Game: Easter Island

Thread: Night of the Two Actions Part 1

Gnomekin — 2008-06-27T18:19:20+00:00

Last night, without intending it, Abe and I had the Night of Two Actions. Every game we played had each player play two actions on their turn. We didn’t plan it that way. It just happened.

We started out the evening with Easter Island, which I had just gotten. I was a little leery of Easter Island because Twilight Creations tends to create games that just don’t quite make it for me. Well, with the exception of Zombie Town whose rules were so badly written that trying to play was just a horrible experience. However, while it has gotten no buzz on the boards, the few people who do speak of it say that Easter Island is a solid brain burner.

So, I bit the bullet and got the game.

Let me tell you, Easter Island comes with a theme that wouldn’t be out of place in James Ernst’s library. Two dueling wizards are placing and shifting the giant head statues of Easter Island to fire beams of solar energy out of their eyes and destroy each other’s statues. Wow, it really did come from the late, late show. The game could have been given a theme of spaceship battles and made a lot more sense. However, then, you wouldn’t get the cool big head statue pawns.

And, at least for the first two games, Easter Island turned out to be a pretty darn cunning game. I like perfect information abstracts. I like chess and go and hive and the GIPF Project. Easter Island can go on that list.

On your turn, you can place or move or rotate the statues on the board. You can also place a sun token that will fire the bouncing laser beams but not on the same turn that you placed it. The game is all about set up and thinking at least three steps ahead. You get two moves each turn but, let me tell you, you keep wanting to get a third move in.

I won the first game and Abe won the second. It will definitely come back out on the table.

Thread: Re: Is there anything negitive about this game??

The Jakster — 2008-04-18T16:24:21+00:00

Cinnibar wrote:
One player always loses?

Fine with me as long as I´m not the one!

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Meat — 2008-04-14T03:27:01+00:00

Closeup of the statues

Thread: Re: It's A Mystery You Don't Hear More About This Game.

JustaNewbie — 2008-04-04T06:10:02+00:00

Thanks for a great summary of the rules. I just bought the game ($2.50) my FLGS was having a sale 90% this week and i was planning to give this as a gift, but it sounds pretty good. I may just keep it.

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Meat — 2008-03-16T04:58:28+00:00

Gameplay closeup

Thread: Re: This game needs a twist.

molnar — 2007-11-26T19:36:15+00:00

What I like best about the game is the variety of options one has on each turn, and having to make the sometime tough decision on what's best. I think that by designating one piece the king you'd lose that. Yes, you'd still have just as many options, but fewer of them would be worth considering.

Thread: This game needs a twist.

ryanmaesen — 2007-11-26T18:17:58+00:00

It's a cool game. I love strategy games and this one works great. But, I kinda wish there was a goal other than toppling over statues, like protect the king or something. I found myself not caring too much about the statues and if they survived or were crushed to dust by the power of the sun.

Maybe if you had one statue that was declared the "King" statue and if destroyed it would cost you the game. I think that would add a great dynamic to the game. I haven't tryed it yet, just brain storming.

I guess you could take a marker and color the base of your statue to declare it King. Or paint the whole thing if you've got the motivation. One silver and the other gold?

What do you think?

Anyone have any other ideas?

Thread: Re: Is there anything negitive about this game??

toddbreitenstein — 2007-11-21T13:51:45+00:00

While I see what you are saying, (and I can't disagree with you) I actually think this is one of the strengths of the game as well. One of the things I really like about Easter Island is that people DO get better at it. Yes, you will make mistakes, but they do happen less often and are often less harmful the more that you play.
This game rocks!
Todd
Twilight Creations, Inc.

Fantomius wrote:
ryanmaesen wrote:
Is there a dark side to this game??
My biggest complaint about this game is that it's easy to make an obvious mistake that costs you the game.

It's almost as if the winner of the game is the one who doesn't make the first mistake.

The good news is that these mistakes usually decrease once the players have played two or three games. But the first time the game is played it's almost inevitable that game-costing blunders will be made.

(If I haven't made it obvious by now, it's my opinion that this game is definitely better after the first few plays.)

Thread: Re: Is there anything negitive about this game??

Fantomius — 2007-11-20T20:50:22+00:00

ryanmaesen wrote:
Is there a dark side to this game??
My biggest complaint about this game is that it's easy to make an obvious mistake that costs you the game.

It's almost as if the winner of the game is the one who doesn't make the first mistake.

The good news is that these mistakes usually decrease once the players have played two or three games. But the first time the game is played it's almost inevitable that game-costing blunders will be made.

(If I haven't made it obvious by now, it's my opinion that this game is definitely better after the first few plays.)

Thread: Re: Is there anything negitive about this game??

Cinnibar — 2007-11-20T19:41:22+00:00

One player always loses?

Thread: Is there anything negitive about this game??

ryanmaesen — 2007-11-20T19:08:44+00:00

Just curious if anyone has anything negitive to say about this game. It sounds like everyone has had possitive experience. Is there a dark side to this game??

Thread: Re: It's A Mystery You Don't Hear More About This Game.

Randy Cox — 2007-10-19T13:58:29+00:00

Thanks for the review. It was great--and plenty to tell me I don't want to get this one.

Thread: Re: It's A Mystery You Don't Hear More About This Game.

Sagrilarus — 2007-10-12T19:26:35+00:00

An interesting review, but I can't help but think there's more on your mind. You should take a bit more time and go deeper.

Sag.

Thread: It's A Mystery You Don't Hear More About This Game.

MENAREUS2000 — 2007-10-12T18:01:37+00:00

The real Easter Island, is best know for the giant stone monoliths, known as Moai, that surround the island.. Easter Island has long been the subject of curiosity and speculation. How and why did its inhabitants carve and transport these massive statues. "Easter Island", the game, provides it's own interpretation of how and why it all came to be, in a battle to destroy your opponent's statues.

THE STORY:

This game speculates that the statues were in fact beam weapons, created by two powerful wizards and that these wizards used the statues in a giant game, with the island itself as the board.

THE GOAL:

To destroy your opponent's statues while protecting your own..

COMPONENTS:

1) Quad Folding Game Board, with a grid of 25 points at it's center and 20 Sun Token circles that surround the entire grid. Don't think it's an actual map of Easter Island but it certainly serves the purpose.

14) Statues - 7 colored black and 7 colored grey. Note that these are mini little replicas of the actual statues found on Easter Island and are quite attractive and really add to the theme of the game.

16) Sun Tokens - Each player gets 8 Sun Tokens in their color and each has a picture of the sun on the other side. These are small round cardboard pieces.

SET-UP:

Each player chooses a color and takes all the statues and tokens of that color. Players then alternate placing a statue on one of the intersecting points of the center grid, until each players have four statues on the board.

THE RULES:

On the starting players very first turn, they choose 1 of five possible actions. On all other turns, each player can then choose any 2 of the same five actions, including repeating the same action twice.

THE ACTIONS:

1) Place another statue on the board.
2) Place a Sun Token on any empty sun token spot that surrounds the board. Once placed, this token may never be moved.
3) Rotate 1 Statue in place, either 90 or 180 degrees.
4) Move 1 Statue in a straight line any number of intersections, provided you don't jump over any other statues.
5) Direct a ray from one of your Sun Token by turning it over with the Sun side up. Once used, this Sun Token may not be used again.

There are only 2 restrictions of the use of the Sun Tokens.

1) A sun ray cannot be directed if it will involve contact with the active player's statue put in play during the same turn.

2) A sun ray cannot be directed from a Sun Token that was put into play during the same turn.

EFFECTS OF THE SUN RAY:

Like a pinball machine, sun rays once activated (by turning them sun side up) shoot a an invisible ray of light in a straight line that can bounce around the board. The statues themselves serve as targets or bumpers, that send the light in different directions. There are a total of four sides where a Statue can be hit . From the front, (face side), back, or either one of the two sides of it's face. Depending upon where the ray of light hits the statue, the statue will either be destroyed (yours or your opponent's) or it will send the light off in a different direction. Any statue hit in the front or back is automatically destroyed and removed from the game. When it's hit from either side, the ray of light is sent off once again at a 90 degree angle.

Statues are also destroyed under the following 2 circumstances.

1) The Statue is the only one or the last one hit by the sun ray.
2) The same Statue reflects the same race twice, thus being hit on both of it's sides.

END OF GAME:

The game ends when one player has only 1 Statue remaining on the board. Even if the player has more Statues that can still be brought into play, the same is still over. The player with 2 or more Statues still on the board wins. It's noted in the rules that in very rare cases, no more rays can be sent, in which case the player with the most Statues on the board wins. If both players have the same amount of Statues left, than the last player to have placed a Statue on the board wins.

THOUGHTS ON THE GAME:

Make no mistake about it, this is a game that involves pure skill. In spite of the Easter Island board and pretty pieces, this is an abstract strategy game all the way. Will you enjoy it? That depends. If you enjoy games that require looking ahead quite a bit, or if your the type of player that enjoys the battle of maneuvering of pieces, as in chess, then this will be what you've been waiting for. It's not chess, but I think the comparison is well taken. It's all definitely unique, interesting and fun.

Arthur Reilly

Thread: Re: Why is This Game as Little Known as the Island?

ccarlet1 — 2007-06-26T15:25:38+00:00

Thanks. I have corrected that to read "without."

Thread: Re: Why is This Game as Little Known as the Island?

Meat — 2007-06-25T17:12:21+00:00

ccarlet1 wrote:
d) Move a statue in a straight line, with rotating it or jumping over existing statues. This is very useful for defence or offence, or turning defence into offence.
I believe you mean "without rotating it..."

Other than that, nice review of a game that deserves more play.

Thread: Re: Why is This Game as Little Known as the Island?

RichardC — 2007-06-21T21:17:26+00:00

I put all my game bits in a zip-lock bag to keep from fishing for them...

Thread: Re: Why is This Game as Little Known as the Island?

StyxParadox — 2007-06-21T18:55:54+00:00

I also love this game. It is one of the games that I can get my wife to play. I recomend this game as a good quick two player game. It fits in the whole genre of "easy to learn, hard to master".

Thread: Re: Why is This Game as Little Known as the Island?

ccarlet1 — 2007-06-21T18:05:39+00:00

Thanks. It really is a very cool little game--it makes you think without hurting your head.

As a bonus, it is one of the few games I can win at against my wife!!

Thread: Re: Why is This Game as Little Known as the Island?

volnon — 2007-06-21T17:36:40+00:00

I need to dig this game out and play it! I own it and have never given it a go- but your excellent review is motivating me to get it on the table!

I do remember being impressed by the contents - very nice statues, as well as the wonderful art of the board.

Good job!

Thread: Re: Why is This Game as Little Known as the Island?

GaryP — 2007-06-21T16:21:13+00:00

Fishing for Moai is a great album title!

Very good review, too! =) You've certainly got me interested in finding out more about the game.

Thread: Why is This Game as Little Known as the Island?

ccarlet1 — 2007-06-21T01:44:40+00:00

Okay, I'm sure that other people have played this game this month, but only two of us have logged games. The point being that this game appears to be little known, but deserves to be much better known.

When I first read about this game, it didn't appear very promising because the idea of Moai shooting lasers out of their eyes seemed just silly. Moreover, as a big Zombies!!! fan, this game did not seem typical of Twilight Creations line-up.

But my wife got me Easter Island for my birthday, and I was very impressed. It's a very good brain-burner, with lots of choice, but not AP prone. It also plays quickly and is great if you want a quick, highly satisfying abstract.

Bits:

The Moai statues (7 of each colour) are pretty cool--plastic receations of the famous statues from Easter Island. The board is an aerial view of an island (I have no idea how closely it resembles Easter Island) with a grid with 25 intersections superimposed on it; also included are 16 tokens (8 of each colour) depicting the sun.

The components are of very good quality, but the box is rather odd. It has an insert with a holder for the components, but unfortunately it is not closed, so every time you open the box, you get to fish for Moais under the insert.

Set Up:

Other than having to fish for the Moai, set up is very quick, with each player receiving 7 Moai and eight tokens.

Rules/Play:

The theme of the game is that the statues fire laser beams when controlled by wizards, so the goal of the game is to reduce your opponent to only one statue. This is a very strange theme, but you soon forget about it when you get playing.

The game begins by players alternately placing statues on the grid until each has placed four. When placing your initial statues, you need to consider how they could eliminate your opponent's.

The statues have triangular bases, with their base parallel with the back of the statue. The other two sides of the triangle can reflect the sun beams indicated by the tokens, but the apex of the triangle and the base (or front and back of the statue) cannot.

The sun tokens are placed on the perimeter of a circle that encloses the grid, with 20 spots available. When the token is flipped, a beam of light (imaginary) travels directly from the token. If it encounters the front or back of a statue, that statue is eliminated. The beam refelcts off the sides of a stutue at a 90 degree angle, and can reflect a number of times before eliminating a statue. Aside from receiving a beam on its apex or base, a statue can also be eliminated when the beam reflected off it goes off the grid without encountering another statue. The statue is also eliminated if a single beam reflects off both of its sides in the course of its travels.

I was very surprised at how easily this idea works when you play, and it is much easier to play than explain. From our first play we had no difficulty visualizing potential paths of light reflecting around the board.

There are five actions and you can take two of them on your turn, including repeats (exception: after the initial statue placement, the first player only gets one action). The actions are:

a) Place another statue on the board. You only get seven statues and four of them are placed initially. Placing them is critical as you lose when you only have one statue left on the board, regardless of how many you have in reserve. You may not palce a statue and direct a beam with that same statue in the same turn.

b) Place a sun token. These are placed face down on one of the 20 points aligned with the grid. They are not activated until they are flipped over, so placing them can really put your opponent in a bind. You may not direct a beam from a token in the same turn you placed it.

c) Rotate a statue 90 or 180 degrees. This is very useful as a potential beam can be redirected to harm your opponent instead of you.

d) Move a statue in a straight line, without rotating it or jumping over existing statues. This is very useful for defence or offence, or turning defence into offence.

e) Direct a beam from a token. When the token is flipped over, a beam travels in a straight line and is reflected accordingly. No token may be placed over top of it, and it cannot be reactivated in any way.

The game ends when one of the players only has one statue on the board, regardless of any he has in reserve, or if no beams can be sent, then the player with the most statues on the board wins.

Strategy/Tactics:

There are lots of possibilities on your turn, enough that you never get the feeling of having missed the single best tactic, and that is one of the qualities I really enjoy about this game.

Having statues in the middle of the board is important, as they can often find protection from beams by getting behind other statues; however, since tokens can be placed on all four sides of the board, they are far from immune. Still, statues in the middle of board are also good for redirecting beams on more complicated paths.

The edge of the board is also important as these statues can send the beams from tokens placed near the edge to the middle of the board. You have to be careful about the corners though. If you get hemmed in by other statues, you are a sitting duck.

Placing tokens adroitly can really put your opponent on the run or get you out of a jam. I find that placing two tokens, each directed at a vulnerable statue, can force your opponent on to the defensive, and give you an edge. They spend their whole turn getting away from your tokens, and then you have yet another turn to creat greater threats by moving your statues, or you get to capture at least one of your opponents.

Having said that, it is not a good idea to devote your entire turn to defence. Placing a statue, moving one, or rotating one can often turn your opponent's ammunition against him, neutralizing his token, and allowing you to do something with yours. The tokens cannot be moved once placed, so the more of your opponent's you can neutralize the more powerless he is.

Moreover, any statue put in a position where its only way to avoid capture is to move and rotate, is likely going to be sacrificed, as devoting an entire turn to evasion for one statue is not very efficient.

Once a token has ben flipped and used, it becomes a safe haven, especially if you can get your statues between a used token and your opponent's or your own statue, or between two used tokens.

Of course nothing is permanent in this game, which is highly tactical. It is all about getting just a little edge on your opponent. Our games have always been close.

Also, it is worthwhile to keep in mind that you only have to bring your opponent down to one staute on the board. If you can keep them really busy, they may not have the chance to add statues to the board, and you can get them down to one statue while they still have a couple in reserve.

Finally, it is important not to be too cheap with your tokens. Their placement determines your opponent's moves, so I try to get 5 or 6 of them out pretty quickly, such that they cover all four sides of the board, covering both edges and the middle.

Conclusion:

I am not a huge fan of abstracts, but I find Easter Island very appealing. Its a brain burner, but also a very fluid game, in which there always seems to be room to try something, or to turn things around. While there are usually quite a number of choices on your turn, there always seems to be more than one good one, so we haven't found that sinking feeling of having made a wrong move that lost, or won, us the game.

While not as elegant as Hive, I rank Easter Island equally high in terms of filling the need for quick, stimulating abstract.

I rate this game a 9.

Thread: Re: Stalemate?

toddbreitenstein — 2007-06-18T20:09:54+00:00

Hi Andy,
Thanks for writing in. I have been wondering about you.
Todd
Twilight Creations, Inc.

Thread: Re: Stalemate?

Andy Parsons — 2007-06-17T14:06:37+00:00

I am honour-bound to report that I have had two more, enjoyable games of Easter Island and the stalemate issue has not recurred. Perhaps my defensive play is not what it was.

Thread: Re: Stalemate?

toddbreitenstein — 2007-06-10T12:47:25+00:00

Hi Andy,
I guess I can see what you are saying. I have just never seen it happen. Then again, there are lots of things I haven't seen...LOL
Todd
Twilight Creations, Inc.

Thread: Re: Stalemate?

Andy Parsons — 2007-06-06T19:05:41+00:00

Todd,

I think there's the rub. As the player left with two pieces while my opponent has three, my priority is to avoid losing that one more piece that will lose me the game. Negative play, certainly, but perfectly permissable. There are inevitably few face down sun disks left and my opponent has so few pieces that I think a stalemate (or something tiresomely close) is achievable, even given the requirement to perform two actions each turn.

Thread: Re: Stalemate?

toddbreitenstein — 2007-06-05T12:56:58+00:00

Okay Andy, now I'm confused. How could you still have face down Sun Tokens? Each player MUST take two actions per turn. If each player is actively trying to win there would never be unused Sun Tokens on the board.
Todd
Twilight Creations, Inc.

Thread: Re: Stalemate?

Andy Parsons — 2007-06-04T20:29:21+00:00

Todd,

Thanks for replying. I'll certainly give Easter Island a go with a real opponent.

All the same, I'm interested in what you say about rules being included to deal with a stalemate situation. Are you referring to the "If no more rays can be sent..." rule? If so, that didn't resolve my stalemates, there were still face down sun tokens.

Thread: Re: Stalemate?

toddbreitenstein — 2007-06-04T11:38:52+00:00

Hello Andy,
First off, thanks for writing. Easter Island is an excellent game and I wish it were more well known.

As for your question, of all the games I have seen and played a "stalemate" has only occured once. It can happen and rules are included to deal with that situation. But realistically, even if both players are evenly matched, there should be a clear winner most of the time.

I think the problem you are seeing originates in that you (as the only player) have a very concrete understanding of your "opponents" stratagy. Under normal playing conditions, your opponent's options are too varied for you to have a clear picture of their true intentions.

Do me a favor and play the game with a couple of different opponents before making a final decision on this one. I think you will like the outcome.

Thanks again for writing and let me know if you have any further questions.

Todd A. Breitenstein
Twilight Creations, Inc.

Thread: Stalemate?

Andy Parsons — 2007-06-03T18:14:00+00:00

I recently bought Easter Island and have played a couple of games solitaire. It strikes me that with well matched opponents (myself and I), an end game in which there are only four or five pieces left on the board is quite likely. In such circumstances, it is really difficult to force a capture and the game can go on and on and on. Has anyone else found this or am I missing something?

Thread: Re: Abstract Fun!

volnon — 2007-05-13T13:40:47+00:00

I have a copy of this game, too. Not free, though, so I can state that is is decently priced and worth having in your collection!

But then, I am a sucker for all laser-shooting statue games!

Thread: Re: Abstract Fun!

ccarlet1 — 2007-05-13T05:07:13+00:00

This is a really great game. It deserves to be much better known.

Thread: Abstract Fun!

sdonohue — 2007-05-13T04:07:55+00:00

Easter Island is an abstract strategy game with moai statues shooting lasers as the theme.

Components
16 sun tokens in two colors, 14 statues again in two colors, and a game board. The board is basically a 5 x 5 set of instructions with 20 circles for the sun tokens, one at the end of each line.

Setting/Theme
The theme is that you are a wizard controlling the statues. Your goal is to place sun tokens and then use your statues to focus them and destroy your opponents statues.

Rules
The game play is pretty simple. First, the players alternate placing statues on the board until each has placed 4. Then the turns begin. There are five actions to choose from each turn: you can bring on a new statue, move a statue (any distance as long as it is a straight line and you don’t reach another statue), rotate a statue 90 degrees, place a sun token or flip a sun token. You can’t flip a token you’ve just placed or flip a token to hit a statue you’ve just placed. The first player to reduce his opponent to one statue on the board, regardless of how many have been destroyed is the winner.
When the sun hits a statue, the statue either deflects the light or gets destroyed. If the light enters from the side, it goes out through the eyes (turning 90 degrees). If it hits from the back or front, or from both sides (due to reflections) then the statue is destroyed. If the beam leaves the board without otherwise destroying a statue, then the last statue that deflected it is destroyed.
Each of the spaces for a sun token may be used only once, so flipped sun tokens are left on the board and can be used to create safe zones.

Production
The components are of good quality, as I’ve come to expect from Twilight Creations. The statues look good and are of a soft plastic. The artwork is nice.

Recommendation
I really enjoy Easter Island. I’ve heard the comparisons to Khet, but they don’t really work. Not only is Easter Island a much older game, but it is very different strategically – the board is a completely different shape and the goal is different.

I highly recommend Easter Island to anyone who enjoys abstracts.

(Note: I received my copy free from the publisher but not for review purposes)

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Verti — 2007-04-10T09:14:02+00:00

Thread: Moai: Move Options Ad Infinitum

ccarlet1 — 2007-03-04T20:00:33+00:00

When I first read about this game, I thought that trying to visualize a bunch of beams zipping around the board might cause brain strain rather than a good healthy brain burn.

Well there is plenty of the best kind of brain burn in this game: there are many move options on your turn, but not the AP that comes with finding exactly the one move. There seems to be lots of good possibilities, as if you are managing a range of possibilities rather than fretting about making the wrong move.

My wife and I have played this game about 8 times, and I think I still have a lot to learn.

Moai Placement:

The many options begin here. The game is about being able to eliminate your opponent's Moai by tracing an imaginary line from one of your sun disks (placed on the edge of the circular playing area) so that it hits or reflects on to the vulnerable side of one of your opponent's statues, so initial placement is important.

In placing the Maoi, I try to place them in the middle of the rows, to force my opponent to place hers more towards the end of that row if she wants to use it. Also it is a good idea to place in any row that is empty, or anywhere that is going to give you an immediate kill.

Of course you also will inevitably be leaving yourself open. I felt that I managed to get my Moai spread out across the board, and had effectively cut the board down the middle.

The Game:

I went first and placed a disk. The next few turns followed a pattern of evading the most recently placed disk and then placing another.

Then we each took a Moai. Then the game became one of looking for a break, which can come in several forms. Obviously the best is to be able to capture an opponents Moai, without them being able to take one of yours. Another is force them for a succession of turns to evade only while you get ahead of them on placed disks. Another is to get an extra statue on the board, although sometimes this is a disadvantage as you are putting out an extra target (depending on how many disks your opponent has out). Also, boxing a Moai in so they can't escape can assure you a kill.

I managed to capture one of Penny's staues and get an extra statue on the board over the next few turns, so I felt I had an edge.

By the time Penny had placed another Moai on the board, I only had one disk left to place. As most of the disks had not been turned over, however, I still felt that I had her on the run.

Penny then captured on of my Moai, but I answered by taking out two of hers, making the score 4-2. Penny then got the rest of her Moai on the board, while I still had one left to place. I had all of my disks on the board while Penny still had two left to go.

She then took two of my Moai, and I answered by taking one of hers, leaving the score at 5-4.

Now I only had to take one of her Moai to win, which I did.

I think my advantage came in being able to get my disks out earlier; thus limiting Penny's movement. This game was a little different in that we didn't end up with a big crowd of Moai in the corner beaming away at each other, as often happens. When that happens, you can really smell the wood burning.

I don't think a session report can really give you the full idea of how good a mental exercise this game is. I am not a huge fan of abstracts, but I am a big fan of how well this one plays.

Thread: Re: Video exploration and review

kristopherjwolff — 2007-03-03T01:56:55+00:00

I think he was talking about Khet: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/16991

Thread: Re: Video exploration and review

Smuker — 2007-02-09T16:01:35+00:00

You mentioned in the beginning of this video other games wich uses the same climax and some games wich uses the same mechanics. I can't find the games. Can you right the full Name of them with the author and producers down? That would be great.

Thx
Andreas

Thread: Re: Easter Island Production for Germany?

Smuker — 2007-02-07T14:34:19+00:00

It's a pity, but it helps. So if there isn't a launch in the next months I have to buy the english version.

Thread: Re: Easter Island Production for Germany?

toddbreitenstein — 2007-02-02T15:00:51+00:00

As far as I know, there are currently no plans to produce a German version of the game.
I hope that helps,
Todd A. Breitenstein
Twilight Creations, Inc.

Thread: Easter Island Production for Germany?

Smuker — 2007-01-26T13:25:24+00:00

Does somebody know any information about publishing this game in germany?

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Schlotto — 2006-11-14T05:53:22+00:00

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simonh — 2006-10-29T01:53:40+00:00

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simonh — 2006-10-29T00:55:30+00:00

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Gonzaga — 2006-10-27T10:42:14+00:00

Makro shot (Essen 2006)

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Gonzaga — 2006-10-25T13:28:38+00:00

Essen 2006

Thread: Easter Island: A mind crasher for two

barnyams36 — 2006-10-16T14:56:52+00:00

I could try this game with its author in the II Boardgame National Meeting in Cordoba, Spain. Roberto Fraga is the author of some "not so serious" games, like "The Dance of the Eggs", "Trötofant" or "Squad Seven". But clearly this guy knows how to make your brain crash.

Basically, it is an abstract game for 2 players (completely abstract, the theme could have been "the men with x-ray in his eyes"), in which you control the famous statues of Easter Island, the Moais. These estatues are able to reflect the sun rays from its sides, but not he ones they receive from the back or in front.

So the basic idea is to position your estatues in the 5x5 grid of the island, with the appropiate orientation, in order to destroy the estatues of your opponent. The board shows the island, with a grid of 5x5 places to put the estatues. Around the island, there are 20 positions for the sun. Each player gets 7 estatues and 8 sun-chips. At the beggining, 4 estatues are put wherever you like.

In your turn, you can make two of the following (repeating if you want).

a) Move an estatue following a straight line as many steps as you like, without changing its orientation. No jumping is allowed.
b) Turn one of your estatues to a different orientation.
c) Put a new estatue into play (if you still have in your reservoir)
d) Place a sun-chip face down in any available position.
e) Turn the sun chip in order to create the sun ray that will kill an estatue. This cannot be done in the same turn in which you have put the sun chip face down.

That is all. It may seem simple, but it really takes time to force your opponent to be in a loser position for the estatue, because just a minor change in the orientation of one of them may change completely the direction of the ray. It is important to note that the reflection is 90º, meaning that a ray coming from any side (left or right) of the estatue, will be reflected in the direction of the big nose of it. If a ray hits the estatue in the face or in the back, it cannot be reflected, and the estatue leaves the board. This is clearly represented by the triangular base of the estatues used in the game.

Another important point is that the when a sun-chip is placed face down, it is just a menace. You should take your movements knowing what could happen if it is turned, but it is not a real ray until the owner of the chip decides to turn it face up.

The game is really a good brain burner, since you have to calculate many times the different trajectories of the rays. One your sun chips can very easyly be a menace for yourself with just a rotation of a estatue!

Components are good enough, with plastic estatues and a board just representing the island.

I have found it to be a very nice abstract game for two players. The theme is just to add a nice presentation, but the game itself is really nice.

Thread: Re: Video exploration and review

Esarel — 2006-09-26T02:08:38+00:00

snicholson wrote:

My underlying goal is to help people get a much better feel of the the game before they put down their money. I don't see myself as trying to convince people to buy a certain game; instead, I want to present what the game has to offer and let them make a more informed decision.

I tend to be a "buyer" in our game group and know what it's like to buy something with too little information.

I think you are doing a great job of it. I have decided to buy a bunch of games based on your vlogs, decided not to buy a bunch of others, and been pretty happy with the results.

Thread: Re: Video exploration and review

snicholson — 2006-09-24T19:50:29+00:00

Swiggan wrote:
Once again, great stuff Scott!

In this case, your review convinced me that I DIDN'T want to buy the game (which is really just as good as convincing me that I do). I discovered your vlogs only about a month ago, and now I'm always looking forward to the next one. Keep it up!

-Dave

My underlying goal is to help people get a much better feel of the the game before they put down their money. I don't see myself as trying to convince people to buy a certain game; instead, I want to present what the game has to offer and let them make a more informed decision.

I tend to be a "buyer" in our game group and know what it's like to buy something with too little information.

Thread: Re: Video exploration and review

Swiggan — 2006-09-24T18:59:10+00:00

Once again, great stuff Scott!

In this case, your review convinced me that I DIDN'T want to buy the game (which is really just as good as convincing me that I do). I discovered your vlogs only about a month ago, and now I'm always looking forward to the next one. Keep it up!

-Dave

Thread: Video exploration and review

snicholson — 2006-09-24T13:31:00+00:00

I did a 10-minute video exploration and review of Easter Island as an episode of Board Games with Scott.

It's a 2-player abstractish game best for those whom like puzzles.

You can watch this video review at

http://www.boardgameswithscott.com/?p=47

Image

Jasonofindy — 2006-09-13T16:23:51+00:00

Box Cover

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Jasonofindy — 2006-09-13T16:21:49+00:00

Back of the Box

Thread: Re: Easter Island review: Surprisingly good

nyhotep — 2006-09-12T12:10:21+00:00

I think you mean 90 degrees, not 45.

Thread: Re: Which statues ?

toddbreitenstein — 2006-09-12T11:33:27+00:00

Hi Michael,
Yes, you are correct. You may only turn or move your own statues.
Thanks for writitng,
Todd A. Breitenstein
Twilight Creations, Inc.

Thread: Which statues ?

ScubaPA — 2006-09-09T17:49:54+00:00

Once statues are on the board, the rules talk about moving or turning "one statue". Does this apply to only your own statues or do you have the option of moving or turning an opponent's statue also ? I assumed it was only your own statue but it doesn't actually say that. I'd appreciate some help here. Thanks very much.

Thread: Re: Rule book confusion

toddbreitenstein — 2006-09-06T10:58:46+00:00

Thanks Jeff!
Thank you for the kind words and I am glad you are enjoying the game. Let me know if there is anything else you need.
Todd
Twilight Creations, Inc.

Thread: Re: Rule book confusion

Colorado_Jeff — 2006-09-05T22:51:00+00:00

Thanks for the generous offer, Todd. I printed the rules from your site and that works just fine for me.

I appreciate good customer service, and my wife and I are enjoying the game very much.

Regards,

Jeff Binning

Thread: Re: Rule book confusion

toddbreitenstein — 2006-09-05T22:30:07+00:00

If you send me your address I will send a new set of rules.
Thanks,
Todd
Twilight Creations, Inc.

Thread: Re: Rule book confusion

Colorado_Jeff — 2006-09-02T13:56:45+00:00

Thanks for the link. I tried getting to their site, to see if they might have more info just before I posted this last night, and was unable to open it.

Thread: Re: Rule book confusion

SteveK2 — 2006-09-02T12:11:40+00:00

The complete rulebook is available on the publisher's website: http://www.twilightcreationsinc.com/easterisland/easterislan...