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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!
Dean (6927 KP) rated Forrest Gump (1994) in Movies
May 1, 2017
Tom Hanks one of his best films (1 more)
A story through the years
Run Forest run!
An awesome film that will grow on you with repeat viewings. It has become one of my fave films. I love how the story progresses over the years of the characters lifetime and ties into real historical events. A very heartwarming film. If you missed it put it to the top of your must watch list.
Dean (6927 KP) rated Wonder Woman (2017) in Movies
Jun 23, 2017
Great cast (3 more)
Great fight scenes
Gal Gadot
Good Sfx
Best film of the year so far!
A very good film and in stark contrast compared to Batman vs Superman. It has a good back story to how she became to be. The action, fights and Sfx are all very good. The story and characters portrayed by a strong cast top it off. Overall an emotive film with a deeper meaning.
Tigs85 (21 KP) rated Bones- Season 1 in TV
Jul 16, 2017
Character dynamics (1 more)
Strong female lead
Bone lady
In the battle between brains and brawn, it's nice to watch brains come out on top in the looks department! Although the social ineptness of highly intelligent people is portrayed, it's refreshing to see the journey each character makes throughout each season. The storylines aren't as far-fetched as some may perceive, with the fantastic Kathy Reichs giving her anthropological insight to the script.
Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated The Only City Left (The Only City Left, #1) in Books
Jan 12, 2018
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review.
[The Only City Left] by [Andy Goldman] is a nice mix of fantasy and dystopia. The characters were very creative and the setting was fitting. I liked how Allin's goal was to see the 'top of the world' but that changed as he learned more about his past and the city. I definitely would recommend this book.
[The Only City Left] by [Andy Goldman] is a nice mix of fantasy and dystopia. The characters were very creative and the setting was fitting. I liked how Allin's goal was to see the 'top of the world' but that changed as he learned more about his past and the city. I definitely would recommend this book.
CerealKilter (5 KP) rated Comedy Bang Bang: The Podcast in Podcasts
Jan 13, 2018
Scott Auckerman (5 more)
Weekly
Celebrities
Comedy
The wacky characters
Musicians
Top improvised comedy podcast
Comedy Bang Bang is a weekly podcast that is hosted by Scott Auckerman, wherein, he has celebrities, musicians, comedians come in and get interviewed. Where it gets interesting is some of the guests he has on play characters that have weird quirks or different occupations. If you like funny in your ears listen to this podcast.
Kasey Davis (30 KP) rated Crown of Midnight in Books
May 15, 2018
OMG... I just can't. This book was epic. I love how much the story gripped me and wouldn't let go. It was a great sequel to the first. You learned more about the characters you already loved and it makes you love them more. I can't wait to read the next one. The world created in this book is amazing. It's definitely in my top 10 series to read.
Sonofdel (6291 KP) rated Satanic (2016) in Movies
Mar 12, 2019
Been Done Better
Contains spoilers, click to show
Anyone who has seen Triangle will know where this is going from the first five minutes. Its a creepy enough movie but you don't feel any empathy for any of the characters and the plot becomes so obvious and contrite that it only just watchable. I saw it on Netflix and would not recommend it unless you can find absolutely nothing else.
