Author Topic: Bests Spin-Off Games  (Read 22168 times)

Offline Decar

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Re: Bests Spin-Off Games
« Reply #30 on: January 26, 2016, 09:45:14 AM »
Couldn't disagree more!

I'm sure you could.

I think it makes for a great game. As I said earlier, to me there is very little point in a spin-off repeating what's already happened in the base game, and this takes that on board. It uses the Carcassonne concept and then makes it play very differently. It really stretches the player and makes him plan ahead and think about his strategy. I will grant you that the scoring takes some getting used to but it's OK once grasped.... the player aid cards are best left in the bottom of the box mind!

I was answering in terms of Jungleboy's requirements.  Yes the game is different; but that doesn't make it better.  Mechanically 3 similar feature types don't fit well.  I think there's a topological limitation of having 3 blobby intersecting things on a 2D surface.  Carcassonne avoids this by using 2 on a field and then introduces Cloisters.  I don't think the tile distribution is well thought out as I said.  The fact they decided to print a scoring-reminder board for every player shows it can't have been received well during play testing.  I don't dislike the game, I just don't think it's very strong mechanically.  Jungleboy might enjoy it because it is so different, but The Castle and The City perform better.  These are my thoughts you, jungleboy and everyone else can ignore them as they wish.  This is usually what happens :)

'the Scoreboard only goes up to 50'.... er, pretty standard Carcassonne scoreboard then! All of them only go up to 50. Methinks someone has got a bit to used to using his home made scoreboards maybe?!  :)
With the exception of the one Dan pointed to above: Carcassonne Scoreboards go up to 49 then round to 0.  From a usability perspective this is much better for games that score more than 50.  Going up to 50, then back down to 0, no wait 1, is exactly why the 70-point track was changed to the one we know and love now.  It's like they unlearned what they had already learned.

Regards your Star Wars comment... perhaps you give yourself away there, possibly explaining the Discovery comments too.... 'It ain't Carcassonne so I ain't playing it'??  ;D ;D ;D
I've said many times on the forum, I love Carcassonne Star Wars, again I was taking jungleboy's requirements on board.  The co-op play works great and the planet-battling is a fresh mechanic.  Road Pennants were a nice inclusion too, making roads a little more viable.  More tiles, with a range of permutations is good too; having said that I've not looked at the distribution closely. Less meeple make it challenging too.

Offline Rosco

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Re: Bests Spin-Off Games
« Reply #31 on: February 19, 2016, 02:51:40 PM »
Over the last few weeks I have tried out most of the spin-offs.

I can say that I really like a few and others are rather weak.

the Castle - This is a great game and I really enjoy the mechanics.  My 8 yr old daughter also really likes it too which is great as I have a new gaming partner!  I cant wait for the Falconer expansion to add to the game

Hunters and Gatherers - This was fun but not my favourite of the games - I think it needs another couple of plays to really get a feel for the game.

South Seas - This we love - we have played this a fair few times and really like the fact you dont use a score board.  We enjoy the trading element and it makes it even better that we have a blue banana in our set!

Mayflower - this is not our favourite - it was an interesting version and could be interesting but we need to try it again.

Star Wars - This was really good - we love the battling element.  It is actually quite cool combining a game I love and a movie i love.

The Discovery - Not good - art is terrible and the game play is boring.  not playing this again.  Anyone want to buy it????

next I need to play Stock and Stein, and The City.


In other news - I have bought a lovely wooden box which is the perfect size for a travel set of Carcassonne.  I have put a base set into it and a few expansions and all I need now is to put some dividers in.

Photos to come!!
Just lay the damn tile!

Offline Whaleyland

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Re: Bests Spin-Off Games
« Reply #32 on: February 19, 2016, 07:32:01 PM »
The Discovery - Not good - art is terrible and the game play is boring.  not playing this again.  Anyone want to buy it????
I'd be interested. I just missed my chance to nab it when the Carcassonne Shoppe shut down (it ran out of stock while in my Shopping Cart). Other than Über stock und stein, it is the only tile-based spin-off I don't have (not counting Cardcassonne or the Dice Game...ugh).

I wasn't enamoured with New World/Mayflower either. The graphics are too photo-realistic which makes the features really hard to see. I do like the time-out mechanism with the surveyors (or whatever they're called). The City is our least favourite. It just doesn't hit the spot for us and the tiles just look rather lame.

Offline danisthirty

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Re: Bests Spin-Off Games
« Reply #33 on: February 19, 2016, 10:31:20 PM »
South Seas - This we love - we have played this a fair few times and really like the fact you dont use a score board.  We enjoy the trading element and it makes it even better that we have a blue banana in our set!

Thanks for the reviews Rosco! :)

I'm yet to meet anyone who doesn't enjoy playing South Seas. Although I'm sure we'll be able to find someone now that I've said this!

Offline Rosco

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Re: Bests Spin-Off Games
« Reply #34 on: November 16, 2018, 04:07:27 PM »
I had my first game of Gold Rush the other day - I have to say that it is really fun.  The gold tokens really adds an extra bit of strategy into the game which can really affect the scores.  My daughter was focusing her efforts on the Prairie (farm) where as I was concentrating on railroads with trains and cities (monsateries).  The mountains are interesting with several ways to score from them - dealing gold from mountains controlled by others with your tent, collecting your own gold early to prevent theft, collecting mined gold when complete. 

I really like it.  Anyone else's thoughts?

On a side note, my spin-off collection is almost complete now that the arc has arrived only safari left to get.  I had The City but sold it to fund other purchases but would now like a cardboard box version, and I had mayflower but it is crap so I got rid!

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Offline DrMeeple

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Re: Bests Spin-Off Games
« Reply #35 on: November 17, 2018, 02:26:04 AM »
I love the Carcassonne spin-offs. They all have their charm. Except for seas of south seas and amazonas that both the theme and the mechanics I don't like very much. Personally following the medieval theme I stay with The city and The castle. I think I would do two rankings based on the decade.
2000-2010:
-The city
-The castle
-Ark of the covenant
-Hunters and gatherers
-A new world
-The discovery

2010-Present:
-Star Wars
-Over the hill and dale
-Safari
-Goldrush
-Amazonas
-South seas
« Last Edit: November 19, 2018, 07:47:34 AM by DrMeeple »
I mix expansions at my own risk.

Offline Rosco

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Re: Bests Spin-Off Games
« Reply #36 on: November 17, 2018, 02:58:14 AM »
I love the Carcassonne spin-offs. They all have their charm. Except for seas of south seas and amazonas that both the theme and the mechanics I don't like very much. Personally following the medieval theme I stay with The city and The castle. I think I would do two rankings based on the decade.
2000-2010:
-The city
-The castle
-Ark of the covenant
-Hunters and gatherers
-A new world
-The discovery

2010-Present:
-Star Wars
-Over the hill and dale
-Safari
-Goldrush
-Amazon
-Mars of the South

I love the Carcassonne spin-offs. They all have their charm. Except for seas of south seas and amazonas that both the theme and the mechanics I don't like very much. Personally following the medieval theme I stay with The city and The castle. I think I would do two rankings based on the decade.
2000-2010:
-The city
-The castle
-Ark of the covenant
-Hunters and gatherers
-A new world
-The discovery

2010-Present:
-Star Wars
-Over the hill and dale
-Safari
-Goldrush
-Amazon
-Mars of the South

That is interesting as I disagree completely.

My ranking would be as follows:

2000-2010:
-The castle
- Hunters and gatherers
- the city
- Ark of the covenant (not played)
-The discovery
-A new world

2010-Present:
-South Seas
-gold rush
-amazon
-over hill and Dale
-Star Wars
-Safari (don't own/ not played)

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Offline danisthirty

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Re: Bests Spin-Off Games
« Reply #37 on: November 19, 2018, 02:19:33 AM »
Thanks for that review Rosco, +1 merit for sharing your thoughts :(y)

I haven't played Safari yet but I have to say that South Seas remains my favourite spin-off of all time!

Offline Halfling

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Re: Bests Spin-Off Games
« Reply #38 on: November 19, 2018, 02:34:38 AM »
The City
Cardcassonne
Gold Rush
 South Seas
Hunters & Gatherers
Star Wars
Are the 6 that we play most.

Amazonas and Discovery are least liked.
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Offline jungleboy

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Re: Bests Spin-Off Games
« Reply #39 on: November 19, 2018, 09:46:21 AM »
- Ark of the covenant (not played)
-The discovery
-A new world

This is funny - you must really dislike the two below the one you haven't played  ;)

Offline Rosco

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Re: Bests Spin-Off Games
« Reply #40 on: November 19, 2018, 09:47:15 AM »
I do! Really didn't enjoy them!

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Offline DrMeeple

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Re: Bests Spin-Off Games
« Reply #41 on: November 19, 2018, 02:52:41 PM »
Yes!! I thought the same too hahahahaa

- Ark of the covenant (not played)
-The discovery
-A new world

This is funny - you must really dislike the two below the one you haven't played  ;)

Offline TheDoctor_13

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Re: Bests Spin-Off Games
« Reply #42 on: November 23, 2018, 12:45:58 AM »
Played: South Seas, Gold Rush, Amazonas, New World, Castle

Order
1) South Seas, just amazing, really like the different points system.
2) New World, Personally like the westward push as a sort of race and trying to time completion correctly. Would play by not allowing meeples to be placed east of the  :gray-meeple: :gray-meeple:
3) Gold Rush, more cutthroat version of Carcassonne. Kind of confusing to be honest.
4) Amazonas, this is pretty low due to the fact I have some trouble with the rules. Jungles give a lot of points if done correctly, river feels clunky.
5) Castle, ugly for starters. Gameplay wasn't that engaging, but did offer a nice puzzle feel.

Really want to try Hunters & Gatherers and Safari. Overhill & Dale I would if I got the chance, but I wouldn't go out of my way.

Offline Willem

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Re: Bests Spin-Off Games
« Reply #43 on: November 23, 2018, 04:28:44 AM »
We've played all the spin-off games at least once.
When we got one of these delivered, we always try it out immediately. Some games we play more often now, and some are just in the collection for collection purposes.

Our list would look like this:
Safari/Gold Rush/South Seas
Amazonas
Star Wars
Over Hill and Dale
The City
Hunters&Gatherers
The Castle
New World
Ark of the Covenant
The Discovery
My First Carcassonne

We really like the different elements in the top 3 games. We played Gold Rush yesterday, and it is very interesting i think. South Seas' element of no scoring board and the trading tokens is really nice! Safari has brought some new things to the table!
Amazonas has a nice theme, but doesn't add enough new elements to award it the (shared) top spot.
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Offline DrMeeple

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Re: Bests Spin-Off Games
« Reply #44 on: November 24, 2018, 07:59:38 AM »
Interesting vision. Personally the series 'around the world' doesn't convince me in general (amazonas and south seas are the reason).


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