Bars and board games go together like bacon and chocolate. It sounds odd at first, but they're a natural pair. In loving tribute to and blatant theft of Eli Smith's excellent Pub-Player's Review* series (with his permission of course), here is the Gaming Drunkard's Pub-Playing Review of Can't Stop.

Game overview:
Can't Stop is the amalgamation of Yahtzee and Press Your Luck. You roll four die, then split them into pairs. Take the total of those pairs and mark your progress under the respective numbered column with temporary markers called "runners". You only have three runners to work with on a given turn, so once all three are on the board, you must roll at least one of those numbers to continue. Otherwise, you bust and all progress made that turn is lost. At any time, you can also stop and replace the runners with permanent markers. The first to the top of a predetermined number of columns is the winner.

For purposes of this review, I was playing with the Face to Face Games "stop sign" edition with rules that differ slightly from the original Parker Brothers edition.

In the Pub!

Components: 9/10
All of Can't Stop's components are plastic--a huge plus where the occasional beer spillage is concerned. All of the markers are brightly colored and easy to discern one from the other save for the green and blue pieces in the darkest of bars. (A little too brightly colored at times--I found after one marathon session the green and orange pieces clashed with the red board enough to cause eye strain.)

Another plus is, like Deluxe Scrabble, each spot on the board is grooved to fit a marker, and the markers are stackable. It takes a good hard bump into the table to knock them out of their grooves, and even then it's pretty easy to guess which spaces they occupied.

Though not vital, I would recommend supplying your own set of white dice. The red dice will occasionally fall of the table and can be tricky to spot on the floor of a darkened room.

Rules: 9/10
This game is best taught through play and just about everybody picks it up in minutes. However, there are a few slight ambiguities in the rules regarding forced use of runners, so it's good to set some ground rules if you or an opponent is a rules lawyer.

Three to Six Factor: 8/10
(The three to six factor is how the game shifts when one player has had three pints while the other has had six)
Strategy is incredibly basic that even the most inebriated player is competitive. The only real effect alcohol has on the game is a player will adopt an increasingly aggressive strategy with each pint. The only downside to this is increased aggressiveness causes more busts and has the potential of throwing a player on tilt.

"What's That?" Factor: 8/10
(the "What's That?" factor is how often people will stop by your table to ask just what the heck you are doing and their reaction after you tell them)
Can't Stop continually builds in tension as the game progresses, so it's sure to draw the attention of a few people. Since the game's basics can be figured out just by watching (or a quick 30-second explanation from a player), you'll find a spectator or two actively cheering decisions to continue rolling.

Social Factor: 9/10
Can't Stop supports up to four players and it doesn't demand your full attention when it's not your turn. Games tend to last about twenty minutes and, tying into the "What's That?" Factor, any spectator will be willing to hop right into the next one. There's no need for strategizing when it's not your turn, and since some turns can take 1-3 minutes, that leaves plenty of time for a bathroom break or bar run without slowing down the game.

The twenty-minute run time also makes this the perfect game for those who like to play for the next pitcher.

Overall:
Can't Stop seems made for the pub. The game is small and easy to carry around, the components are nigh indestructible, and overall it scores high in both fun and accessibility. A great game not just for bar-bound geeks, but everyone.


*Pub-Player's Review Series: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/browser.php?itemtype=thread&art...