Crafting an Obsidian Table (The Table is Lava)

The classic childhood game the Floor is Lava was played by millions of kids around the world.  Yours truly even played it, though really it wasn't fun when all the furniture you had available to climb was a bed, and like 2 chairs.  But still, there was something thrilling about trying to figure out how to go places when all you have are 3 spots to move around in.  Well, time to get out your sneakers, because now The Table is Lava, somehow.

BACKGROUND:  The Table is Lava is a dexterity game for 2-4 people, and was created in 2018 by James Schoch, with art by Jennifer Vargas, and published by R&R Games.  Players throw cards at meeples to knock them off the island, while keeping their own alive.

GAMEPLAY:  On their turn, each player tosses or flicks one of their cards at the opponents meeples to attempt to knock them off the cards to remove them from the game.  If a card is a thumbs width apart from another card or less, all players place a number of their meeples on the card thrown, indicated by the card, and the player continues throwing cards.  Once a card is more than a thumbs width apart from another card, their turn ends, and players don't get to place meeples on the card.

WINNING:  Once all players have used up their cards, the players tally up their points.  For each 'standing', or upright meeple, the player gets 2 points, with meeples laying flat down on their 'back' scoring one point.  The player with the most points wins.

CONCLUSION:  Reviewing dexterity based games are always a bit tricky to review, because it's hard to say if a game is unbalanced, or if you just suck at it.  Throwing cards is always a bit of a tricky mechanic to pull off, as cards are usually not designed to be balanced.  That being said, there's something charming about this game that I can't help but like, and for all that I can see, it seems balanced.  It's not terribly hard to put enough force to knock a meeple off, it's the aiming that lends itself to the most difficulty, and that's where a lot of people might get hung up.  Because of the level of skill involved, this game is difficult.  It does lend itself to allowing players to catch up from behind with a good or lucky/unlucky toss.  Ultimately, I would say this is one hot spot that's worth trying out.