Lost Cities: the Board GameReview - with the Game Boy Geek

[@TheNathanlockhart]

The only tiles you claim are the artefacts. Points and stairs stay on their space for others to also claim. Stairs also can be used to move another adventurer elsewhere on the board, not just the adventurer who hits the tile. This creates some additional layers, like pushing up a track you aren't that interested in, just to use a couple of early stairs that are on it to move your Researcher up a different track. I also think leaving the tiles changes the game enough you should probably give this one another try. Tracks can become more appealing to take a risk on if there is say, an early 15 point tile sitting on it. I also highly recommend playing with the listed variant from the rules (rows can be ascending or descending but not both). With the variant from the rulebook, this is one of the best entry level family games I have ever owned.

[@PetomaniaStop]

Question about the action tiles on the 50 spots. When you get to the 50 end spot with a man (say the white one), and then play another white card, you get to move any other man one space forward since you can't go any farther on the white path. However, someone said the rules say that you can't do the action on the 50 tile until you actually play another white card (or that color) next round. Is that correct? Also what about if it's the move ahead one action tile that is at the 50 spot (say again your on the white 50). Do you get to move one other man ahead immediately or do you have to wait until you play another white card next round? If the rules state you can't do the action tile on the 50 until the next time you play white, in that case, do you get to move two men since every time you play an additional white card you get to move a man ahead one tile anyways

[@PetomaniaStop]

FYI, we too thought at first whoever gets to the action tile first gets it, but it's actually only the green artifact tile that is removed and claimed by the first person, the rest stay in place and the action taken by multiple players if they get there.

[@un-ku_son]

Two house rules we do to increase tension: the victory point tiles, like the green idol tiles can be claimed by only the first player to it. The bridge tiles, however, cannot be claimed like in the normal rules and therefore can be a bonus for other players. This raises the stakes for the victory point tiles and makes people push their luck more to get to the tiles first. Meanwhile, the bridge tiles can be used as a bonus for anyone. The second house rule is that when you discard a card, you can choose from one of the face up discard piles (like normal) or draw two from the facedown pile, choose one, and put the other one on the top of the draw pile. This gives more of an incentive for discarding cards, but also makes the player choose both a card for themselves as well as one for the next player or the next next player (if the next player draws from a discard pile). My wife and I played last night and preferred these variants.

[@TheNathanlockhart]

I also find curious your impression was that this game "stripped out" something from the card game. It is almost the same game translated to a board and with scaling up to 4 players. Play cards in order in different colors. Play one, draw one. The opportunity to double a track. Can get negative in a track. I really can't think of anything in the card game that isn't in the board game, other than the ability to double more than one track. But it also adds the tiles, set collection in the artefacts, and an additional way for the round to end. For me, the bridges adds to the tension because you now have to monitor not only the discard pile, but also the status of adventurers on the board, and either can trigger hosing you with a negative track. Oh well, just my two cents. Sometimes you either like a game or you don't. I wonder though, what your opinion would be if you had played this game before the card game, or played the game earlier in your gaming "evolution" as you did the card game. I got the board game first, and after playing the card game, I never felt like I needed the 2 player version of the 4 player game I already owned. But I think if I ran into either for the first time after gaming now for 10+ years, I'd be pretty meh on both. Still, a great game for those new to the hobby. I've had better success with this than Ticket to Ride, and TtR has been a great entry game for me as well.

[@nathanlige2961]

I appreciate the work you put in to shooting close ups of what you're talking about. I'm sure all of the extra edits take a while to put this together. It's much more engaging than a single wide shot and shaky camera moves.

[@silverfang6668]

If you can't decide between buying the board game or the card game, do this: buy the board game, then, go online and print out the rules for the card game and you can use the cards in the game to play the card game if you prefer it better. Two games for the price of one!

[@JaKamps]

almost, except you wouldn't have the handshake multiplier which is important to the card game.

[@michaellee4276]

@@JaKamps The Board Game has two Zeros and two Ones for each color. The card game doesn't have Ones or Zeros. So those can be used as the multiplier cards. Unless you really want to use the sixth color in the new version, the Board Game has everything you need.

[@JaKamps]

@@michaellee4276 Cool, I didn't realize that!

[@cardflopper3307]

Also for a low budget option, "lost cities rivals" contains original "lost cities" in it as well. 2for1!

[@LeviathanW98]

Dan, even with the token rule goofs I think your tension assessment is fair. I think for this reason it should be thought of more as a point salad game. I really like this as a family board game and have had fun with it.

[@jamesgraham5717]

I don't know if the card version is still available.

[@LookWhosBlogging]

you didn't mention that this is a retheming of Keltis.

[@raccoon0413]

LookWhosBlogging ohhh... no wonder I thought of Keltis while watching the review...

[@stevepruneau6561]

I bought this one a few months ago, haven't honestly played it yet. Thanks for your review Dan! I'm looking forward to getting the ORIGINAL card game, now that it's in reprint. Not bad since this "so-so" game is the only one in my growing collection that's got a less-than-stellar review. :D

[@JaKamps]

Steve Pruneau If I were you, I'd get the board game. I've played the card game, & felt this could have more maneuverability & replayabilty (but maybe that's just me?). Tbh, I would think you could pretty much play the card game by using 2 decks from the boardgames & take out duplicates of cards (It's almost the same).

[@DefiasBrotherhood]

I've played the crap out of the board game and the card game. And I don't get your review of this being 'less tension' then the card game. Being the fact there is two of every color and number combo makes it even more intense, because you never know when someone is going to take off and get that fifth meeple across the bridge! I think this game is superior to the card game in every way. If someone likes the card game, I'd tell them to buy this to replace it. To each his own I guess though. I vastly prefer the board game though.

[@TheGameBoyGeeks]

Seth Dortch It might be since the card game has one set 2-10 and the board game has 2 of each 0-10. So even with 4 players there are more cards. I can't say exactly what it was that gave this feeling, but it was certainly there.

[@DefiasBrotherhood]

TheGameBoyGeek - Hi Quality Hi Energy Board Game Reviews That's fair. I think they both have a different feel for sure. I just personally find the tension higher in the board game. Still to each his own! :)

[@relentlessrock]

+TheGameBoyGeek - Hi Quality Hi Energy Board Game Reviews In the board game you can chose to remove the duplicate deck of each suit before play, can't you? That should solve the lack of tension issue you mention. But I think that collecting those little board tokens is not very appealing and seems a like a lose end. I don't own the card game, but played it online, already in love with it.

[@relentlessrock]

+Seth Dortch Do you still play it? I am confused between purchasing the card game vs board game.

[@DefiasBrotherhood]

+relentlessrock I don't play the card game, but I still play the board game. I think they are both good, but I prefer the board game. For all the reasons listed above. Lol :)

[@Lines42]

Isn't that just another Keltis clone? No Knitzia is copying himself forwards and backwards.

[@Lines42]

"Now", not "No" ...

[@billjensen51]

I didn't care for Lost Cities at all. Is this better?

[@TyvanTV]

much!