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Which magazines can I send my game for review?

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Anonymous

Hi,

Recently, I completed my first game and I would like to send it to some game magazines to review it. Can anyone recommend any?

Thanks in advance

_________________

Baba Ali
Muslim Games
www.muslimgames.com

VeritasGames
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Which magazines can I send my game for review?

It might be useful to know more about the game (genre, etc.)

Anonymous
Which magazines can I send my game for review?

When you say "completed" do you mean that it is in the prototype stage and you want some people to look it over, or do you mean that you have self-published a few hundred (thousand) and you're looking for some exposure?

I'm assuming that you're in the second case and that you have already published your game. If you haven't then I don't think you want to submit it for review. I'm not a reviewer, but from what I know about them, they have a ton of games to review and they're not likely to spend their gaming time on an unpublished game.

If you have published your game, consider sending it to some of the main web-based reviewers in addition to the print magazines. Some reviewers (like Tom Vassel) actually post their reviews in multiple places on the web (like here, BoardGameGeek, various online retailers, etc). Other online places to have your game reviewed, The Games Journal, Discover Games.

As for print, the Games magazine is a no brainer for most types of games.

Also consider submitting your published game for as many awards as you can.

Anonymous
Which magazines can I send my game for review?

Thank you for the response.

Yes my game is published and I'm trying to get exposure for the game. Thus, I thought of sending a game to game magazines to review.

My game is called "Mecca to Medina". It take place about 1000 years ago in the middle east and each player starts off with a City and trading route. You collect resources (based on your City) and you try to complete trading routes. Four trading routes win the game. Also, there are speciality cards (camel, caravans, etc..) and event cards which can change the tide of the game.

You mentioned to magazines. Do you know of any more?

Is there anywhere on the net which has the information on where to submit my games for "awards"?

Anonymous
Game Magazines??

Thank you for the response.

Yes my game is published and I'm trying to get exposure for the game.

Does anyone know where I can find a list of game magazines that I can submit my game to get a review done it?

_________________

Baba Ali
Muslim Games
www.muslimgames.com

Brykovian
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Which magazines can I send my game for review?

You might want to post this question on the forums over at the Board Game Geek website (http://www.boardgamegeek.com) ... There's even a forum specifically for game sales/promotion (called "Press Releases") ...

-Bryk

phpbbadmin
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Re: Game Magazines??

babaali wrote:
Thank you for the response.

Yes my game is published and I'm trying to get exposure for the game.

Does anyone know where I can find a list of game magazines that I can submit my game to get a review done it?

_________________

Baba Ali
Muslim Games
www.muslimgames.com

In reality there just isn't that many. Games Magazine (who oddly enough don't seem to have a website) is the only one that I know of. You should be able to pick up a copy at your local newstand though. I assume you've contacted some Muslim magazines already?

BTW, I briefly checked out your game. It looks great! Sort of Catan-ish minus the board. Great idea!

Brykovian
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Which magazines can I send my game for review?

Brykovian wrote:
You might want to post this question on the forums over at the Board Game Geek website (http://www.boardgamegeek.com) ... There's even a forum specifically for game sales/promotion (called "Press Releases") ...

:oops:

I see you already had that taken care of by the time you posted here ... sorry.

And, as darke said -- neat game! Good luck with your marketing effort!

-Bryk

Anonymous
Scrye Magazine

Scrye runs reviews of board and card games (though they're primarily a collectible games magazine). I've written articles and reviews for them in the past and have enjoyed the experience.

You can contact them at scryemail@krause.com and request info on getting your game reviewed.

twobob
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Joined: 12/31/1969
Which magazines can I send my game for review?

babaali

Congratulations! The game looks great and I'm very impressed by your website - especially the how to play video. Looks like it could be a great success!

Well done again.

Cheers

TwoBob
PS When you get time, could you answer the usual questions on where and how you had it produced, who did the design work, how many times did you play test it, etc

gamemaker-KD
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Joined: 12/31/1969
Great looking game

Congratulations on getting your game out, web site is very good and adding sound for instructions was a good plus. Here is a magazine site that does reviews www.ADVENTUREPUB.COM Not sure how they go about reviews, but check them out. Good luck, KD

Anonymous
Which magazines can I send my game for review?

Thanks everyone for your kind words.

I wasn't sure what type of reaction I was going to get with a "Muslim" themed game since no one has really done it before. Since the debut of the game, I have been happily amazed with the response that I have received from the media. In just the past few days, I have been giving both phone and radio interviews in both in the States and in the UK (after they read the article about the game on Yahoo http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/prweb/20050411/bs_prweb/prweb227620_1).

Although the game is made by "Muslim Games", it can be played by both Muslims and non-Muslims. I think Muslims will find it special because of the symbolism of the cards but non-Muslims will like it because they can play and enjoy it without having any prerequisites of Islam. Since many people collect unique games, I though Mecca to Medina will fall into that category.

To answer your twobob's question, I designed the game myself. I found the prices in the states weren't competitive enough so I had the games made in China. I playtested the game with Muslims, non-Muslims, gamers, nongamers, Americans and foreigners, young kids, and father (older crowd) and even an all girl game. The results were so good that I got paranoid...thinking that maybe people were being "nice" to me. So I decided to take it some people who I never met before and had them play test it. I made the prototype as professional as possible (took a long time). Once the game was over, 2 of them asked me where I bought it from because they wanted to get it (the other two didn't said it was "cool" but they didn't mention anything about buying the game). Nevertheless, I was happy with the results and soon after I ordered the games. Don't get me wrong, I had the game changed numerous times until I got the final product that is sold now. I estimate the game was play-tested about 20 times (about 3 to 4 times with gamers).

I made the video because I noticed most people that I play with, don't have the patience to read a 16 page manual on a new game. Living in the short-attention span age of television, people want the 5 minute "let's just play and we'll pick it up along the way" attitude so the solution I came up with was a quick summary video (which can be found on http://www.muslimgames.com/howtoplay.html)

I really like playing production games like Settlers but the drawback have always been that we need 3 to 4 people to play (and usually 3 people results in unbalanced game). If you want to play with 2 players, you have to buy the Settlers card game and if you have an extra friend over, you have to buy the extension. Thus, in order to have the 2 to 6 player option, you need to buy 3 games (which isn't easy for most people). In addition, most of my friends are non-gamers so the whole "setup time" idea doesn't really sell with them. I figured it would be cool to have a production game (different than Settlers) which can be played 2 to 6 players, without a board to setup (so you don't need surface) for a reasonable price. Thus, I came up with Mecca to Medina. My friends tell me that the "Muslim" themed game idea may scare off non-Muslims (even though its not a religious game) but I figure games like Through the Desert and Aladdin’s Dragon's work, why not Mecca to Medina.

I hope that answers your question.

My next step is to get the game reviewed the game and I plan to use the great advise you guys have posted (Thank you!).

If you guys have any advise, I all ears. This is my first game so I'm always open to gain knowledge from those who are knowledgable
.
__________________________

Baba Ali
www.muslimgames.com

Brykovian
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Which magazines can I send my game for review?

From what you have posted, and the information on your website (including the video -- which is an excellent tutorial), I see your game as more of a "Place and Time in History" type game rather than a religiously themed game. However, it's obvious that religion was intertwined with the culture and geo-economics of that particular place and time.

I think you are right in that game players will enjoy the game do to the fact that it can be played as "just a production game", and doesn't require any background in the religion to play it.

Good luck ... I hope you continue return to give the rest of us the benefit of your experience!! ;-)

-Bryk

Anonymous
Which magazines can I send my game for review?

Quote:
I found the prices in the states weren't competitive enough so I had the games made in China

Babaali, Would you be willing to share the contact information for the person in China? Just wondering, since I want to manufacture a card game in the future as well.

Thanks,

Rob

markmist
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Joined: 12/31/1969
Games Quarterly

Have you heard of Games Quarterly? It is a relatively new magazine that has been out about a year. I have issues #2, 3, and 4 and all have been an informative and good read. This would be a great place to advertise your game. I have no idea how you go about doing so, but here is the website:

http://www.gamesquarterly.net/

Anonymous
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