Posts tagged ‘Puerto Rico’
New Race For The Galaxy Card Game Expansion Videos Posted
Cory Duplantis has hooked us up again with some more review and overview videos. We focused on Race For The Galaxy again, but this time, we dove into the two expansions, The Gathering Storm and Rebel Vs. Imperium.
If you are curious about this game, hopefully these will help you get a better feel for them.
New Race For The Galaxy Card Game Video Posted
We have the first in a multi-video series posted about the Rio Grande Games card game, Race For The Galaxy.
This game is an advanced version of Puerto Rico and San Juan, but with a science-fiction theme.
In this first video, of three, Cory Duplantis introduces the concepts of the game and how the basic flow of the game works.
Rio Grande Games Strategy Board Game Video Posted
We have another video for you. This time, Gary introduces you to the wonderful world of European board games, brought to us by Rio Grande Games.
Some games highlighted in this video include Carcassonne, Puerto Rico, Thurn & Taxis, and Power Grid.
Other games published by Rio Grande, that are not discussed in this video include:
- Race for the Galaxy
- Dominion
- Stone Age
- A Castle for All Seasons
Race For the Galaxy – Strategy Card Game Review
Author: Seth Brown (http://www.risingpun.com)
Race for the Galaxy is a card game for 2-4 players. The average age range is for 12 year-olds and up. Typically, it takes 30-60 minutes to play a single game
Race for the Galaxy is a card-based game where players attempt to build developments and settle planets by playing cards from their hands. You start with a single small planet card in front of you, and over the course of the game, you add to your empire, with each development or planet granting you additional powers. When a player builds a twelfth card, the game ends, and whoever has the most points wins.
Pieces/Parts
Race For the Galaxy is mostly cards. There are four identical hands worth of role-selection cards, as well as a large deck of planet and development cards with varying costs and powers. There are also a few victory point chips for extra points scored during the game, and some very handy informational mats.
How Does It Play?
Players all choose a role and play it face-down. Roles are revealed simultaneously, and every role that was chosen at least once occurs for all players. The roles are:
1) Drawing more planet/development cards
2) Paying cards to play developments from your hand
3) Paying cards to play planets from your hand
4) Trading goods for cards or victory points
5) Producing goods
In addition, each player who chose a role gets a bonus ability during that role.
What’s Cool?
Race for the Galaxy manages to use cards for almost everything in the game. You draw lots of cards, pick your favorites to build, use the rest as currency, and use cards from the deck as goods. This helps keep the game from getting too complicated, since the cards are pretty much all you need.
In addition, becasue unplayed planet/development cards are used as currency leaves you with a lot of flexibility.
· Do you throw away a hand of 4 good cards to build the 4-cost development in your hand?
· Do you build the cheap planet and try to save up enough cards for the 6-point development?
Every planet and development has its own benefits (usually focused on a specific role), which means that not only are the decisions of which cards to keep or throw away often interesting, but that the game plays differently every time.
What’s Not To Like?
There are two main criticisms leveled at Race for the Galaxy. The first is that some people find the card icons a bit tricky to learn. Non-gamers who haven’t played anything much more complicated than Monopoly may well be confused by the various abilities cards have, and almost certainly won’t understand on the first game through. However, the game comes with informational mats that explain all the icons, so those willing to play a second game will quickly catch on.
The other complaint some people have is that there is not enough interaction in the game. Players who prefer to directly attack each other may be disappointed that there is no attack option here. However, many people find being attacked frustrating, and so for those who enjoy building a varied empire without someone else knocking it down, Race for the Galaxy can be a very enjoyable game.
Overall Thoughts
Race for the Galaxy is a game with lots of replayability. It may take you a game or two to learn the iconography, but once you do, the gameplay is fairly straightforward. There’s a certain joy in slowly building up your array of interesting powers, and the choices you make along the way definitely affect your late-game. If you need a game where you can attack your opponent, Race For the Galaxy isn’t it, but if you’re looking for a fun middle-weight game where you build your own little empire as best you can, Race For the Galaxy is a fine choice.
Also, if you are comfortable with games like Puerto Rico or San Juan, and you like the science-fiction theme, you may want to give this game a look.
Get your own copy of Race For the Galaxy
New Board Game Bundle of the Month! Settlers, Carcassonne, and Puerto Rico
We wanted to let everyone know that we have decided to move towards a Board Game Bundle of the Month, rather than a single board game/card game.
This month, we are spotlighting the three core strategy board games that every gamer should own: Settlers of Catan, Carcassonne, and Puerto Rico.
Typically, this game bundle would be $70.00. But, because of the holiday season, and we know this would make someone an AWESOME gift, we are leaving it on sale through Dec. 31. The sale price is: $52.50. That averages less than $18.00 per game. If there ever was a time to get these three games, now is the time!
You can check out the bundle for yourself at www.bestdanggames.com. Here is the bundle.
Happy Holidays!
Puerto Rico Board Game – Strategies For Beginners
Written by: Lyndon Lampert – Lake City, Colorado
Puerto Rico, by Rio Grande Games, is a wonderful gaming experience for those who know it well. However, a beginner can often feel as lost as a captain without a ship or a colonist without a plantation. Faced with choices among six or seven roles each round, seventeen different buildings, and five types of plantations, the newcomer to the game may be overwhelmed the with options, and perhaps meekly suggest, “could we play UNO instead?”
Take heart, neophyte Puerto Rico player! There’s an excellent game in this box, and not a difficult one to succeed in once you understand one significant element of the game.
The key to grasping basic Puerto Rico strategy is to remember that this game is all about gaining victory points.
There are only two ways of amassing these points:
- Shipping your goods
- The buildings you build
Thus, there are only three basic strategies to pursue, gaining victory points through shipping, gaining victory points through building, or gaining victory points through a combination of shipping and building.
The three strategies are:
- The Shipping Strategy
- The Building Strategy
- Combination of Both
Let’s examine what each of these strategies looks like in practice:
The Shipping Strategy
Every good shipped is worth one victory point, so it stands to reason that to do well with this strategy, you’ll want to get ships bulging with your goods throughout the game. But to get goods shipped, you’ll have to produce them first, so concentrate on getting goods into production with plantations and the corresponding production buildings. Note, however, that corn requires no production building, so a pure corn shipping strategy can get up and running really early in the game and you can have a corn steamroller on your hands while your opponents are still struggling to get their tobacco shed, coffee roaster, etc. in place.
Certain buildings are especially advantageous to the Shipping Strategy, including Small and Large Warehouses, the Harbor, the Wharf and the Customs House.
Also, you’ll likely be choosing the Captain role often as it gains you a bonus victory point and allows you to place goods first.
The Building Strategy
Buildings are also worth victory points, so pay attention to the red numbers on the buildings you buy throughout the game. These numbers count as victory points and can add up impressively, especially if you are able to fill all of your building spaces.
An effective building strategy, though, requires a good stream of money, so grab dubloons whenever you can!
Early in the game, money is very tight, so that extra dubloon or two on the role card should warrant your attention, even though the role may not be your first choice. Get a cash stream going, and although you may not ship as many goods as your opponents, you’ll be putting up buildings faster than farmers at a barn-raising.
One key thing to remember about the Building Strategy is that it is generally to your advantage to end the game as quickly as you can by filling up all of your building spaces. You’ll want to do this to keep your opponents from shipping, shipping, shipping, because you probably won’t have nearly as much to ship as they will. Get all your building spaces filled quickly and you’ll stop the shippers in their tracks.
Especially advantageous buildings for this strategy include the Small and Large Markets, Office, Factory, Guild Hall and City Hall. Because you’ll need a cash stream, you’ll probably be choosing the Trader role often, and, of course, the Builder is right up your alley.
Make Mine a Combo!
In truth, most players will choose some combination of building and shipping strategies, but it helps to concentrate primarily in one or the other. Always asking, “Will this choice help me to either build or to ship, and can I see how it can ultimately earn me more of those coveted victory points?” should help make your decisions much easier.
Finally, don’t forget that whatever strategy you pursue, the Large Buildings, if occupied, will earn bonus victory points at the end of the game, based on a variety of conditions. These points often spell the difference in victory in many games, so don’t get caught without at least one Large Building!
While there are other subtleties to Puerto Rico, your overall strategy always depends on how you’ll amass your victory points. Are you a shipper or a builder? Experiment with both, and soon you’ll be accumulating stacks of victory points right up there with the Puerto Rico pros.
Get your copy of Puerto Rico here.
Carcassonne and Puerto Rico Videos Uploaded
Today, we have uploaded our first two – of many – videos showing you different board games.
For these first two, we chose Carcassonne and Puerto Rico.
We have taken a slightly different approach to these videos than what is already out there. We decided to go with product shots that show off the great artwork of the box, the boards, the bits and pieces, and the instructions. There are plenty of videos out there by others who do a much better job of showing you how to play. No need to reinvent that wheel. We do want to provide you with enough information about what the game has to offer, what you might be dealing with regarding size and amounts of pieces, and how to set up a typical game. They are designed with no audio
This one is for Carcassone.
This one is for Puerto Rico.
Let us know what you think. Do you like it? Is it boring? does it meet a need to know what the games are without a lot of talking about rules and stuff.
North Orlando Family Board Game Club Update
We had our first game day at the DeBary Library. We will be holding the club here for at least the next three months.
We had a large selection of games and one new visitor who wanted to check it out and see what we were doing. Unfortunately, there were a couple of folks who contacted me and were unable to make it. Maybe next month.
So, my friend John and I had a great day of playing games and looking at how we can enhance www.bestdanggames.com for all of you.
We played one old game, Settlers of Catan. I introduced John to three other games, as well. We played Memoir 44 and it went over alright. He liked it, but in the end, John seems to be a eurogame lover, like myself.
We continued the party back at my place and included my wife and daughter. We learned how to play Puerto Rico and played two rounds of Shadows Over Camelot.
The first game of Shadows was without the traitor. We played a tense game with everyone trying to remember and understand how to play. When we won, we immediately said “Let’s do that again!” So, we did.
We all thought my daughter was the traitor, but she would keep doing stuff to prove she wasn’t. In the end, John ended up revealing himself as the trator just so he could taunt us. In the end, we got SPANKED and evil ran us over like a steamroller. I expect this will be a game we play again.
Regarding the next event, we invite you to come out and play some games if you are in the North Orlando area. To learn more about our events, check out this posting about the North Orlando Family Board Game Club.
Talkin' About Board Games 