Bastion
LQ: 9.15
Recommended Age: 10+
Skills Used: Planning, Working Memory, Mathematics, Reading
Legendary DXP pits players against various villains and their schemes in a Magic: The Gathering style card game. Players collect cards to build powerful and versatile decks. All players start with the same set of options, but as the game continues they will be able to buy unique cards that only they will have access to, with the potential of creating strong combinations of cards to be played together. There are various types of cards, each associated with a different hero, with keywords and symbols that boost one another. If the team of players is able to stop the villain from completing the scheme, they win! Legendary is rated E for Everyone. LW4K recommends this game for players 8 and up.
Adapting and adjusting to changing conditions and expectations
Legendary DXP features a number of wild elements that change each scenario significantly. The boss and scheme the players face, which minor enemies types will be encountered, which hero cards are available for purchase, the cards a player draws on their turn, and so on. It's important for players to be able to think on their feet and react to the ever-changing board, adjusting how they are building their deck or using their combat to defeat one foe over another. Each game is radically different, ensuring that your child is encouraged to try new ideas or combinations rather than relying on a single strategy.
Developing a systematic approach for setting and achieving goals.
While there are many random elements present in this game, there are a few factors that can be understood from the start of a scenario. Each boss and scheme does something negative, but these actions can be countered if a player has the correct cards in their deck. The heroes a player has to select from may be randomized, but the cards associated with them are set in stone, and after a while a player can start to predict what cards could appear. There's no guarantee someone will draw the cards they need, but statistics allows a player to have an idea of what's to come. In other words, players can, to a certain extent, create plans to help control and guide the scenario to their desired outcome.
Much of this game relies on a player's ability to understand and use their cards appropriately. Each card has a few paragraphs of text associated with it, explaining how it works. Some have keywords, meaning that the card triggers a specific event. Keywords don't explain that event on the card, instead communicating the idea as a whole. Players must be able to comprehend what cards say, understand how to use that knowledge, and remember what specific keywords mean. None of these words are particularly complex or difficult, but as a whole this could be seen as a challenge to some younger players. This makes Legendary DXP a challenging but fun way to practice reading skills.
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