Miami Dice, Episode 143 - Power Grid

[@rschnegg]

I like seeing the new reviews on the "classics". I have kind of put Power Grid on the back burner for a while in pursuit of the new but these types of reviews remind me of the great games that are still on the shelf...

[@KR_SinSZ]

Hi. Long time viewer, first time commenter. Loved the review and the game. I do agree with many points made during the video like how it's very math-y, the game's thematic sense, sessions can go long, Korea map is awesome, and everything done in-game interacts with some or all players. First, the good parts. The game has a great rubber-banding mechanic in that the players who are behind can still catchup or be a nuisance to the top player. The resource market is pretty much self-regulating through supply and demand. And, the power plant auction is a great way to make players spend more money or deny a plant that players want. For more variations, playing with the promo cards, new plants deck and/or robots do add more variety. On the other hand, because it's very mathematical and potentially long, it is very difficult to introduce new players to the game. My group has 3 regular players and a few irregular players who knows how to play and will only join in if they're not doing anything else. My sessions are always far apart due to lack of player variation because saying that it's long and math-y doesn't help with the recruiting. The paper money provided is crap because even though we weren't supposed to know how much money each player has, we could still see the colours and guess very close to the actual amount. My friend has replaced them with play money from Amazon that looks like the American dollar with all notes being the same colour and it feels better playing with them. The game runs mostly well with 3-5 players due to 2-player games being boring and the down time (Analysis Paralysis) in 6-player games is longer between turns making sessions longer so I generally avoid 6 players. Robots help with the 2 and 3-player games by being the extra guy that mixes things up a bit but you will always need the rulebook nearby just in case you need clarification on the way robots act since they are preprogrammed players and may not make the best moves available thus messing up players strategies. Overall, it's a great game and the review does well in explaining the game but I think you guys should give the Robots a try. By the way, here's a link to the play money we are using: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QDY5HA/

[@KabukiKid]

Cooling towers! They are cooling towers! They aren't nuclear smoke stacks. lol

[@CommanderGaming01]

I liked this because you sound like you know what you are talking abvout

[@forklift1712]

@@CommanderGaming01 KabukiKid is correct

[@OlderNick]

We use the left over pieces (assuming 5 or less players) to cover up the connections and cities that aren't in play. Getting a few poker chips or something should solve the problem...

[@TheLomdr]

I had extra sleeves from another project and some Poker cards, I ended up putting 3 or 4 to cover the 'dead regions' for any game

[@bradymccann]

I feel the same as Zee feels about this when I play Mage Knight

[@TheBrokenMeeple]

Great to see older games being re-reviewed as we don't always own all of them. . . . . though I have to confess, Power Grid and I share. . . . . a troubled upbringing to which I absolutely detest this game, though not as much as Kingdom Builder! :-) Don't quite see how the auctions or "catch up" mechanic with the turn order make thematic sense though. Granted the resource market is cool and handled very nicely in this game.

[@Jindorek]

where did you get those awesome plastic play pieces?? they look like they are commercial? I'm designing a game and i'm looking for bits.

[@jwspiker]

Where did you get the money replacement and other upgrades for this game?

[@dolphycj]

He says before the review. Litko for the pieces, he had the money printed

[@osmium73]

The Money is printed from Artscow

[@jenspoder8322]

www.artscow.com/gallery/card/power-grid-money-cards-1o28qac1ygj8 You can get them here

[@FFF12321]

The Robots expansion is really intended to make the game better for the 2 and 3 player counts. Power Grid at 2 is OK, with a Robot it becomes much better.

[@jasonmoughon]

The Dice Tower Would you be willing to provide the ArtsCow file for the money cards? I would like to replace the paper with cards, as well. Those are a good design. Thank you.

[@jasonmoughon]

No?

[@wroot_lt]

I still remember reading Power Grid rules for the first time with the ntention to explain to my dad this new game i bought. The more i was reading, more confusing it was :D It was like 3d or 4th board game i ever played. I like the mechanics. But after playing it a few times with my family i don't want anymore. It is just too mean. That market stuff, when you HAVE to cut off someone off, even if you don't need these resources yourself, to be able to win. Can't get over it.

[@putonghua73]

PowerGrid is definitely Top 10 material for me. If someone had told me would I be interested in playing a 3 hour game that focuses on building and powering an energy network, I'd have developed a glazed expression. If said someone had also stated that it was a German game, I'd probably would have stabbed myself in the eyes with a fork. The actual gameplay is excellent, for all the reasons that Zee espoused in the review. One aspect that I particularly enjoyed - which you hated - is the meanness of the player interaction. You are competing when building networks, bidding for power stations, and buying fuel . Hence, why most modern Euros leave me cold.

[@whataboutki]

I have this game and really like it. I've been trying to get it to the table more often and would like to get another map to provide incentive to others in my group to play more often. What maps would you recommend for 4-5 player games? Thanks.

[@waynekoenig2928]

I like Korea. That is really the only other map I have played other than the base. But I think it is quite good.

[@gheilers]

Great game, with incredible components. My only complaint is cosmetic in nature: the colors of the resources. I find it easy to confuse them. I associate the color yellow with Uranium - definitely not red. And to me, coal is black, whereas oil is more of a dark brown - the game reverses this.

[@KonradKaisermühlner]

And again Sam and Zee are sitting on the wrong spots.

[@kholdstare21]

I always feel this game is more of an Economic game than a Euro, money is everything in this game. This is a must play for anyone that calls themselves a gamer. It is easily in my top 5 favorite games. I am with Zee, I hate long games but I can play this one, there is very little downtime for players. A.P. can be an issue if you are playing with newer players.

[@johannesblank1552]

How long is this game on average, and what are extreme lengths?

[@TheBrokenMeeple]

Minimum 2 hours, but with 5-6 players you're looking at 3-4 hours easily. The Analysis Paralysis in this game can be mind numbing.

[@aaronsimon9041]

You're right about the analysis paralysis - don't play this game with actuaries like I do!

[@KabukiKid]

Luke Hector I basically want to cut off the game at 4 players. More than that is too long and adds more AP to the game.

[@waynekoenig2928]

Depends on the map that you play. 4 hours is my max I think. Usually 3 hours even with 5-6 players.

[@MountainHawkPYL]

15:30 We use pennies to cover the cites we can't connect to.

[@silverfang6668]

I give it two solar panels up!

[@JayChampagne]

Power Grid is a fine game, don't get me wrong. However, it does have one big problem: Cyclades exists. I don't think any game has matched Power Grid's market mechanic, but its area control element just feels super weak compared to a game like Cyclades. Also, the auction system in Cyclades is so much better that I can't even look at the system in Power Grid.

[@antonischristodoulou394]

This is considered heavy?

[@thedicetower]

To most of humanity, yes.

[@nickvandam1214]

The idea of this game always sounded so boring. It wasn't until I saw some people playing it that I saw the fun in the game. Now it is on my to acquire list. Also the Robots Expansion sounds like something to get later on as it appears to help a 2 player game.

[@MechaJoezilla]

I thought that it was the first player to power 17 cities that won the game?

[@waynekoenig2928]

Depends on number of players. To trigger the end. Whoever can power the most at the end is the winner

[@Orteth]

People, it's 2 or 1 and a half thumbs out of 5?

[@snugglyjeff214]

Upgrade your copy of Power Grid to have a more functional and easier to use currency here! Finally something better than paper money & chips/tokens: www.thegamecrafter.com/games/permalink/5FC721E4-2BD1-11E8-A979-EC2C20668985

[@dorpth]

I've never experienced a game that attracted more severe AP players than Power Grid. The people who just sit there and stare at the board for 15+ minutes every turn because they have to squeeze out every possible point. Half the time it doesn't make any difference and they lose anyway to people who took 30 seconds for their turn, OR they're already massively in the lead and a shoe-in to win, but their OCD demands that they win by 68 points instead of 64. Screw you, AP players! Anyway, this game suffers the same problem as Pandemic, Cosmic, and Catan; it's one of those "classics" where there's zero reason to play it anymore because it's been long surpassed by much better stuff. Sorry, Zee and Tom, but it's true!

[@doity]

Personally loved Catan. Now bored of it, can you a game that has surpassed it?

[@DarthSironos]

A game about investing in electricity infrastructure... heavy euro... If someone brought it to game night I would give it a go, but I have low expectations. Everyone praising how great it is makes me even more suspicious, as they did the same for Costa RIca, and that was boring as hell.

[@forklift1712]

You should try it, but be sure to budget 3 hours for it. The game can take that long.