Carcassonne

This is our first foray into these types of games and must say that this one is amazing. The most fun I've ever had playing a "board game".

Not only that, the folks at the German Board Game Company are unbelievably helpful and friendly. Will definetly be using them again.

On quite a few occasions, My wife and I have invited friends over for coffee and pulled the game out of the cupboard. After a brief two minute explanation of the rules, we're enjoying ourselves and alternating between concentrating on the game and socializing with one another. Nice mix of chance and strategy.

As a kid I'd only played Scrabble and Monopoly, so I wasn't keen on board games but played them for the social aspect.

Then, due to Defective Yeti's blog and my boyfriend's wheedling, I bought Carcassone on a whim. The clear rules made it easy to play within minutes of opening the box, and the high level of strategy yet simple play kept it interesting. The pieces are attractive and sturdy. It works well with 2 players, which is a bonus, and game play isn't tortuously long. Best of all, it's opened me up to board games and now I can't build my game collection fast enough.

It seems to me that Klaus-Jurgen Wrede had just finished playing a game of Entdecker when he designed Carcassonne: the game mechanics are remarkably similar, and yet much simpler, than Klaus Teuber's great tile-laying game, "Entdecker". Wrede's game is supposedly set in the Mediaeval French city of Carcassonne, but the theme is quite light, and you could just as easily have called the game "Subdivision!" and set it in a modern Western real-estate development. The strategy is also fairly light, with a good dollop of randomness thrown in. Having said all that, actually playing the game is fantastic!!! The strategy might be light, but strategic decisions must be made each turn. And the fact that you can have the game over and done with in less than an hour is a major plus in my family. It is THE perfect "gateway" game to bring non-gamers (of just about any age) into the hobby!

As a fan of other German games like Settlers of Catan I was very happy to discover this wonderful tile-laying game! The board is never the same twice and this makes for unlimited replayability.

One criticism I have read is that the game depends on luck. I beg to disagree. While luck can help, ultimately a flexible or different strategy is needed each game in order to win. One of the best features is that you can play a game in a little over an hour and feel satisfied, which is very rare with boardgames.

All in all, a fantastic game!!! Bring on the expansions.

This is a superb game for 2 or 3 players. Each game takes about 40 minutes to play, and the board changes each game as players place tiles in various orientations to score the most points. The artwork is wonderful, and the completed games are pleasant to look at. Rules are simple to learn but lead to challenging play. One of the best. I'd give it a 10, but it lacks flexibility in that I think it's really only good for 2 or 3. With more, each player takes too few turns.

Like all the German games I have bought so far, this is another to become a classic in our household. Very enjoyable and very well constructed both in the materials and the game design. I won't say more about it as there are already some very good reviews listed.

I will say it is getting difficult to choose which German game to play. I almost regret (but I don't) hearing about this site on the CBC.

The basics
The perfect introduction to "German" or "Designer" games. It has all the elements of a truly great game; strategy, luck, top notch playing pieces, outstanding game mechanics and simple rules.

Goal
The basic goal of the game is to score the most points by laying down tiles that have various objects on them, such as roads, cities, fields, and cloisters. As you lay these down, you can place your followers on them to earn points. Points are scored both during the game and at the end.

Gameboard
The gameboard is actually a set of 72 tiles plus 12 more if you have the "river expansion set". As the game progresses the board is built, one tile at a time. Soon cities, roads, farm fields, and cloisters emerge and grow. A river will emerge too if you own the expansion (which,by the way, is free for the asking... and will soon come standard with the games itself).

Game components
The tiles are gorgeous and of the highest quality (which, thankfully, is the norm for German games) and the little wooden followers are just too damn cute for words.

My opinion
Like I previously stated, this is a great introduction to the world of "German" games. Because of its random tile placement, every game is different, which results in a very high replay value. The rules are pretty simple and can be mastered in a few turns, the strategy on the other hand is a little bit harder to master, you may have to play this game at least twice to get a good grasp on it. I highly recommend this game. Its fun, lighthearted and just a blast to play.

For a more indepth review, go to http://www.gotdice.com

...this is a great game. Quick to teach, easy to play. I can't wait for the expansion to "finally" be released here in the States.

Build the area around the French city of Carcassone, deploying your 'Meeples' as Thieves, Warriors, Monks or Farmers. The number of meeples is limited, so you have to watch how they are deployed. Tiles are drawn randomly and laid out to create the landscape, resulting in a different layout each game.

The game is great fun with any number of players. More impressively, playing the game with 2 players requires different strategies than a 5 player game.

The standard rules work very well, but there are also quite a few variants that put a twist in the game and add variety - making Carcassonne's replayability even higher.

Highly Recommended.