Gaming with the Family: Camel Up review

Over the course of Memorial Day weekend, quite a few board games were played with my family.  We're on a series of posts that takes a look at a few games played from the perspective of what worked / didn't work for enticing my family into the hobby. 

     Camel Up

         2-8 players
         30 min to play
         ages 8+




How to Play

In Camel Cup, players bet on five racing camels (which apparently is a real thing) around a short track. Bets are made on which camels will come in first or second for shorter segments (called legs) and first or last for the overall race. Coins represent victory points in the game and there are various ways to earn or possibly even lose these.

You'll find that due to the randomness built into the game, your bets will frequently change and what may have seemed like a good bet at first will leave you yelling at a trailing camel. Fortunately, you do have some direct influence on how the camels move.

On your turn, you can do one of four things:

1. take a betting tile
2. take a pyramid tile and roll a die
3. play your desert tile
4. make a bet on the overall winner and loser of the race

During each leg, which completes after all camels move, you have an option to place a bet on who will be in the lead after the leg completes. Grabbing the correct betting tile first will earn you more points, but if you happen to grab a tile for a camel that isn't in 1st or 2nd after the completion of the leg, you'll lose a coin. 

Rolling the die determines which and how far a camel moves. This is how the game progresses through the legs. Each camel will be guaranteed a movement, but you don't know which one will come out or what the movement number will be. Camels will landing on the same space as other camels will either be placed on top of the stack or at the bottom depending on if they moved forward or backwards. If a camel has other camels on top of it when moving, those camels will move as a stack.

Desert tiles can be placed on the board in front of the camels to influence their movement. Depending on whether you play it as an Oasis or a Mirage, it can bump the camel ahead one space or move it back one. Either way you get a coin if a camel should land on it.

Betting on the overall winner (or loser) of the race is a great way to score points. Just like the betting tiles, it's important to be among to bet first to get the most possible points. However, betting early can be tough as the race leaders and losers can and will change over the course of the race.

The game ends as soon as a camel crosses the finish line. At that point, the leg is considered finished and scoring takes place both for the leg and the overall race.

Thoughts

gameplay - B-
components - B+

Gameplay is simple enough to grasp and players will quickly understand how camels move and betting works. Legs move fast enough to keep you engaged, although I've found that with more than 6 players the downtime is a bit too much. I'd recommend keeping player count in the 3-6 range if possible. The game is all about betting and it works well both for the legs as well as the overall race. Sure you can slightly influence the race, but it really comes down to timing. When and which camel to bet on is key to winning.

There isn't a ton of strategy, but that's not necessarily a bad thing for a game that's designed to be accessible and enjoyable for a wide range. Besides the betting, strategy is limited to deciding when to roll or where to place your desert tile. The luck of the dice plays heavily into the results, but that's what makes the betting fun. Adding more strategy would put this game into a weird limbo in that it wouldn't be as accessible and likely wouldn't be enough to compete with other more strategically designed games.

One of the strengths of the game are the components. Artwork is colorful and appropriately cartoony, invoking the theme well. Wooden camels stack nicely and the betting tiles are made of a thick cardboard. The centerpiece of the game is the pyramid dice tower. Sure it may be gimmicky, but it's a fun gimmick and one that I find cleverly adds to the game. Not only does it draw interest, but it also works well to reveal the dice in a way that invokes groans or cheers from players.

While components don't make a game, they are incredibly important for luring new players to the table. Camel Up does this well and keeps them there with an entertaining game.


Yay:

• betting - betting without losing real money is usually fun (for most people)
• look and feel - game is attractive with the wooden camels and a unique pyramid tower
• simplicity - easily grasped rules with limited turn options
• plays quickly - with 3-6 players, games play fast enough to often warrant another playthrough

Meh:

• player limit - find that playing with more than 5 or 6 players tends to drag the game along
• randomness - some control, although this is limited and you're generally at the mercy of the dice



The first time my family played, they wanted to immediately play again. While it may not be the best game out there, there aren't many games out there that you can bring out and be enjoyed by almost anyone.

-NA

Family Meeples: 4/5





My Meeples: 4/5



Gaming with the Family: Haggis review

Over the course of Memorial Day weekend, quite a few board games were played with my family.  We're on a series of posts that takes a look at a few games played from the perspective of what worked / didn't work for enticing my family into the hobby. 

     

      Haggis

         2-3 players
         45 min to play
         ages 13+





How to Play

Haggis is a 2-3 player trick taking game that plays out in rounds (called tricks) until a certain score is reached (250 or 350 depending on preferred game length).  The deck consists of xxx cards made up of five suites, with cards ranging from 2 to 10. A Jack, Queen, and King are placed face up in front of each player and then fourteen cards are dealt to each players. The remaining are set aside as the Haggis. Prior to cards being played, players bet 0, 15, 30 points on whether or not they will be the first one to play all their cards during a round.

In addition to the betting, points are earned by winning tricks. Each odd numbered card has a value of 1 point and the Jack, Queen, and King have values of 2, 3, and 5 respectively . If you're the first to go out (or second in a three player game), you also get 5 points for every card remaining in players hands.

Each trick starts with a player playing a card combination (note: the Jack, Queen, and King may be used as wilds) of either a:

• set - a single or group of cards of the same number
• sequence - a set of three or more singles (or two or more larger sets) in numerical order and of the same suit
• bomb - a  combination of cards that can be played to beat any combination except for a higher bomb

Subsequent plays must follow the same type of the first play, but of a higher combination. For example, if a pair of threes is played (making a set), another pair of two cards can be played as long as the number on the card is four or higher. The exception is a bomb. Bombs can be played on top of any set or sequence and can then only be beaten by a higher bomb. However, when you play a winning bomb, you then must select an opponent to receive all the cards played in the trick.

Play will continue until all other players pass and the player with the highest combinations wins the trick and takes the cards played (unless they won with a bomb). This player will then lead for the next round.

Thoughts

gameplay - B
components - B-

While I found this game to be enjoyable, it didn't seem to catch on with my dad as expected. He enjoys card games (especially those of the trick taking variety), but after a couple rounds this didn't interest him. He found the playing of combinations to be dull and gameplay to be boring.

For me, the game was an interesting combination of bidding and collecting tricks through card combinations. The wild cards add a fun and unique element to the game that changes your approach through each trick, especially when your opponent is playing combinations that leave you unable to play. You never feel like you're completely out of the game as each new round, the player with the lowest point total gets to lead first. This along with the betting, helps keep players in the game.

I also enjoyed the strategy of considering what cards to play or hold on to. Do you play that matching set now or hold on to them in hope that you'll get to play them as part of a sequence? Do you play a bomb to keep the lead, knowing it will give the trick to your opponent? You definitely want to get rid of your cards as quickly as possible, but sometimes you'll find it makes sense to hold back in order to setup playing multiples of a specific combination. Find it to be a good balance of risk and reward in a game that is mostly strategic in nature, but has a fun element of luck to it.



The quality of the cards are ok, but not great. Would like a thicker card stock, but they're also not the worst quality either. A Celtic theme is loosely applied through images which adds a nice feel to the game, but I do wish there was a greater difference in the colors as they tend to blur together.

Yay:

• designed for 2 or 3 - sometimes it can be tough to find a good game with low player count
• strategic decisions - choosing what cards to play when creates an enjoyable tension
• well balanced - never feel like your too far behind

Meh:

• suit colors - card colors are difficult to distinguish when first learning the game
• cardstock - would have preferred a higher quality, although this isn't a huge issue

For me, the game was interesting enough to want to play more, but will likely have difficulty getting it to the table with the family. Will try to see if other similar games such as Clubs and/or Tichu go over better.

-NA


Family Meeples: 2/5







My Meeples: 4/5

Gaming with the Family: Splendor review

Over the course of Memorial Day weekend, quite a few board games were played with my family.  We're on a series of posts that takes a look at a few games played from the perspective of what worked / didn't work for enticing my family into the hobby. 

     Splendor

         2-4 players
         30 min to play
         ages 8+




How to Play

Splendor is a game where players are merchants attempting to gather prestige points through mines, transportation methods, shops, and alluring the favor of nobles.

On your turn you really have two choices:

1. collect gems, the basic resource of the game
2. buy a card with gems you have collected and/or through the permanent gem bonus granted from previously purchased cards
• there is also an option to reserve a card that you want to buy but cannot at the time, thus saving the card for only you to be able to buy on a later turn

This continues until one player reaches 15 prestige points granted through purchased cards or from gathering enough cards to attract a noble. The final round is completed and the player with the most points is the winner.

Thoughts

gameplay - B+
components - A-

One reason Splendor makes a great gateway game is that along with it's attractiveness, it begins to introduce multiple concepts such as set collection, basic engine building, and light math. While a light game, there is some depth which will have you asking questions like:


• Do I pick up 2 chips of one color to help me get a certain card faster or 3 chips which will give me more?
• It looks like someone is going for the card I want, should I reserve it?
• There's nothing on the table that I want. Is it worth taking a chance to reserve a random card?



Goes great with coffee in the morning

Initially, playing to 15 points seems like a lot as point gathering starts out rather slow with players focusing on developing their resources. However, this quickly changes and turns into a frenetic grab for higher value point cards and nobles.

Splendor is a lot of fun at all player counts, and as you add more players it requires that you be more agile in your planning. While there isn't direct player conflict, you'll often find yourself competing for the same cards. This requires keeping tabs on what other players are doing and possibly attempting to prevent them from acquiring the gems or cards you think they may want. I like this aspect of the game as it gives you something to think about between player turns.

One aspect that really helps Splendor stand out are the components. The highlight are the chips representing the resource gems. These are made out of heavier poker chips which have a nice tactile feel when gathering and holding these basic resources. The art on the cards is enticing, but in a subtle manner that helps tie the rather loosely applied theme together. I do wish the box was a bit smaller as everything could easily fit into a box almost 1/2 of the size, but this is a minor gripe and can be remedied by a custom box. Overall, the components are very well done and do help draw people into the game.


Yay:

• quality components - really like the poker chips used for gems; appealing art on the cards
• scales well - gameplay is great for all player counts
• moves quickly - turns do not take long and there's enough for you to think about between them
• easily explained - limited playing options allow new players to quickly grasp concepts

Meh:

• box size - seems like this could have been a smaller box; also find it slightly annoying that the card dividers are not spaced appropriately for each stack of cards
• limited depth - not a lot going on and after a few plays you'll have discovered most of what the game has to offer



Splendor is one of my families favorite games at the moment. Play moves quickly and there is enough there to satisfy more experienced gamers, while newer players will not be overwhelmed with too many choices or find themselves unable to compete. One of the best gateway games available today and would never turn down an opportunity to play this game.

-NA



Family Meeples: 4/5






My Meeples: 4/5

Gaming with the Family: Timeline review

Over the course of Memorial Day weekend, quite a few board games were played with my family.  We're on a series of posts that takes a look at a few games played from the perspective of what worked / didn't work for enticing my family into the hobby. 

Timeline

    2-8 players
    15 min to play
    ages 8+



How to Play

Timeline is a game where each theme (I'd brought 3 versions to try with my family - Inventions, Music & Cinema, Historical Events) includes a set of 109 cards. Every card has a picture of a person, place, event, or object on one side and the same picture on the other side, but with a year the pictured thing took place. Each player is given four cards placed on the table with the year side facing down. One card from the pile placed in the middle, thus creating the "timeline". On a players turn, they must select a card and place it to either the left or the right of a card in the timeline based upon chronological order and then flip the card to see if they were correct. If they were, the card stays. If not, the card is discarded and the player must draw a new card to be placed in their hand. Play then moves to the next player. The first player to get rid of all their cards wins.

Thoughts

gameplay - B
components - C

Gameplay is easily understood and works well with those who don't play many games. It helps that difficulty ramps as you play. It's easy to place a card when there's only one or two options, but as the timeline grows, it becomes increasingly challenging to choose correctly. You'll also find the difficulty to be dependent upon your knowledge of the theme. However, unless your knowledge of the theme is akin to Wikipedia, you'll almost always come across cards that trip you up.

One of the great things about the game is that downtime really isn't an issue. You'll either be thinking of what you want to play next or laughing at others for how many years off they were with their choice. With larger player counts you'll likely end up with multiple players placing their last card during a round. This is resolved well by an elimination playoff with each remaining player drawing a single card until only one player remains. This may take a few rounds to complete, but it tends to go quickly.

In regards to the components, art on the cards isn't amazing, but does give you enough to help make an educated guess on the era from time to time. Card size is a bit small, but any larger, would create a timeline too long for most tables. Do enjoy the tin box it comes in, although wish that the various versions would stack better. Overall the components are adequate, but nothing that really stands out.

Yay:

• ease of teaching- able to explain and start playing in less than a minute to almost anyone
• accommodating - works well with various group sizes (we played with anywhere from 2 to 6)
• short length of games - allowed for repeat play with players being able to jump in/out
• various themes - players gravitated to a certain theme based upon their knowledge/interest
• size - easy to pack and play almost anywhere there's a flat surface
• cost - inexpensive, usually can find for around $10

Meh:

• limited replay - once you start to remember the dates on the cards, the games become less interesting (possible to mitigate this by having multiple versions of the game to play on their own or even mixed together)
• minimal strategy - not a ton of tactical planning here

Timeline: Historical Events ended up being my dad's favorite game of the weekend

While it's doubtful it will see much playtime in my gaming group, Timeline is a game that definitely will be played again with my family. Not one of my favorites, but it will remain in the collection to be played in the right setting. Set expectations appropriately and you'll be find this to be a quick and enjoyable game that can be played with a wide variety of people.

-NA

Family Meeples: 4/5




My Meeples: 3/5

Memorial Day Weekend Recap

As mentioned in my previous post, Memorial Day weekend has turned into a day full of family, BBQ, croquet, and board gaming.  Weather was great and the annual croquet tournament was the highlight of the weekend.



 

An early lead was claimed, but unfortunately the quest for a repeat fell short.  Next year!

Many board games were played throughout the weekend.  The next few series of posts will be focusing on a few games from the perspective of what worked / didn't work for enticing my family into the hobby. 

Here's the list of games we'll be looking at:

• Timeline
• Splendor
• Haggis
• Concept
• Rhino Hero
• Pinochle
• Camel Up
• Robot Turtles
• Pandemic
• Tsuro
• Sushi Go!

- NA

Memorial Day Weekend Gaming

Gradually, I've begun to share board gaming with my family with varying success.  Most everyone enjoys card and party games, while some like lighter fare such as Ticket to Ride, Takenoko and Blokus. 

Every Memorial Day weekend, our extended family gets together for BBQ, croquet, and homemade ice cream.

The croquet tournament has become quite the event over the past few years with the winning team being memorialized with their names engraved on a trophy.  Needless to say, the competition has been fierce with rule debates often breaking out.  It's not officially a family event with us until arguing occurs.


In packing for this years long weekend, here's what's getting included in this years box of games:

Lighter Fare

• Camel Up -  have yet to play, but due to it's simplicity and short playtime, thinking it'll work well
• Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries - only 3 players, but is a game my wife and dad enjoy
• Pandemic - debated between this and Flash Point
• Splendor - great looking game that's easy to teach
• Biblios - enjoy playing this with my wife and eager to try it with more than two players
• Tsuro - simple, short game that accommodates up to 8
• Survive: Escape from Atlantis! - saving yourself while drowning others
• Get Bit - push your luck while bluffing
• Eight-Minute Empire: Legends - been wanting to try this
• Hive - something for when there's just two of us
• Boss Monster - brother has been asking to play

Card Games

• Archeology - just got this and want to give it a try
• Haggis / Tichu - trick taking games, choice will be determined by number of players
• Sushi Go! - hand drafting simplified with a easy to digest theme
• Timeline - some history buffs in the group so this should go over well
• Port Royal - need to learn this one before bring it out

Party Games

• Ca$h 'N Guns - what's a better way for family bonding than pointing guns at each other
• Telestrations - guessing this will result in laughs, arguing, or both
• One Night Ultimate Werewolf - to my surprise, mom really likes this one
• Train of Thought - picked this up on sale recently and think it will work well with our family

Kids Games

• Robot Turtles - one of my son's favorites
• Rhino Hero - thinking this may get some play from a variety of folks

 

While these won't all get played, I enjoy having some options to choose from.  What games do you find work well for your family?

- NA

Rebirth of a Board Game hobby

A couple years ago I was re-introduced into the world of board games.  Like me, at some point you've probably played games like Monopoly, Life, Chutes & Ladders, Candy Land, Battleship, Twister, Yahtzee, Uno, Sorry, Risk, or Jenga.  While I have fond memories of playing these games as a kid, they had lost their luster over the years.  In an attempt to ascertain why, it came down to a couple of things:

1. Simplicity and/or monotonous play.  There's only so many times you can roll the dice, climb ladders, and sink ships before it becomes a chore.  Games like Monopoly or Risk may still fun for the first hour or so, but quickly become enervating once you realize there's no chance of winning, yet you still have hours of "play" ahead of you.
2. Video games.  Despite my numerous attempts, I'd never been successful in convincing my parents to buy me a video game console.  Sure, I played Mario Brothers and R.B.I. Baseball at friend's houses.  But at home the predominate option was cajoling my siblings into playing a game that would often end sooner than expected due to the board being tossed in frustration.  On Christmas of 1989, my gaming world was invaded by Will Wright.  My evenings and free time were consumed with building (and destroying) vast, sprawling cities.  Cities turned into worlds with Civilization. Countless hours slipped away due to "one more turn".  With the SNES (and soon to follow N64), console gaming with friends filled the after school and weekend hours.  Other than brief stints into Axis & Allies and Magic: The Gathering, PC and consoles would be my primary go-to for gaming. My small collection of board games sat on shelves or in boxes gathering dust.

Similar to my inception into video games, it was a Christmas gift in 2012 that reinvigorated my interest in board games.  The gift, 7 Wonders, played unlike the board games of my past.  Games could be completed in less than an hour, with numerous viable strategies for success.  Immediately after playing the first game, I wanted to play again.  I began to wonder, if this was a representation of the new "modern" board game, what else was out there?  Slowly, I began to explore, slowly adding games to my collection.

Then last year, this exploration process hit warp speed.  Two things happened:

1. An enabler.  Was invited to a acquaintances house last winter for a board game night.  Was eager, yet unsure what to expect as up until this point had really only played a few games with my brother or family during holidays.  Over the course of the evening, we played multiple game styles ranging from short fillers, to raucous party, to more complex Euro-style.  Not only did the evening reveal a greater variety of games, but more importantly showcased an enjoyable way to engage with others similar to how video games had in the past.  Over the next few months attended more of these nights along with getting together with the invitee to learn and play other games.  In short, this person became akin to being my board game dealer. 
2. PAX Prime.  Having gone to PAX for a few years now, had usually ignored the board game section for it's larger, flashier cousin, the video game.  This last year, due to my increasing interest into board games, managed to convince my video gaming friends in attendance with me to first investigate the board game area.  What we found is a hesitancy to leave.  There was so much to see, do, and enjoy.  The rest of the convention, while appealing, wasn't enough to prevent us from returning back to the board games again and again.  Even though it was comparatively smaller to the rest of the convention offerings, there was so much to explore.  This experience only served to further cement my interest in this new hobby.

Fast forward to today, board gaming has becoming more than a passing interest.  It's an involved hobby that has definitely overtaken, maybe even replaced video games as my favored form of entertainment.  This blog will be used to share my experiences, both good and bad.  Board games have evolved from my youth.  Some have said we're in a "golden age" of this pastime.  I'm under the impression that it's more of a reawaking and that there's much more to come.

- NA