Cubiquitous

This is a very popular game at my house, even when non-gamers come over. You can always expect a pretty fast game (~30-45 minutes) assuming you aren’t explaining the game to somebody new.

The fact that you build your own deck starting on a level playing field, combined with the statistical/probability aspect make this a very strategic game.

There’s not much to look at, other than card piles laying on the table. There’s no scoreboard (by default) for you to follow along on. You simply build your deck and watch other people lay down their cards. If this doesn’t sound appealing, or you’d like a more visual experience, this game may not be your cup of tea. I WOULD still recommend it to anybody who can appreciate a good strategy game.

‘It simply doesn’t look appealing. Why would I want to play a dumb game where you just lay down tiles until there’s no tiles left. There’s no strategy involved here – how can this actually be fun?’ -Me, before trying my first game.

Well obviously I was wrong. I wanted one type of game, was expecting another, and got something completely different from both. This game can be surprisingly and subtly cutthroat. I can’t count the number of times one of my roommates has been proudly building up a massive city or farm, only to have their hopes and dreams crushed by clever tile placement from another player. These feelings of smug satisfaction are why we play games in the first place, right? Ok, maybe it’s just me, and maybe I’m just a jerk…

While this game is easy to learn, it takes a few games to get a grasp on the best way to manage your meeples/turns. After you understand how all of the scoring works and how valuable farms can be, the game takes on some added layers.

I purchased the 10 Year Anniversary, and as others have said, the box allows for less space (when it comes to storing additional expansions), and you’re given translucent, plastic meeples. These meeples aren’t really compatible with every expansion, so if you need that sense of completion/expect to buy them later, stick with the classic box.

Give this game a shot regardless of your predisposition. It’s more than meets the eye (transforms into car, drives away).