, I realized it was the same premise as Munchkin Loot Letter, which my friend Mike Springer had introduced to me at GASP (Gaming Association of Southwestern Pennsylvania). I’ve wanted Loot Letter for a while now, so I had to pick it up.

Second was Forbidden Desert. The steampunk aesthetic was too hard to pass up. Publisher's game description:

Gear up for a thrilling adventure to recover a legendary flying machine buried deep in the ruins of an ancient desert city. You’ll need to coordinate with your teammates and use every available resource if you hope to survive the scorching heat and relentless sandstorm. Find the flying machine and escape before you all become permanent artifacts of the forbidden desert!

In Forbidden Desert, a thematic sequel to Forbidden Island, players take on the roles of brave adventurers who must throw caution to the wind and survive both blistering heat and blustering sand in order to recover a legendary flying machine buried under an ancient desert city. While featuring cooperative gameplay similar to Forbidden Island, Forbidden Desert is a fresh new game based around an innovative set of mechanisms, such as an ever-shifting board, individual resource management, and a unique method for locating the flying machine parts.

Usually I play aggressively with Leslie, so I think she appreciated that the game was co-op against the board. I also prefer games that keep everyone involved until it’s over, since it’s no fun to sit out when you lose.

Finally, a small pendant caught my eye. It’s a game counter, which I don’t have any use for, but I loved the aesthetic.

If you’re in the Pittsburgh area, check them out at http://www.gamemasterspgh.com/