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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Steam Park in Tabletop Games
Aug 15, 2019 (Updated Aug 19, 2021)
Who couldn’t go for a nice week or weekend at a fancy theme park these days? I think even our Alexas and Googles would like to catch some rays in their robot bodies, if they had them. Welcome to Steam Park, where all your robots can enjoy themselves on roller coasters, visit vendor stands, and also create metric tons of dirt. You ready?
Steam Park is a real-time dice rolling, theme park building, negative VP mitigating game for two to four players. In it players are theme park owners who are attempting to build the greatest park in the land hoping to attract many robots and keep their parks squeaky clean. The game spans six rounds of four phases and the player with the most VP at the game end will be the winner!
To setup, separate all the different components by type and color and shuffle the cards into a face-down deck. Deal each player six dice, one large starting tile to build upon, six cards from which they will choose to keep three, and one pig board. The game may now begin!
The four phases of each round are Roll, Dirt, Actions, and Income. During the Roll phase players will simultaneously be rolling their dice until they get a result they like. The first player to finish will quickly grab the First Player token in the middle of the table. Each other player may continue rolling as much as they like, but the turn order tokens will be taken one by one until they are all gone. Bonuses exist for the First and Second Player tokens and a negative bonus for the last player (more Dirt).
The Dirt phase causes each player to add Dirt tokens to their park according to the number of Dirt symbols rolled on their dice as well as the number of visitors currently in their park. The player who nabbed the First Player token can now discard four Dirt tokens from the bonus while the last player will add two more Dirt tokens to their park.
Actions that can be taken during the next phase include: Building Rides, Building Vendor Stands, Attracting Visitors, Cleaning Dirt, Playing Bonus Cards, and Expanding the Park. Each of these actions cost symbols rolled on the dice. To build a ride of capacity three, then three Build symbols would need to be spent from those rolled, et al. The only Action that requires no specific symbol is the Expand the Park. Use any symbol to add on a small square tile to the existing park layout.
Players will collect $3 (not USD, just the game money) for every visitor enjoying their park amenities during this Income phase. If a player has less than three Bonus Cards they may draw two from the deck and choose one to take in hand.
The game continues in this fashion over the course of six rounds total and once the final Income phase has been completed players will consult the Final Dirt Track to see how much will need to be paid in Dirt fees. Whomever ends the game with the most money wins!
Components. This game has a LOT of cardboard components. Nearly everything in the box is medium-quality cardboard and generally fine. The art is quirky, whimsical, and endearing. The insert leaves much to be desired so I made my own out of foam board. I have no complaints about the components except that I wish I could visit some of the rides, and I am still not super sure why the dice locking area is a metal pig token.
I originally played Josh’s copy he brought over to my house. I fell in love with it right away, and I still very much enjoy it. It will never make my Top 10 Games of All Time, but I will cherish my copy. I have yet to add in the Play Dirty expansion for it, as I like the base game so well, but I plan to sometime soon.
What I like most about it is the real-time rolling of the dice coupled with the grabbing of the turn order tokens when satisfied. This means that I could just go with what I roll after one roll, or I can take my time and just accept the Dirt coming my way. Sometimes being last and taking that extra Dirt is worth having all the dice read what you really want.
I also like having a lot of vendor stands in my park. Finding room for them is a different story, but I end up usually having just a few rides and mostly stands. They each provide some different benefit or way to change up the game a little that I just love to take advantage of them.
I adore games with real-time dice rolling, so I was predisposed to being attracted to Steam Park. Coupled with the great overall theme, this is an easy win for me, and a prized entry in my collection. In fact, I’m not the only one of us who thinks this as Purple Phoenix Games gives Steam Park a monotone-robot-thrill-seeker-scream 14 / 18. If you are tiring of Escape: The Curse of the Temple (which is possible), then pick up a copy of Steam Park. It will spark your joy of frantic dice rolling once more!
Steam Park is a real-time dice rolling, theme park building, negative VP mitigating game for two to four players. In it players are theme park owners who are attempting to build the greatest park in the land hoping to attract many robots and keep their parks squeaky clean. The game spans six rounds of four phases and the player with the most VP at the game end will be the winner!
To setup, separate all the different components by type and color and shuffle the cards into a face-down deck. Deal each player six dice, one large starting tile to build upon, six cards from which they will choose to keep three, and one pig board. The game may now begin!
The four phases of each round are Roll, Dirt, Actions, and Income. During the Roll phase players will simultaneously be rolling their dice until they get a result they like. The first player to finish will quickly grab the First Player token in the middle of the table. Each other player may continue rolling as much as they like, but the turn order tokens will be taken one by one until they are all gone. Bonuses exist for the First and Second Player tokens and a negative bonus for the last player (more Dirt).
The Dirt phase causes each player to add Dirt tokens to their park according to the number of Dirt symbols rolled on their dice as well as the number of visitors currently in their park. The player who nabbed the First Player token can now discard four Dirt tokens from the bonus while the last player will add two more Dirt tokens to their park.
Actions that can be taken during the next phase include: Building Rides, Building Vendor Stands, Attracting Visitors, Cleaning Dirt, Playing Bonus Cards, and Expanding the Park. Each of these actions cost symbols rolled on the dice. To build a ride of capacity three, then three Build symbols would need to be spent from those rolled, et al. The only Action that requires no specific symbol is the Expand the Park. Use any symbol to add on a small square tile to the existing park layout.
Players will collect $3 (not USD, just the game money) for every visitor enjoying their park amenities during this Income phase. If a player has less than three Bonus Cards they may draw two from the deck and choose one to take in hand.
The game continues in this fashion over the course of six rounds total and once the final Income phase has been completed players will consult the Final Dirt Track to see how much will need to be paid in Dirt fees. Whomever ends the game with the most money wins!
Components. This game has a LOT of cardboard components. Nearly everything in the box is medium-quality cardboard and generally fine. The art is quirky, whimsical, and endearing. The insert leaves much to be desired so I made my own out of foam board. I have no complaints about the components except that I wish I could visit some of the rides, and I am still not super sure why the dice locking area is a metal pig token.
I originally played Josh’s copy he brought over to my house. I fell in love with it right away, and I still very much enjoy it. It will never make my Top 10 Games of All Time, but I will cherish my copy. I have yet to add in the Play Dirty expansion for it, as I like the base game so well, but I plan to sometime soon.
What I like most about it is the real-time rolling of the dice coupled with the grabbing of the turn order tokens when satisfied. This means that I could just go with what I roll after one roll, or I can take my time and just accept the Dirt coming my way. Sometimes being last and taking that extra Dirt is worth having all the dice read what you really want.
I also like having a lot of vendor stands in my park. Finding room for them is a different story, but I end up usually having just a few rides and mostly stands. They each provide some different benefit or way to change up the game a little that I just love to take advantage of them.
I adore games with real-time dice rolling, so I was predisposed to being attracted to Steam Park. Coupled with the great overall theme, this is an easy win for me, and a prized entry in my collection. In fact, I’m not the only one of us who thinks this as Purple Phoenix Games gives Steam Park a monotone-robot-thrill-seeker-scream 14 / 18. If you are tiring of Escape: The Curse of the Temple (which is possible), then pick up a copy of Steam Park. It will spark your joy of frantic dice rolling once more!
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Mountain Goats in Tabletop Games
Mar 14, 2021
Fun fact about me: I thoroughly enjoy watching nature documentaries. I just think they’re so fascinating and I love getting to see all different kinds of animals from across the world. Some of my favorites have definitely been mountain goats. You know, those goats that somehow end up way up high on mountainsides that are basically sheer cliffs? How do they get up there? How do they not fall?? Maybe it’s just me, but those goats are extra intriguing to me. Along comes a game called Mountain Goats, so obviously, I had to try it.
Mountain Goats is a game in which players are racing to the top of 6 different mountains with their goats, in a bid to be the ‘king of the hill,’ if you will. To setup the game, lay out the Mountain cards into a grid, as described in the rules. Place the point tokens at the top of their corresponding Mountain cards, set the Bonus point tokens to the side, and all players place one Goat meeple at the bottom of each set of Mountain cards. The game is now ready to start.
On your turn, you will roll the 4 dice of the game. Using those results, you will create groups of dice, in which the dice total dictates which of your Goats is moved. Once you have created your groups, you will move your Goat up one space on the corresponding Mountain. (For example, if one of my dice groups is a 3 and a 2, then I will move my Goat on Mountain 5 up one space). After moving all of your affected Goats, pass the dice to the next player. Simple, right? Yep! Now here’s where it gets interesting. If you get a Goat to the top of a Mountain, you will collect a Point token from the corresponding pile. If an opponent is already at the top of a Mountain and you are able to move there, then you kick your opponent back to the bottom of that mountain, and claim the top spot for yourself, collecting a Point token as normal! AND if you create a dice set for a Mountain on which you are already at the top, you get to collect an additional Point token and keep your Goat at the top. How long can you hang onto that top spot? I guess you’ll find out. If/when you collect at least 1 Point token from each of the 6 Mountains, you get to claim the highest-value Bonus point token still available.
Play continues in this manner until either all of the Bonus point tokens have been claimed, or when 3 Mountains have no more Point tokens remaining. Players count up all of their collected points, and the player with the highest score is the winner.
The thing I like about Mountain Goats the most is that it is so fast and easy to play/teach. The concept is easy to grasp, the mechanics are simple, and the gameplay is engaging. So right off the bat, this is a solid game for me. The next thing I like is that even though it is such a small, light game, you’ve still got to have a strategy to succeed. With the Mountains numbered 5-10, you really have to think about how you want to group your dice. If your total falls below 5 or over 10, it won’t move any Goats! So if you’ve got a 6, 6, 5, and 2, how can you best maximize your movement? Are you willing to sacrifice a die because it doesn’t necessarily work with your strategy this turn? Or do you want to move as many Goats as possible every turn? It’s really up to you, and that strategic flexibility heightens the gameplay for me.
The other thing I really like about Mountain Goats is the amount of player interaction, in a sort of take-that way. When you reach the top of a Mountain, if an opponent is already there, they get kicked back to the bottom! So not only do they have to start the climb over again, but they can’t just sit pretty collecting Point tokens when possible. For me, the slight take-that element in this game is more friendly than cutthroat, and that really makes the overall gameplay experience more positive. Starting over from the bottom is, at most, only 4 cards from the top, so getting kicked down isn’t totally detrimental to the game atmosphere.
Components. They’re great! The cards are nice and sturdy, the artwork colorful and numbering clear. The Point tokens are nice thick cardboard, the dice are big and clear, and the Goat meeples are chunky and fun to manipulate. I have yet to see a game from BoardGameTables.com that has poor production quality, and Mountain Goats is no exception.
All in all, I think this is a great and fun little game. The concept is cute, the gameplay itself is fun and engaging, and the small footprint and short playtime make it an enjoyable little game. And since the gist of the game is just counting/numbers, it can be played with relatively young gamers, which makes it a good family-friendly filler game. Purple Phoenix Games gives Mountain Goats an ascending 9 / 12. Give it a shot and see if you’ve got what it takes to come out on top!
Mountain Goats is a game in which players are racing to the top of 6 different mountains with their goats, in a bid to be the ‘king of the hill,’ if you will. To setup the game, lay out the Mountain cards into a grid, as described in the rules. Place the point tokens at the top of their corresponding Mountain cards, set the Bonus point tokens to the side, and all players place one Goat meeple at the bottom of each set of Mountain cards. The game is now ready to start.
On your turn, you will roll the 4 dice of the game. Using those results, you will create groups of dice, in which the dice total dictates which of your Goats is moved. Once you have created your groups, you will move your Goat up one space on the corresponding Mountain. (For example, if one of my dice groups is a 3 and a 2, then I will move my Goat on Mountain 5 up one space). After moving all of your affected Goats, pass the dice to the next player. Simple, right? Yep! Now here’s where it gets interesting. If you get a Goat to the top of a Mountain, you will collect a Point token from the corresponding pile. If an opponent is already at the top of a Mountain and you are able to move there, then you kick your opponent back to the bottom of that mountain, and claim the top spot for yourself, collecting a Point token as normal! AND if you create a dice set for a Mountain on which you are already at the top, you get to collect an additional Point token and keep your Goat at the top. How long can you hang onto that top spot? I guess you’ll find out. If/when you collect at least 1 Point token from each of the 6 Mountains, you get to claim the highest-value Bonus point token still available.
Play continues in this manner until either all of the Bonus point tokens have been claimed, or when 3 Mountains have no more Point tokens remaining. Players count up all of their collected points, and the player with the highest score is the winner.
The thing I like about Mountain Goats the most is that it is so fast and easy to play/teach. The concept is easy to grasp, the mechanics are simple, and the gameplay is engaging. So right off the bat, this is a solid game for me. The next thing I like is that even though it is such a small, light game, you’ve still got to have a strategy to succeed. With the Mountains numbered 5-10, you really have to think about how you want to group your dice. If your total falls below 5 or over 10, it won’t move any Goats! So if you’ve got a 6, 6, 5, and 2, how can you best maximize your movement? Are you willing to sacrifice a die because it doesn’t necessarily work with your strategy this turn? Or do you want to move as many Goats as possible every turn? It’s really up to you, and that strategic flexibility heightens the gameplay for me.
The other thing I really like about Mountain Goats is the amount of player interaction, in a sort of take-that way. When you reach the top of a Mountain, if an opponent is already there, they get kicked back to the bottom! So not only do they have to start the climb over again, but they can’t just sit pretty collecting Point tokens when possible. For me, the slight take-that element in this game is more friendly than cutthroat, and that really makes the overall gameplay experience more positive. Starting over from the bottom is, at most, only 4 cards from the top, so getting kicked down isn’t totally detrimental to the game atmosphere.
Components. They’re great! The cards are nice and sturdy, the artwork colorful and numbering clear. The Point tokens are nice thick cardboard, the dice are big and clear, and the Goat meeples are chunky and fun to manipulate. I have yet to see a game from BoardGameTables.com that has poor production quality, and Mountain Goats is no exception.
All in all, I think this is a great and fun little game. The concept is cute, the gameplay itself is fun and engaging, and the small footprint and short playtime make it an enjoyable little game. And since the gist of the game is just counting/numbers, it can be played with relatively young gamers, which makes it a good family-friendly filler game. Purple Phoenix Games gives Mountain Goats an ascending 9 / 12. Give it a shot and see if you’ve got what it takes to come out on top!
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Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Elder Sign in Tabletop Games
Jul 17, 2020 (Updated Jul 18, 2020)
The Theme (3 more)
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High Replayabity
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Call of Cthulhu
Elder Sign- is a excellent fantasy adventure, horror card game. I learn about this game through Tabletop. And to me it looked really good. And plus you can play it solo. So i had to buy it, cause of the solo experience. I only played this solo and its fun, but hard to win. I love the theme of the game which is based on the Cthulhu Mythos of horror writer H.P. Lovecraft and Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game. I love both H.P. Lovecraft, and Cthulhu. If you don't know what Elder Sign is I will explain it.
Elder Sign- is a cooperative card and dice game, based on the Cthulhu Mythos of horror writer H.P. Lovecraft and Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game. It is published by Fantasy Flight Games, which also produces the Cthulhu Mythos games Arkham Horror, Call of Cthulhu: The Card Game, Mansions of Madness, and Eldritch Horror.
Gameplay:
Players randomly select a monster (known as an Ancient One) to oppose. The Ancient One requires a certain number of elder sign tokens to "seal" or imprison it. Conversely, the Ancient One can be "awakened" or released by a number of doom tokens.
There are also many other less powerful monsters that can appear during the game.
Each player chooses an investigator to play as (usually randomly), each investigator having unique abilities.
Players take turns exploring a randomly generated room (there are Adventure cards and Other World cards). If a player succeeds at completing all of the tasks in the room they are exploring, they obtain a reward. Conversely, if they fail, they receive a penalty. If the player's investigator is devoured (either by losing all of their stamina and/or sanity), they lose what they originally had, a doom token is added to the doom track, and the player returns to play as a different investigator.
Rooms are explored until either the Ancient One is "sealed" or "awakened". If the Ancient One is sealed, the players immediately win. If the Ancient One awakens, the players must face it in battle. This battle is designed to be extremely difficult with a low chance of success, so players must try to prevent the Ancient One from awakening at all costs.
Its a excellent gothic horror game, it has fantasy, dice, cards and adventure and alot of replayablity. Buy it if you havent already. Cause its excellent.
Elder Sign- is a cooperative card and dice game, based on the Cthulhu Mythos of horror writer H.P. Lovecraft and Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game. It is published by Fantasy Flight Games, which also produces the Cthulhu Mythos games Arkham Horror, Call of Cthulhu: The Card Game, Mansions of Madness, and Eldritch Horror.
Gameplay:
Players randomly select a monster (known as an Ancient One) to oppose. The Ancient One requires a certain number of elder sign tokens to "seal" or imprison it. Conversely, the Ancient One can be "awakened" or released by a number of doom tokens.
There are also many other less powerful monsters that can appear during the game.
Each player chooses an investigator to play as (usually randomly), each investigator having unique abilities.
Players take turns exploring a randomly generated room (there are Adventure cards and Other World cards). If a player succeeds at completing all of the tasks in the room they are exploring, they obtain a reward. Conversely, if they fail, they receive a penalty. If the player's investigator is devoured (either by losing all of their stamina and/or sanity), they lose what they originally had, a doom token is added to the doom track, and the player returns to play as a different investigator.
Rooms are explored until either the Ancient One is "sealed" or "awakened". If the Ancient One is sealed, the players immediately win. If the Ancient One awakens, the players must face it in battle. This battle is designed to be extremely difficult with a low chance of success, so players must try to prevent the Ancient One from awakening at all costs.
Its a excellent gothic horror game, it has fantasy, dice, cards and adventure and alot of replayablity. Buy it if you havent already. Cause its excellent.
Entertainment Editor (1988 KP) rated The Castles of Burgundy in Tabletop Games
Mar 7, 2018
The Castles of Burgundy Review
I was somewhat disappointed with the components of this game. While the price point isn’t very high, the game still feels a little cheaply made. For most people, the main complaint with The Castles of Burgundy is the player mats. They seem to be made of a light card stock, rather than standard cardboard. They feel quite flimsily and seem like they could tear or bend fairly easily. The artwork for this game is also somewhat bland. The colors have a little bit of low-saturation feel to them and the artwork is not particularly impressive. I would like to note that you do get a lot of tokens with this game. There are about 164 hex tokens that will be used in the game, a handful of dice and some other miscellaneous tokens. This does make setup a bit of a chore, as there is a lot to keep organized. I’d recommend one of those plano storage boxes if you are going to play this game a lot.
Original Rating: 2.5
Reviewer: Tony Mastrangeli
Read the full review here: https://www.boardgamequest.com/the-castles-of-burgundy-review/
Original Rating: 2.5
Reviewer: Tony Mastrangeli
Read the full review here: https://www.boardgamequest.com/the-castles-of-burgundy-review/
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