The Isle of Cats Review - with Tom Vasel

[@velderak1458]

0:33 "If I saw red and blue and green cats like this, maybe then ISLE OF CATS, too!" *slow clap* Well played.

[@SystemYTP]

Ba dum tss!

[@leramar]

HA! Totally missed that.

[@ViperaRaddei]

Tom seems kinda confused and scattered explaining how to play the game, but that's because the game itself is scattered and confusing to play. After a few turns, you'll get used to the sequence of events, but at no point does that sequence of events actually make sense. Just the very name of the "lesson" cards doesn't match the theme. They're objective cards. Why they also cost fish, I dunno... The game just feels like a mixed bag of ideas and while it was certainly playable and relatively fun, it was VERY slow to play with inexperienced players, and in the end I just found myself scratching my head over what I had just played... I give it a 6/10.

[@seamuspadraigmcgowan3677]

That's why there is a family set of cards, which makes the game a gateway game. The advanced game makes it a gamers game. Know your play group and adjust the lesson cards to make the advanced game harder or easier.

[@ViperaRaddei]

I didnt feel that the game was hard at all. There was just one player who lacked the spacial reasoning to see how pieces would fit his board, so he had to pick up every piece and "try" them on his board before he'd pick one. Other than that though I just felt the game was sporadic and confused. Calling them "lesson" cards made no sense. The drafting mechanism was a somewhat useless time sink, the two sides of the island having different costs didnt really make sense, the Oshax and treasure cards at the end of each round always seemed to take forever, and overall I felt like the game was glacially slow with too much downtime. Difficulty wasn't an issue - efficiency and organization was.

[@vonwoolf9963]

"stolen from Dice Tower" LOL ! I actually thought this was genuinely written on the box, before checking an unboxing.

[@kirkbeiser]

I was initially unsure that I had made a great choice after backing this game partly due to the cost (about $100 for the 5-6p exp and shipping) but this will probably end up being my best Kickstarter from 2019 (campaign year) and possibly top game of 2020. I have played it with many casual gamers and they have all LOVED it. The biggest selling point is that heavier gamers will enjoy it since there are meaningful decisions to be made each turn and casual gamers can still learn the game easily. I think I taught this game 6-7 times on the Dice Tower Cruise and Tantrum Con. It is surprisingly quick to teach for a 1.5+ hour game with these amount of decisions to be made each turn. I somehow missed that the multi fish tokens were supposed to be 5 fish and taught it wrong every single time.

[@DreyfussFrost]

Tom has the island board upside down (each board is two-sided, one for the simpler family rules and one for the full rules), but on the other side there are reminders for the price of the cats on each side, before anybody complains about having to remember. You just have to remember to have that side up!

[@tonybowers9490]

I participated in the KS and am glad I did. The creator included KS input into the design which was nice and the KS was well run. That told me a lot. Then, the game itself. I like it a lot. It is a medium weight, but I think that adds to the appeal. It's quick to learn, to teach, to play. As mentioned, the components are top notch. Course, the main thing - it is fun to play. I have played all 3 modes - regular, solo, family (with my grandkids) and found all 3 to play well. I think the solo play is very good and a bit more challenging than regular group play. I agree, I think it's going to be one of this year's hits.

[@BobbyReichle]

I can't believe Tom loves cats. I wonder if he's secretly loved cats this whole time. He just kept saying it.

[@c.w.2000]

Well, I've always said that anyone who doesn't love cats just hasn't met the right cat for them. So, maybe he just met the right cat for him: the cardboard kind.

[@Ralph_NL]

Got the game two weeks ago, played it this Monday and we all loved it! Everybody wanted to play it again right away. I think this game is amazing. I am so glad I backed it! Great review also!

[@uplift-yourdailypickup6424]

Played this game last week. It stuck me as a well designed game and it was pretty fun. I didn’t quite love it enough to own it though, mostly because of the Tetris aspect. Not one that I’ll want to play over and over. Oh and the game took us about 3 hours with 5 people which was a bit long for me. PS: I love cats as well

[@Andural69]

If bunny kingdom made a baby with Barenpark, you'd get isle of cats

[@ciderbandit2909]

Exactly what I thought!!

[@jkledis]

Ugh - Isle Love Cats Too - hahahahahaha

[@benjaminjohnson8377]

Great review 😃 I’m looking forward to trying this one. Still yet to play Bunny Kingdom so maybe I should try that first?

[@marccote8544]

Benjamin Johnson Only the drafting system is similar, isle of cats is polyomino and bunny kingdom is territory control-ish so try the one that attract you the most

[@TheSpiritCarriesOn]

Thanks for the review! The guy at the store recommended it to me since I like to play Patchwork with my wife and it caught my eye right away. I'm strongly leaning into buying after this review, my other clique, who are a family with kids(and two cats) are going to love this as well.

[@DanGalarzaCyber]

RELEASE THE KITTIES. - Nathan Explosion

[@prodfive4147]

Great game, so much fun and highly recommend with a lot of replayability and the cats are super cool !!!!

[@leramar]

0:58 It always makes me flinch when they dump the games out onto the table like that.

[@liamrayback9103]

i know it's like i can just imagine being the one having to clean all of that up!!

[@emj7947]

Hi Tom, would this be a good gift for a 10 years old boy? I am thinking about getting it for my nephew's Christmas present. He is 10 years old and his favorite board game is 'Santorini.' Thank you!👍

[@MrEScience]

Great video and tutorial, thank you! Now, I won't have to fumble around reading the instructions with that awkward first time playing, silence at the table for quite as long lol. I'm always on the hunt for a board game that will get my girls playing one with me instead of being on their phones. I grabbed this as soon as I saw it today. How can they say no to these cute kitties?

[@1981dardar]

The cats look like they live on a island ravage by nuclear bombs.

[@verticalisland]

Cool review!

[@brianmyers13]

Is that art inspired by the Dice Tower cruise?

[@JosephFlemming]

This is one game I’d like to have but I’ll wait until there’s a cheaper used copy or base retail available. Plenty of game I don’t need the Kickstarter extras

[@seamuspadraigmcgowan3677]

After unboxing my kickstarter all in, and seeing the retail components, I'm glad I paid the extra for the upgrade. Night and day!

[@JosephFlemming]

Seamus Padraig McGowan but i thought he said you don’t use the wooden cats that much

[@SPAMsammiches]

Just picked this up for $50 to play with the fam. Looks like I made a good call!

[@TMAXXPUNISHER]

Frank West must have been sweating a little bit hoping Tom wouldn't pull a CoK on him. Hehe Love CoK btw, hopefully I can grab a deluxe copy of this too

[@boardgamefangirl]

So glad I backed the Kickstarter of this one.

[@traptown7783]

The Dice Tower

[@TheToyMagician]

Love this game; played tons with my family (who aren't gamers at all) and my gaming group and friends who love the heavier version. Easily in my top 10 of all time. Deluxe version gives you nice fish wooden components instead of cardboard cut outs and it just works. Great game!

[@gaborpatonai121]

The I Love Cats :D

[@chrismusix5669]

I love cats, but I don't really like Tetris style games.

[@liamrayback9103]

hahahah ISLE LOVE Tom Vasel (;

[@arekkrolak6320]

collection points, interesting, never seen it in a board game before :)

[@clanpsi]

Wow. You know the market is saturated when....

[@codym6376]

But I hate cats

[@vofkn4721]

Wondering savior 72

[@raymondspogo]

Tom you said "high production value", but those cards look pretty thin.

[@jennifergeorge7280]

Yes they look so thin!! Agreed

[@artdogez]

Is this another Tetris Rosenburg game? Meh. Keep up the good work, Tom.

[@willbeplayin]

It's not from Uwe, it's from Frank West.

[@artdogez]

Oh I know. Same feel though. Still meh.

[@LeeroyPorkins]

Isle of Cats is MUCH MUCH BETTER than any Uwe Rosenberg game

[@Zanollo5]

@@LeeroyPorkins any? Hahah

[@Zanollo5]

For annoying and boring people, everything is "meh". I really don't understand why most of you are still in this hobby. Sometimes I don't understand why are u still alive....

[@shockway1]

I'm surprised at how lenient everyone seems to be with this game. No one seems to care that the cats that go in the 5 or 3 cost are completely arbitrary. No one seems to care that public lessons are typically bogging down the draft pool. I guess everyone is enamored with the game to the point of not being critical of its flaws.

[@sorrowsong08]

boardgamegeek.com/thread/2356054/i-dont-get-basis-behind-5-cost-cats. Here's a thread from bgg on the reasoning. Frank didn't reply so it's conjecture, but the replies as to the why make sense to me. As to lessons bogging it down, I'd ask if you included all of the lesson cards or put in only three groups as the rules state. I dunno if that was the issue, but otherwise I'd guess that it helps with pacing and planning.

[@milomaher1582]

You can include fewer public lesson modules in the game if you wish!

[@Andural69]

Or we don't consider it flaws

[@patrober62]

@@sorrowsong08 where did it say to limit the lesson cards to three? Cheers!

[@sorrowsong08]

Page 23 under module lesson cards first sentence. "You must always use exactly 3 complete lesson modules."

[@ServiceDogPuppyRaiser]

I hate cats...with a passion. But, this game is in my top 10 for sure! Its fabulous!!!

[@fingolfinfinwe]

Looks fun. Would play. Theme is a turnoff for me though, so probably won't buy.

[@seamuspadraigmcgowan3677]

Theme is everything, and is why this is my first polyomino game.

[@KBWrecker]

This man refuses to adore cats on the internet. Get him!!!!

[@Kyrelel]

Yes "Isle of Cats" is a deliberate pun on "I love cats" You were not "clever to spot it", it is meant to be bloody obvious.

[@thedicetower]

Sure. My jokes are also meant to be obvious. ;)