Game Daze Paradise Valley Mall Employee Recommendation, February 2012

Draco -

As a gamer who enjoys playing strategy games, I have always loved Chess. I grew up playing Chess. Over time, however, my experiences led me to realize that the slow, rigid nature of Chess is fundamentally flawed as a strategy game in much the same way as many traditional martial arts forms are flawed in the presence of Mixed Martial Arts. As traditional martial forms have given way to the birth of MMA, so to has the world of strategy gaming evolved into the present, bringing us to Abalone, or bringing Abalone to us. Abalone is the strategy game of the future.

The objective goal of Abalone is to push six of your opponent’s marbles off of the playing grid using the simplest of rules, and an infinite number of creative strategy plays. By moving either, 1, 2, or three of your colored marbles along the grid, either forward, backward, or side to side, Abalone is about using your ‘weight’ in order to dominate your opponent, and back them up against the edge of the grid before ultimately knocking them off the grid…you know, Sumo style. Basically, three marbles can push two, and two marbles can push one. But wait, just because you are feeling outweighed and over powered, don’t worry. The simple rules just might let you escape in the nick of time. With Abalone, the magic is in the simplicity. It takes 30 seconds to learn, and a lifetime to master. If you like strategy games, it’s time to give Abalone a chance. Thank you for your time, class dismissed.