- "This weekend we visited my wife's nephew, Tom and his
wife Peggy. They introduced us to Chrononauts and we could not
stop playing. Of course, in order to drive home we had to quit,
but unwillingly. Your game sold itself."
-- comments accompanying an order
|
- "[Cosmic Coasters] is really a game for anyone. I introduced
some friends who rarely play games of any sort to it, and they
fell in love with it instantly, refusing to stop playing until
they had won. The kind of game you could play at a bar with pretzels
and beer nuts, Cosmic
Coasters makes for the perfect coffee-table game. It's a
great little game and worth the small price."
-- Derek Guder, in Games
Unplugged issue #11
|
- "Looney Labs is making the best new games I've seen
in a long time. So far I have Fluxx, Chrononauts and Q-Turn and
have played Icehouse (Martian Chess) and Aquarius. Fluxx is more
fun than Nuclear War, and not nearly so cynical. Chrononauts
is thought-provoking and hysterical, all at the same time. And
Martian Chess is definitely mind-warping. Keep the cool games
coming!" -- Bill, comments accompanying
a mailing list signup
|
- "It probably was Looney Labs games that first encouraged
me, after my Magic experiences, to take a kinder, friendlier
approach to games." -- Mark Cipolone, on
the Rabbits mailing list, 9/30/1
|
- "Blanxx
gets my vote for best expansion of a card game for 2001 in the
GAMA awards. It's really no contest. The expansion is as good
as *you* make it. Encouraging homebrewn gaming. Gads, that's
what made Doom and Quake popular. Promotes creativity." -- Paul Blake on the Fluxx mailing list
|
- "Friend brought Icehouse to a gaming group. Melted brain
playing Zendo.
Need a hug." -- comments accompanying an
order from someone named Flynn
|
- "Just wanted to drop a line to let you guys know how
much me and my circle of gaming pals are enjoying Chrononauts!
I live in Northern California, but happened across a deck at
the Wizards of the Coast store at the Beverly Center in LA a
couple of weeks ago. Man! Ever since I got back, people don't
want to stop playing! I've turned over 2 dozen people onto this
game and they are scouring the nine counties looking for their
own decks. Keep up the outstanding game designs!"
-- Marc, of Mill Valley, CA
|
- "One of the coolest things about the con was getting
to play with the giant cardboard Icehouse pieces. I played many
a game of giant Icetowers in the hall and helped attract attention
from passerbys. In fact the only regret I have for the entire
con was that I dropped out of the middle of the Icetowers tournament
(being played in giant scale) with one win to my credit, in order
to go to a panel. As it was Dave ended up clinching the title
in what I understand was a great game."
-- Sam, on the Rabbit mailing list, just after WorldCon 2001
|
- "[Here's] how to get people to buy Fluxx with so many
other games sitting around: don't tell them about it. If you
do that, they'll smile, nod, and move on. Just play the thing.
After five minutes they're hooked and suddenly realize they can't
live without it. Yeah, all this is rampant braggadocio but when
something goes right sometimes you have to shout it from the
rooftops." -- JK Grence, on the Rabbit mailing
list, talking about how his manager at Game Daze in Tucson gave
him a good performance review with the comments "AWESOME
at selling Fluxx and other cool card games!"
|
- "A friend of mine, hopelessly hooked on Icehouse (thanks
to me :D), ended up picking up a set, along with Black Ice. Now
he's going around school teaching people how to play Martian
Chess...I have to say, after finally giving the rules a shot,
it's really a great game. I'm sure everyone had the same reaction
as me upon reading the rules over (Whaaaaat?), but it does indeed
work. Mind you, I'm terrible at it, but it's a very deep game,
and I'm hooked." -- Mike, on the Icehouse
mailing list
|
- "I look back on that day with a smile, as it really
did reenergize our game-playing spirit. FLUXX requires thinking,
but it has such random components that even the most skillful
player will not always win - that's just the way it is. Knowing
that a win or loss did not reflect his ability to play granted
my husband a freedom that allowed us to enjoy this game together,
leaving the competitive spirit behind."
-- from "FLUXX: an unlikely wedding gift?", a review
by Angela Knight posted at epinions.com
|
- "I decided to spend my afternoon at the Looney Labs
demo table only to discover that the nice young man was the one
and only Andrew Looney, designer of my all time favorite card
game, Fluxx! He must have thought me quite looney as my jaw dropped,
I reached out my hand to shake his, and the way I gushed and
thanked him for bringing such joy into my life. Looking back
on the experience, I'm surprised he didn't run away from the
table screaming "Security!" I was so excited to play-test
the new Nanofiction game he brought, play a few games of the
classic Fluxx, and learn the Icehouse game IceTowers. My husband
got tired of hearing me talk about what a grand time I had playing
games with the actual designer of the games. What a kick." -- Michelle Corbin, describing her experiences at
Gen-Con on the
Rabbit Mailing
list
|
- "We would clean the dirtiest bathrooms in the world
for twenty-three years if we could get blank Fluxx cards. You
guys rock." -- Ingrid of Nashville TN, in
comments accompanying an order
|
- "First off, I'm sure you've heard it a thousand times,
but you rock. I'm in the University of Oregon Gaming Club, where
Chrononauts and Fluxx are played to the point of obsession. It's
a game that easy to learn, highly addictive, and in parts completely
hilarious. Thank you so much for all the hours and hours of fun!
</singingofyourpraises>" -- email
from Cory of the University of Oregon
|
- "Thanks for the speedy service! My family (daughter
Christine - 15 and son Marcus - 13) and I love to play Fluxx,
and your other games look great too, so we are eagerly awaiting
the new ones. With so much television watching going on these
days, it's so good to be different and actually talk to each
other and have fun as a family through great games like yours.
Thanks for all your creativity!" -- email
from David of Huntington, NY
|
- "Gameplay: (* * * * *) Wow! This game is absolutely
amazing!"
"Overall: (* * * * *) This is without a doubt my new favorite
traditional card game. I only wish that I had played it sooner!
It is a stimulating strategy game that is unparalleled in design,
and fun. Chrononauts' time has arrived, and now is the moment
that you should buy this game!"
-- review
of Chrononauts by Brian Spicer, in Dungeon Crawler magazine
|
- "I just wanted to thank all of the folks from Looney
Labs and those associated with Wunderland for a great time at
the Big Experiment. It's a great feeling to be greeted by so
many friendly faces for pick-up games as well as the tournaments." -- Brad Weier, on the Icehouse mailing list
|
- "The timeline alone is incredibly well researched (and
I mean that in the sense of bothering to look for connections
in history and possible consequences, not simple historical fact.
Then again, Andy may actually have a time machine, and be hopping
around the timeline, changing events higgledy-piggledy, just
to see what the effects are, so that he can create the *most*
accurate time travel game possible.)" --
Paul Blake, on the Chrononauts mailing list, 25 Apr 2001
|
- "And by the way...I am quite impressed with your customer
service. After the day that I have had with my cellular phone
company and their shenanigans, it is quite refreshing!" -- comments received by email from a customer named
Andrea
|
- "Fluxx is one of the best party games I've played in
many years. The rules are incredibly easy to learn, the action
is fast, and every game is different. It plays equally well with
two players as it does with 6, though the more people you have,
the more often the rules change. :-) All in all, I'd give Fluxx
an A+. Highly recommended." -- review of
Fluxx posted at conacopia.com
|
- "a while ago my housemate showed me Fluxx. then i found
Aquarius. then my friend showed me Chrononauts. then i submitted
a nanofic to the competition. now i'm hooked! the girl scouts
got me addicted to Thin Mints, now you've gotten me addicted
to neato games. ack!" -- josh (Waltham,
MA), comments accompanying an order
|
- "I finally got my Fluxx today, and after a day's play
we have reached a decision... You lot are without doubt the most
stark-staring raving bonkers people we've ever bought anything
off! Thank you!" -- Matthew, of Reading,
UK, in an e-mail to us
|
- "Like Button Men, Cosmic Coasters skimps on "game",
but makes up for it with "novelty": "yeah it's
not the greatest game of all time ... but it's on beer coasters!!"
For that reason alone I foresee myself playing Cosmic Coasters
as often as any other of my recent purchases. And that's not
too shabby for a game that costs about the same as the beer you'll
set atop it." -- Matthew Baldwin, in a review
of Cosmic
Coasters posted to the Games Journal
|
- "Very enjoyable. Simple, yet complex. Had fun. I know
some people didn't get it, though." - Comments
on Cosmic
Coasters from a male Mensa Judge between the age of 14-33,
collected at the 2001 Mensa Mind Games competition
|
- "Oh come on...are you saying you wouldn't plop down
10 bones on any game that comes out of Andrew Looney's head?
I sure would...he hasn't come up with a bad one yet." -- John Weldy, on the Chrononauts mailing
list, 26 Apr 2001
|
- "The boyfriend came and went, the love for Fluxx (he
had an ancient B&W deck) stayed. Oh, Despair!, when I thought
I would not be able to find a deck of my own! As per the whims
of the USPS, I shall soon be again empowered."
-- Ramie (Cookeville, TN), comments accompanying an order
|
- "The rules are simple, fitting entirely on the back
of a single coaster. Like all good abstract strategy games, though,
the rules are deceptively short. The game's strategy is satisfyingly
deep and luck plays an acceptably minor roll in determining the
winner." -- Brad Weier, in a review
of Cosmic Coasters published in Pyramid Magazine
|
- "Fluxx is pretty kickass when stoned."
-- Aimee the Magdalene, on rec.music.tori-amos
|
- "Do you know what you people have done to my marriage?
We've turned OFF the television after the kids go to bed and
actually have conversations over hand after hand of Fluxx. Had
we had Fluxx sooner, we could have saved hundreds of dollars
on marriage counseling!" -- Barbara, via
email
|
- "I thought the idea was elegantly simple and very interesting,
but wasn't quite sure how it would play. So in addition to lots
of games of Chrononauts, Fluxx, and Aquarius, I got to play several
games of Cosmic Coasters. I LOVE IT!!! I got several of my friends
who happen to be Chrononauts fans interested in the game, and
most of them have said they will buy it once it is available.
Most notably I discovered that when you are playing that many
games of Rock Paper Scissors in a row the game becomes very psychological
and strategic; I used Rock 5 times in a row hoping my opponent
would crack before me. The game is much deeper than it looks
from the surface. I give it an A." -- Sam,
on the rabbit
mailing list
|
- "I LOVE the website and all its myriad links. My boyfriend,
a writer, has become enamored of nanofiction,
which he can write on his Handspring Visor! I can't wait to get
Chrononauts. We love you for your minds!!! So, now we've decided
we must tell the world, indoctrinate all our friends and family,
etc. we love Fluxx, and have no doubts about Chrononauts, based
on all the hearsay and what we saw on the website. If you ever
wonder about the worth of your jobs, just know that you are furthering
human communications and enhancing the planet's fun quotient.
Never underestimate the power of that, or the good that can be
done by making people happy. Thank you!"
-- Kathleen, in comments received via email
|
- "Okay, time for me to eat crow. You remember that game
I said didn't have a chance around here given its theme, packaging,
and price point? "Chromonaughties" or something like
that. Michael Cox said, "You're gonna to try this, or I'm
gonna pimp slap you from here to Waukegan" (only he said
it much more politely) and sent me one of Looney Lab's sample
copies of Chrononauts. I grabbed a couple of kids in the store
and tried it... [puts on bib, pulls up plate] My, but this is
a tasty heapin' pile of steamin' crow here. Yum. Yum." -- Chris Aylott, of the Space-Crime
Continuum, on Delphi's Game Industry Forum
|
- "Well, Lewis, I'd have to say that it's a beautiful
idea, just like everything the Looneys do. I've been FLUXX-minded
since before I entered the industry, and thoroughly in love with
every game they've done. Great People, Great Games." -- Rolfe Blythdon Bergstrom of Wargames West, commenting
on the forthcoming product Fluxx
Blanxx, at the Game
Babe's Retreat forum on Delphi
|
"My Icehouse set arrived today...I am so
happy! I'm very pleased with the quality. Honestly, I wasn't
expecting much...I've worked in an injection molding facility,
and clear & translucent colored resins are the PITS. They're
usually a nightmare to run, but these look so clean! You should
be very nice to your manufacturer, the quality control is excellent.
I had to hunt to find any intrusions, only two of my pieces came
pre-scuffed, and the clipping is top notch."
-- Jenn Smith, in an e-mail to us |
- "Buy this! Buy it now! Now now now! These pieces
are great. If you have an iota of creativity in you, you will
no doubt come up with rules for a pretty good Icehouse game just
by handling these things. I chalk it up to Pyramid Power. For
those unaware, Icehouse is a set of 60 plastic pyramids: 5 in
each of three sizes in each of four colors. These work rather
like a deck of cards in that they can be used to play a variety
of very different, incredibly addictive games unlike anything
else seen by mortal men. Well, mostly unlike anything else seen." -- Paul Blake, in a 5-star review
of Icehouse at FunAgain.com
|
- "I would definitely recommend it if you like history,
time travel and the manipulation of said event by said means.
The cards are worth the $20 just to read them."
-- Bo, owner, The Gamer's Den, commenting on Chrononauts on the
Game Industry Forum
|
"My wife doesn't usually like to play games that much,
but lately she's been bugging me to play Aquarius almost every
day! Great game!" -- Larry Wheeler, via
email |
- "A friend of mine gave me Chrononauts for Xmas and we're
so addicted we played for 12 hours straight!! What a wonderful
game!" -- Chaminda David Geevaratne, in
comments accompanying an online order
|
- "My staff has been going through Looney Labs games trying
them out for the past few days. Aquarius is the first one I have
played with them. I AM HOOKED!!! Aquarius is the most fun I have
had in a good long time.... Now if I could just win a game. I
can't believe I am having so much fun losing."
-- D.P."Vern" Vernazzarro, host, on Delphi's Game Industry
Forum
|
- "[Cosmic Coasters] is a very nifty game, and I hope
to play it again soon! One thing in particular I really like
about it is that there's no hidden information, and yet it's
not deterministic like Chess. You can see at a glance what position
you're in, and you feel like you've earned a victory, but it
doesn't 'prove that you're smarter' the way Chess victories do." -- Bob Galloway, on the
Rabbits mailing list
|
- "I have not tried Cosmic Coasters yet, but my assistant
manager has, and he seemed keen on it. Now, I did finally get
to try Chrononauts myself. The game has sold well, but now that
I have played it, I think we will be moving a few more copies!
This game ROCKS!!!" -- Rob Placer, owner
of The Gamer's Realm,
on the Game Industry Forum at Delphi
|
2001
Testimonials of the Week
