Boom & Zoom offers play options

When a game has similarities to chess and checkers I am generally always intrigued.

Boom & Zoom is one of those games.

"Boom & Zoom is a two-player strategy game about the "wars of the future" where Laser Tower vehicles conduct fire and movement across the battlefield. This abstracts warfare in much the same way as Checkers or Chess, with similarly deep game play. In a game that's quick to learn but difficult to master, can you outmaneuver your opponent and claim the victory for your side," details the game material.

That was enough to draw me in.

It helped the 2012 release is courtesy of Victory Point Games (VPG). This little company has a well-deserved reputation for releasing excellent games; For the Crown coming to mind.

And they do so with an eye to value.

VPG release games where the board and game pieces are generally cardboard, and that means functional, without any extravagance. That's a good thing in terms of people trying games, although if you fall deeply in love with a VPG offering you will be left wishing for a higher quality version as an option.

I have always loved abstract strategy games in part because they are very much heirloom games. Whether Terrace, or Entrapment, Hive, or the great Gipf series games, they have components made to last meaning you can pass the best games on to your children and from them to grandchildren and beyond.

It would take an amazing level of care to get such longevity from a game such as Boom & Zoom.

So the game sets up with each player in charge of eight three-level towers.

On a turn a piece can 'zoom' move up to the number of spaces it has levels.

Or, on a turn a piece can 'boom' shoot an opponent's piece in an unobstructed straight line up to the shooter's level in spaces away. The target tower loses a level.

The great thing about designer Ty Bomba's game is that in addition to the basic game, there are variant rules for 10 additional 'missions.

The 'missions' turn Boom & Zoom for entertaining, to amazing in a hurry.

You can increase board size and incorporate terrain, such as a marsh which reduces movement, to a stream preventing passage to village tat impact shooting distances.

Another scenario allows players to 'stack' towers to increase their power.

You can also play with 'veteran' towers, a game which gives added power to some piece, while yet another has the two sides having unequal forces, a great one for new players to try against a more experienced opponent

The scenarios really keep this game with near endless options to explore, yet the basic rules remain simple, with basic options being to move, or shoot and that function tied to tower heights.

So Boom & Zoom is a winner in terms of an abstract strategy game, and yes you will wish for a more 'heirloom' worthy version.

Still as is, this game has the combination of straightforward rules, no luck game play and the variety of scenario play to make it a must have.

Check it out at www.victorypointgames.com

If anyone is interested in this game, or other board games feel free to contact [email protected]