Star Deck Card Game
From: Fleet Games Inc.
Reviewed by: Ron McClung
Star Deck Card Game is a new card game from Fleet Games, Inc..
Star Deck is a two player game of cards where you build your own starship with the cards provided in your own deck and then attack your enemy. This game appeared to me at first as a collectible card game wanna-be. The cards did not overly impress me because most were stock-pictures from the NASA archives of our solar system, and I was not sure what that had to do with the game. The fact that is is an award winning game (2005 Preferred Choice Award by Creative Child Magazine) encouraged me, however.
From rules page # 1: “Combine your cards to create the highest Weapons Power in order to defeat your opponent’s starship…”
The decks are basically color-coded versions of a regular deck of cards with 8 extra Power Cards, which represent defensive capabilities in the Star Deck Starship game. Each card depicts a picture of our sun, planet from our solar system, nebulas, or other galaxies with interesting trivia about them along the bottom. These have no bearing in the game and are simply for educational value.
In set up, each player takes a deck and builds their starship. There are eight card piles each player creates to represent his ship – 3 ship’s weapons piles, a bridge pile, a hull pile, and 3 ship’s engines piles. Each pile has 3 cards. The remaining cards are mixed with the power cards and create the Energy Pile, from which you draw your hand.
In each round, the player plays a card on his ship’s weapons pile and, through some simple math, determines damage dealt to the opponent. The target can either play one of the special power cards, if he has one, or take the damage. Taking the damage means that he turns over cards in the targeted area, adding them up until the total equals or exceeds the total damage. If the three cards in the section are not enough to absorb it, he must move on to the next section of his ship.
Interestingly, although the game comes with two decks, more than two can play with the purchase of more decks. So, although it does not have the true nature of the collectible card game, it still has that requirement of each player having their own deck. You can take that any way you want to.
In conclusion, basically this is really just an advanced kids’ game with some entertaining aspects and gimmicks. It targets math skills for kids in the way it deals damage – one way for 6 – 8 year olds and another for 9 and up. It also targets science skills for kids with the stellar body pictures and the trivia. I found that a little gimmicky but a smart marketing technique. The game itself is straight forward and simple. It can be fun as a time killer or something you can play with the kids. It is a fairly fast game so young kids with low attention spans can play it easily. I would recommend this game to any gaming family with kids.
For more details on Fleet Games Inc. and their new Card Game “Star Deck Card Game” check them out at their website http://www.fleetgames.com, and at all of your local game stores.
Star Deck Card Game
From: Fleet Games Inc.
Type of Game: Card Game
Written by: Sam Bromet
Number of Pages: 1 page rules
Game Components Included: Two decks of 60 cards
Retail Price: $ 7.95 (US)
Number of Players: 2 (or more if additional decks are bought)
Player Ages: 6+
Play Time: 30+
Website: www.fleetgames.com
Reviewed by: Ron McClung