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Quick Look: Showdown (From The Game Chest)

Designers: Paul D. Allen, Johann Chipol
Artist: Raben White
Publisher: Pocket Fox Games
Year Published: 2024

No. of Players: 2

Playing Time: 5 – 15 minutes.

Find more info HERE.

From the Publisher:

Disclaimer: The publisher provided the copy of Showdown (From The Game Chest). The opinions expressed in the review are completely my own.

Review:
 

I first came across Pocket Fox Games when perusing for new and easy-to-carry gaming solutions for our upcoming vacation. While I recently encountered quite a few potential small box solutions in my last few reviews, I unfortunately also ran into the paradoxical problem that a small box does not necessarily equal a small amount of table space required. So it is in this context that I find myself reviewing the travel-ready Game Chest.

Consisting of three card-based games, the Game Chest comes rather ironically laid out in a flat strip. Once removed from its packaging, it is designed to be folded over itself until it makes a box that seals nicely with a strip of Velcro. Each of the three foldable sections contains its own unique game and rule set, which are thankfully all easy to learn as well, making for a less chaotic time to learn these while on the road.

While I will be reviewing each of these games individually in separate reviews, I will say that the form factor for the Game Chest is fun. Moreover , I will highlight that each of the card games is limited to just 18 cards as opposed to a traditional larger 52 card set one may expect from something like Poker. And each box is designed to be utilized for two player games (but you can add a second box that will give you more variations in gameplay for larger player counts as well). While these may seem to be stifling limitations, let me assure you that (at least judging from the first game I am reviewing), they are not ; these features help make the product ever-so-accessible for the road. 

The first game in this series that I will be covering is Showdown. This is a western-themed game that revolves (hah hah) around a classic gun duel. Each player is dealt 6 cards that can contain bullet proof vests, shotgun blasts, quick draws and more. In addition, each player gets a nifty card that you can rotate during the fight to easily denote your Hit Points. Reduce these to zero, and a player is done! 

In the center of the playing field the remaining 4 cards are left face down as a sort of randomizer. These can help you through strokes of good fortune should you happen to acquire a Lucky Card ; you may just be able to gamble to use one of these unknown cards to help save your bacon should you know that you have no way to counter your enemy with your current hand!

Play commences with players selecting and then displaying one of their cards simultaneously. The system operates very much like an improved form of Rock Paper Scissors, but better. In addition to the games “regular” cards (Quick Draw, Aimed Shot, Swift Dodge), There are “wild cards” such as the Sheriffs Badge that can hit anything or the Bullet Proof Vest than can dodge any regular attack, or a Shotgun Blast that can do a sort of “splash damage” and inflict any damage type. So there are more than simple one-trick-ponies you can produce in attempting to out gunsling your opponent.

Finish off your opponents by depleting their health to zero and you win!

The rundown : What is to like?

You know, I am rather surprised by a lot that is offered in this seemingly meager presentation. I would not think that anyone could do anything meaningful with just 18 cards, but somehow, they did. It isn’t that the idea of Rock Paper Scissors is somehow groundbreaking, but rather, it’s the way that this old system is implemented that makes it worthy of attention.

I love the way that the hit point tracker card is deliberately set up with hit points numbers offset according to the facing of the card. Simply being able to rotate your card to track HP is such a simple yet somehow profound way to track your health during battle. 

Moreover, the fact that each player only has 6 cards to use prior to shuffling and reloading greatly adds to the feel of the classic western showdown.

It sets up fast and is ready to play again very swiftly. Learn to play in seconds. 

Want more chaos? Add another Game Chest to support up to 4 players instead of the standard 2 and watch the standoff take on more unpredictability, especially as you try to scatter and shoot all of your opponents in a single blow with a shotgun blast!

The art is perfect! It even reminds me of my favorite western dungeon crawl, Shadows of Brimstone!

Anything bad to say?

Nope. At least not for Showdown. We will see how the other games fare in a subsequent review, but this one for sure gets a thumbs up. Keep your eyes peeled for the next games in the Game Chest (Heraldry and Lucha Mania), as I will be covering those as well soon!

For now, I will say that the Game Chest seems to offer up a good 3-for-1 solution for portability that may seem to sacrifice something in card count per game, but for now, that may just only mean that you can carry 3 games around instead of just one, if space-saving is your objective. 

Stay tuned for more!

After reading Jazz’s review, if this sounds like a game for you at the time of this posting Showdown (From The Game Chest) there are 500 or less copies. So check it out and get your copy while they last HERE.

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