Flash Duel

I wasn't even aware that this game came out until Pax East. Thanks to a nice discount from my Yomi tournament winnings I managed to get my hands on this hot in demand game. Mr. David Sirlin has done it again with this one. Balance, re-playability and super cute fun.

So let's get right to it! Fast and furious just like the game. Basically the game is simulating two characters in the Sirlin universe engaging in a practice duel on a beautiful bridge. There are over 500,000 different combinations of characters you can play due to the inclusion of clockwork mode.

What do you get?
You get this!

That's right, 20 characters. 10 you haven't seen in game before. 

There will be a Yomi expansion soon....

You get 3 cards for each of the 20 characters, two 25 card number decks, the Deathstrike Dragon deck, a double sided high quality board, a travel version of the board, 4 tokens for characters, a token for the dragon, and 5 Win token. You can actually carry the travel version around in the deck box. Coming in at 35 USD this is the cheapest analogue Sirlin game you can get. Pretty good price as far as I am concerned.

So let's do this thing!

Woah Woah Woah. We need the rules first. Good thing it will be done in a Flash...

*crickets chirp*

Ok not funny. Anyway how do you play?

After you choose your fighter you start on either side of the board.

 Each character has 3 ability cards. They can use one ability per player turn. 

One ability will regenerate when it's that player's turn. So use them wisely.

Each player draws 5 cards from the same 25 card deck. The deck is made up of 25 cards each having a 1-5 numerical value with 5 of each number in it. Then on your turn you can do one of four things.

1) Move: you play a numbered card and move that many spaces forward or backwards.
2) Attack: You play a card that is numbered the exact distance between your opponent and you (not counting your space). You may play from 1 -5 of the same numbered card ( two three cards, three 1 cards ect.)
3) Dashing Strike: You play two cards, one to move and one to attack.

Chibi Lum the gambling panda? Yes please!

When you get attacked you must block. To block you must throw down the same numbered card your opponent used to attack you. No more no less. If they played 2 cards on the attack, or 3, you must play that many cards of the same number. Due to the deck composition, unless you have an ability that helps you, you cannot block a 3 card strike.

If you are attacked via a dashing strike you have another option. You may retreat. If you do you simply play a card instead of blocking and move backwards that many spaces. Then on your next turn, unless your character has an ability to let you do something, you simply draw up to your 5 card hand and pass your turn.

At the end of your turn you draw up to a 5 card hand.

If the deck runs out then you go to tie breaker rules, and the round is over. Tie breaking is usually simply who advanced along the bridge the farthest. So don't cower in the corner! 

Easy peasy. All you have to do is win 3/5 rounds. When you win a round you get a win token. It is quite satisfying.


Playing Modes:
Hooooo dang. Where do I even start. You can play this game so many different ways.

This is the dragon. Apparently he is a jerk.

-With the pre-made characters
-Team battles
-Play against the dragon in co-opt mode or traitor mode
-Play with a custom designed character.

I will be perfectly honest. I have not played a lot of different ways. I have been having so much fun playing through the pre-made characters that I have been content with that. I suspect dragon mode is coming up soon though.

What would I change?

The only thing I would change about this game are the counters. I suspect that the only reason for that is that I am a miniature gamer. I want mini figs of the characters I can paint. I would pay for that, hear that Sirlin Games? I will buy that ****t if you make it. Otherwise I would have preferred simple flat cardboard with a small image of the characters on it. For the custom characters maybe just a question mark or blank ones you can drawn on.



Otherwise, here is to you Mr. Sirlin. Keep designing the crap out of stuff and keepin it real. Your stuff rocks. Yes I am a fanboy, but that should say something about the games his company produces.

Until Next time all you readers out there in interweb land, keep mashing your buttons and using those quarters ( wait, what do you mean there aren't any arcades anymore? WTF!)

-Steve (SPEED OF THE FOX!)