[1]Armed with a by now thoroughly creased-from-use map of Manhattan, Usha shivered her way through near-zero degree temperatures of late March to Compleat Strategist on 11 East 33rd Street (between Madison and Fifth Avenue). The store was packed to the rafters with tightly crowded shelves with board games of every genre.
I soaked in the rich visual imagery of everything she described. The other shoppers and what they seemed interested in, the exceptionally well informed person at the counter.
For $19.99 I’m now the proud owner of the Belgian game Mamma, authored by Mario Papini and produced by Zugames. I explored the first of two games in the box, which uses 55 cards. Much like Austrian games of this sort, the graphic art is a pleasure, and the rules of play, elaborate. Playing with six characters, from Grandpa and Grandma through to the Son, you deploy movement and money cards, and plot ways to buy ingredients for dinner. Along the way, there is a school bus you can use to run over characters, and a roving hospital card that flags such occasions! Hosting guests loses you points. Each turn you play involves careful choice from an elaborate protocol of possible moves.
The final showdown happens into the sixth round, during the Dinner Hour. With the right company this will make for a magical evening!
Links:
[1] http://archive.asianage.com/07arupjpg-745