Review of Game+Plus: 120 Colored Acrylic Gems

Introduction: While cubes are functional, they don't quite have the oo-shiny appeal of colored acrylic gems. Game+Plus has released "120 Colored Acrylic Gems", 15x eight colors: blue, black, white, green, orange, pink, red, and yellow. I'll say upfront that if you only need counters in a few colors, or need 20+ of a single color, a craft store and coupon may be a better choice. For gems, Amazon's a cheap choice, although watch out for scratches and gems that are too small to use. I did find the orange looking similar to red (so you could use orange as wound counters), and purple is not an available color (although the first Munchkin Quest expansion may not be in your game closet). If you're using a game that color-codes counters (eg. red for wound points), you may need to designate a color as a 5-counter (eg. black).

Shiny

Still shiny

Here're a few examples of generic fantasy games that can use these gems. Use them as replacement parts, bling, if the game does not come with counters, or if it's a FFG board that takes up the entire table and the counters are six feet away.

Runebound: If you've played this game, you know the game comes with cardboard gems. Definitely a must-bling here.

Magic the Gathering: Casual players can color-code their token creatures with these gems. Each Magic color is represented by this gem set. If you use the gems as life counters, the set only comes with 15 of each color, so you'll need to designate a color as a 5-counter.

Loot Letter and Love Letter: Loot Letter gets yellow gems to replace the fourteen yellow (gold) cubes. Love Letter, of course, gets pink gems.

Super Dungeon Explore: Red gems to indicate wounds. Blue gems to indicate potions.

Prophecy: Green gems to indicate Experience. Yellow gems for gold. Red and blue gems to represent strength and magic. Probably only enough gems for two players, so the other side of the board is stuck with the cardboard bits.

Talisman: Red and blue for Strength and Craft. White for Fate. Yellow and green for gold and life. Again, probably enough gems for two players.

Descent: Red and yellow for Health and Fatigue. You may need to use other colors at 5-counters.

Munchkin: One color for each player. Shiny.

Munchkin Quest: The base game comes with blue, red, green, and yellow as player colors. The expansion adds orange and purple. The purple player can use black or pink gems. Gems can be used as level counters, move markers, etc. If you're lazy, you can put a gem on top of a cardboard monster, rather than inserting it into a stand.

Race for the Galaxy: Expansion: Finally, there's at least one science fiction game that can use these gems! Upgrade your pink prestige markers with pink gems. Use white as 5-prestige counters. Upgrade your blue VP tokens while you're at it!

If you own a few generic fantasy adventure games and don't want to reach across the table for some cardboard chits, have some Game+Plus acrylic gems handy. Enjoy your bling!