BLOCK and KEY By Conor McGoey, Publisher & Developer, Inside up Games
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temple, long forgotten by time, hides mysteries whose keys may be unblocked. Some, fear what lies ahead. We, however, cannot wait for a chance to try our hand, nay, our head, on these ancient grounds. It was quickly discovered that by placing blocks according to the hieroglyphs on the temple walls, they would lock in, allowing us to check their designs against the keys we found earlier. And when matched to our unique vantage point, the mysterious keys would reveal their value and unlock new keys to dig deeper. Could the ancient symbols covering the pillars be hinting at when our quest will end? Could the hieroglyphs etched into the temple floor be of some use to the group? Or to the lone explorer? There’s only one way to find out. In Block and Key, one-to-four players place 3D clay blocks in a centralized raised playing area, with the goal of completing their own request (key) cards. The challenge of fulfilling these keys is unique as each player is limited to their own “2D” perspective. Each turn players may either draw three new blocks from the excavation site (lower level), or place one block onto the communal temple floor (upper level). After placing a block, they check to see if any request cards have been fulfilled, and if so, they earn the points listed and draw new keys from either altar (medium or hard draw stacks).
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The first player to complete the number of request cards, as required by the player count, ends the game. Scores will be tallied, and one player named the victor. Block and Key was designed for simplicity of play, but depth of strategy. With only two options on your turn, players of all ages can quickly learn the rules – but true skill comes from mastering Block placement in the shared play space. Every literal angle of Block and Key and its presentation was produced to be as eye-catching and as engaging as possible. From the heavy clay blocks, to the color vision deficiency-friendly pallet, to linen and spot UV finish on the box, support columns and cards, Block and Key guarantees to turn heads and draw players in. With the help of the included support columns players will be using the game box itself to create the two-tiered play structure known as the ruins. And these ruins are not just for show – the purpose of the raised platform is to bring the game more comfortably to “eye-level” for players, as they are constantly checking their vantage point against their key cards. Every perspective was thought of, leading to printing on the inside of the box top, and the back side of the support columns, so that from every angle the Ruins and the game maintain table presence and player engagement. To this end, the game rules, reminders and end-game triggers were recreated as “hieroglyphs” that adorn the box sides and columns, helping to instruct all players and reduce the need to check the rulebook. After three years of sourcing, development and testing to ensure a beautiful, high-quality and durable product was created, Inside Up Games is pleased to announce that Block and Key is ready for your enjoyment. Contact us directly at Info@ InsideUpGames.com for more details or reach out to your favourite game store or distribution partner!
insideupgames.com
2/9/22 11:51 AM
