Ice Cool Overview | Board Recreation Opinions by Josh

Each every so often, a brand new recreation comes alongside that appears a bit totally different and attracts me again in to say a couple of phrases about it.  Most just lately, that recreation was Ice Cool.

In Ice Cool, gamers take cost of a penguin in a recreation of tag.  Every spherical, one participant performs the position of “catcher” and the opposite gamers are “runners.”  The catcher’s purpose is to hit every of the opposite gamers’ penguins.  The runners, in the meantime, are attempting to efficiently acquire 3 fish by going by means of 3 doorframes on the board (and so they acquire a fish card each time they efficiently undergo a doorframe with certainly one of their fish on it).  As soon as the catcher has hit all of his opponents’ penguins, or a runner has caught all 3 of their very own fish, the spherical is over.  At this level, the catcher takes a fish card for each runner that he efficiently ran in to, plus one for being the catcher.  Then, a brand new spherical is began with one other participant taking the position of catcher.  Whoever has essentially the most factors value of fish playing cards (every card ranges from one to 3) on the finish of the sport wins.

The penguins are weighted on the underside

Clearly, the most effective a part of Ice Cool is the wonky penguins.  The penguins aren’t weighted like a “regular” flicking factor.  I’ve performed PitchCar, Catacombs, Crokinole, Bisikle, and mainly each different flicking recreation that I can get my fingers on, and that is the most important distinction between Ice Cool and people video games – the penguins will not be symmetrical.  What this implies is that you could (attempt to) deliberately make the penguin do odd issues – like bounce over part of the board, or make an arced shot to go round obstacles.  Now, I’m not excellent at this, however I’ve performed it typically sufficient to check somebody getting excellent with these trick photographs.

The subsequent professional that I’ve for Ice Cool (except for it being a dexterity recreation, and thus nice enjoyable by default) is that the one-point fish playing cards aren’t full disappointments.  In most video games the place you get a random rating card for doing effectively, the bottom card sucks, and also you simply stare at it in irritation whenever you acquire it.  In Ice Cool, there is a minor bonus prize for amassing ones – on the finish of your flip, you may flip over two playing cards of worth one to get one other flick.  (You do not lose the factors, both.)  I might nonetheless fairly acquire three level playing cards, however the additional flick can undoubtedly be very helpful.  (Although, it is nonetheless annoying whenever you acquire them because the catcher on the finish of the ultimate spherical.)

Field in a Field image

I must say that my greatest grievance with Ice Cool is one thing that solely ever existed in my thoughts.  After I heard in regards to the recreation, and noticed footage of it, one of many footage I noticed was the “Field in a Field” image.  Now, what this image is attempting to speak is that contained in the field, there are a number of sub-pieces that match collectively.  (In actual fact, you are taking these out and kind the taking part in space, with partitions and such.)  Nonetheless, in my thoughts, I noticed the image and thought, “oh my gosh – how superior is that!  A flicking recreation the place the taking part in floor is not utterly flat, however has totally different angles and stuff!”  That is not a factor – the taking part in floor is flat.  So, whereas I used to be horribly upset with this, it is unlikely one thing that may trouble anybody else!

Does my personally being very unhealthy at making bounce photographs land the place I would like rely as a con?  No?  Oh.

Total, I give Ice Cool a 8.0/10.  It isn’t going to switch PitchCar for me, however it does have sufficient of a distinction to it that I can see myself coming again to it (to not point out that it is a lot lighter and quicker to arrange).

I wish to thank Mind Video games for offering me with a assessment copy of Ice Cool.