Games Reviews

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www.sierramadregames.com

Games in Geology, Anthropology, Modern American History, New World History, and other topics, most priced from $20 to $40; Origins is $68. [Expansion decks of cards are available for many games.]

By Emerson Sandow

Homeschoolers have probably helped keep board games “alive” throughout the past 25 or 30 years, when computer-based games threatened to take over in-home entertainment.

Traditional homeschooling families take a dim view of long hours of T.V. watching and computer-screen gazing – at least among younger children – so board and card games usually take center stage for night-time entertainments. If they have a mental or learning aspect, they are definite shoe-ins.

Sierra Madre Games’ line will keep your family busy for many, many such evenings and coming back for more! SMG’s board games are original, interesting and dense! These are not lightweight games of chance or luck, but rather, powerful learning and thinking activities, based upon real-life possibilities or facts and many of them take 3 to 6 hours to play!

Here is short overview of a few of SMG’s games:

Origins: How We Became Human (anthropology) is a challenging but enjoyable game for 1-5 players, 12 years to adult. Various early Human scenarios can be played out on the maps and the players have to solve various problems or deal with real challenges, in order to advance in the game. This is not a toss-off sort of game, but requires pretty extensive reading of the rules and setting up the game. (Playing time: 4 hours+)

Lords of the Sierra Madre (Modern American History, 1898-1917) 3-12 players, 12 to adult, covers the empire-building and turmoil of the Southwest and Mexico during the Mexican Revolution. In the border states, many of the occurrences covered in this game are still being played out and it is an era of American History that is often overlooked. This game can be used as a powerful part of a Unit Study on American History. (3-4 hours)

Lords of the Spanish Main (New World/Old World History, 1600) 3-8 players, 12 to adult, is set in the Caribbean during the period of heavy cargo/treasure ship travel from the New World to Europe and the piracy and intrigue that occurred as a result. This game can also be used as part of a Unit Study covering much of the history and interaction between Europe and the Americas and the forces that helped shape later political and geographical actions. Each player tries to make his/her fortune in this milieu and one player gets to be the Governor of Espanola, the biggest “pirate” of all! (2-4 hours)

Erosion (geology) 2-5 players, ages 9 to adult. This is a half-hour card game with three levels of rules, that introduces the basics of geology and formation to the players. The characters are mountains, assumed by the players, and they try to uplift themselves while eroding their opponents. The highest mountain at the end wins. Terms such as “sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic” are part of the vocabulary and their place in the formation of rock forms and patterns is an integral part of the game. The most advanced form of Erosion is used in college-level teaching!

Homeschooling parents will envy their children at the wonderful learning experience these games provide! They are fun for adults, too, of course, but imagine having learned about history, geology and the growth of Man through board games! Thoughtful parents will be able to produce a wealth of supplementation and enticing study using Sierra Madre games in their homeschooling curriculum. Please visit the website, http://www.sierramadregames.com/ to see their complete line of interesting and exciting games. ES