Cacao board game with similarities to Carcassonne

[dirk2112]

Thanks Jungleboy.  I think I may pass as the scalpers have been trying to sell the big market and temple combined for $12 and I wasn't willing to pay that.  I will definitely pay $5 for the 2016 advent calendar promo if it ever makes it to BGG.

[dirk2112]

We gave 3 out of the 4 modules a go last night.  We didn't do the huts which we are saving for next time.

Here are my thoughts on the other 3.

1.  Maps - I like the map tokens, but this expansion seemed like the Production version of a house rule.  It really doesn't add anything.
2.  Irrigation - This is a great way to get Cacao quick.  The tiles look nice.  The only thing we didn't like is that it is really only good to put one worker on this tile.  Any other workers are wasted due to the limitation with Cacao storage.  My wife wishes that you could choose to get cacao OR you could get water from this tile. 
3.  Chocolate - This was the best expansion of the 3 we played with.  It was always worthwhile to convert cacao to chocolate.  My wife and I sold probably half of our cacao without converting it (the $4 market is always tempting), but my son converted almost all of his and was able to sell it all with help from sun tokens.   

I think next game we will forgo the irrigation and try the other 3.  I am not sure if that will work well or not since the Irrigation allows for more Chocolate conversion. 

[jungleboy]

Thanks for the review! I have the expansion but haven't played it yet, and I was also going to play it without huts the first time.

2.  Irrigation - This is a great way to get Cacao quick.  The tiles look nice.  The only thing we didn't like is that it is really only good to put one worker on this tile.  Any other workers are wasted due to the limitation with Cacao storage.  My wife wishes that you could choose to get cacao OR you could get water from this tile. 

Have you seen these? They're extra storage spaces for three more cacao/chocolate pieces.

[dirk2112]

Have you seen these? They're extra storage spaces for three more cacao/chocolate pieces.

I have, but don't own them yet.  I'm not sure how I feel about them.  We always play with 3 players and it seems like whoever doesn't get one of those would be at a huge disadvantage.   What is your experience?

I was able to get these for under $5 on Ebay. 

[SRBO]

I tried to convince the dutch boardgame publisher to sell the expansion, but they won't print it. Which is really sad because the game is great..

[jungleboy]

Have you seen these? They're extra storage spaces for three more cacao/chocolate pieces.

I have, but don't own them yet.  I'm not sure how I feel about them.  We always play with 3 players and it seems like whoever doesn't get one of those would be at a huge disadvantage.   What is your experience?

It just arrived a couple of days ago and I don't have the game or the expansion with me currently, so I haven't opened it yet. I hadn't actually realised that there were only two.

[Paul]

Just heard about Cacao getting another expansion. The Diamonds or something.

[jungleboy]

After I saw this from you I headed over to BGG and ... lo and behold ... you are right!

And I haven't even played with Chocolatil yet!

I think Decar will like this part: With the "Big Game" variant, you can even play with all modules of both expansions and the base game.

[Paul]

Looks really nice. I can't for the life of me understand why I sold the base game.   

[jungleboy]

Looks really nice. I can't for the life of me understand why I sold the base game.   

For some reason Cacao feels to me like it would have felt to have been a fan of Carcassonne from the beginning. It looks like there are regular large expansions as well as promo/mini stuff to collect and add to the game. So far I have everything that's been produced for Cacao, I think. Maybe in 10 years the volcano mini-expansion will be the Cacao equivalent of Cathars/CC1/Tunnels. There's also something coming in the advent calendar this year.

Now I just need to get it to the table more often. 

[Paul]

Looks really nice. I can't for the life of me understand why I sold the base game.   

For some reason Cacao feels to me like it would have felt to have been a fan of Carcassonne from the beginning. It looks like there are regular large expansions as well as promo/mini stuff to collect and add to the game. So far I have everything that's been produced for Cacao, I think. Maybe in 10 years the volcano mini-expansion will be the Cacao equivalent of Cathars/CC1/Tunnels. There's also something coming in the advent calendar this year.

Now I just need to get it to the table more often.

Which reminds me, I sold my copy of Cacao with the Volcano expansion. 

[Decar]

Surprised no one else mentioned this sooner

'Cacao - Diamante' arrives this year at Essen.
English Rules: http://www.abacusspiele.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Cacao_Diamante_Rules.pdf

Four more expansion modules:
The gem mines - Set Collection game. You randomly shake gems out of a cart, add them to a tile.  Workers take gems. 4colours = 1 mask.  marks == points.
The tree of life - Allows you to take gold from a tree.
The Emperor's favor - A new wooden piece that can move around the board and score the owner some gold (a bit like the Carcassonne Fairy).
The new workers. - Variant worker tiles

All of them can now be played with the last expansion to make: a 'Big Game' Variant.  2-player rules for the big game are missing, because there are not enough tiles, however the designer has made some recommendations on bgg.

[jungleboy]

Cacao is now on Board Game Arena!

[couture]

Hey, any ideas where can I find the game in Germany? and send it to my girlfriend living in Germany? She really loves the game but I can't find it anywhere here. I'm ready to pay if anyone's willing to sell and send it to my girlfriend's property in Germany. She's gonna love it!

[Decar]

Couture, please don't request that people on the forum print you a copy of the game.

There are serval copies available on the marketplace on Boardgamegeek.