This week has been a really wild and crazy one for us. We are still in the middle of moving, getting all of our games over to the new place and working on the rest of our items too (still not done with moving); because I am self employed, I work when I get hired and this week (and next week) has been super busy with last minute jobs; and on top of that…. sorry, dozed off, what was I saying? Yeah that’s right, our energy level to sit and play games have been lacking greatly because of everything that is going on.
Therefore, I want to ask for forgiveness ahead of time if this week’s blog is not as in depth as previous ones.
TINY TOWNS (2019)
We played this game because of the game description plus the fact that we picked up a copy with one expansion from a Buy/Sell group I follow on Facebook. With how busy we have been we thought it would be an easy game to grasp and simple enough our tired minds and bodies could handle.
We just played the base game and not the expansion that we got with it. There are a handful of expansions and micro-expansions for the game that we can’t wait to try out as well.
BGG Description
You are the mayor of a tiny town in the forest in which the smaller creatures of the woods have created a civilization hidden away from predators. This new land is small and the resources are scarce, so you take what you can get and never say no to building materials. Cleverly plan and construct a thriving town, and don't let it fill up with wasted resources! Whoever builds the most prosperous tiny town wins!
In Tiny Towns, your town is represented by a 4x4 grid on which you will place resource cubes in specific layouts to construct buildings. Each building scores victory points (VPs) in a unique way. When no player can place any more resources or construct any buildings, the game ends, and any squares without a building are worth -1 VP. The player with the most VP wins!
-description from publisher
Weight 2.07/5
A Little More Info
In a nutshell…
This game is designed to play fast, even with 6 players. The active player selects the resource that everyone places in their towns. Once you are able to create a building, you remove the matching resources and place the building in one of the spots that had a resource in it.
What about the buildings you say? There are seven different main classifications of buildings with four different types in six of them. The one that remains the same for each game is the cottage. Each building has different scoring rules for the end of the game and/or abilities for in-game.
But wait, there is more. Each person at the start of the game is dealt two monument cards and from those two they keep one. This is a special building with special abilities that you can build only once in the game.
As mentioned in the description, the game ends when everyone is unable to take resources and/or place buildings. Then final scoring happens and the winner is declared.
…”and that is all I have to say about that.” – Forrest Gump
What we like about the game
We love that the game plays fast. If you are looking for something that even with a higher player count that will end pretty quickly, then this is your game.
We also love that the different shapes that are needed for the various buildings are simple and easy to follow. The tricky part is to make sure that when you are adding resources and/or the buildings, you don’t block yourself out from further creations.
The wooden pieces to the game are good quality and will last if taken care off. When filling out your 4x4 game board the buildings and wells look pleasing when placed.
What we don’t like about the game
If you struggle with spatial reasoning, then this game might not be the best match for you. My wife struggled in the game a little over it but overall enjoyed the game and would play again.
As with a lot of reviewers of the game, the 4x4 board seems a bit small, tiny even (pun intended). A 5x5 board would keep the game play manageable and afford you more options in building up your tiny town.
ARK NOVA (2022)
My wife and I played a partial game with my mother on the first attempt (ran out of time to finish) which helped us to play the complete game yesterday at an event hosted by a member of our gaming group.
The partial game helped us to better understand the game since we knew we would be playing with a handful of new players on our second game. The full play of the game was greatly satisfying because we were able to see other areas of the game that we did not on the partial.
Is this game worth all the hype? Read on, please.
BGG Description
In Ark Nova, you will plan and design a modern, scientifically managed zoo. With the ultimate goal of owning the most successful zoological establishment, you will build enclosures, accommodate animals, and support conservation projects all over the world. Specialists and unique buildings will help you in achieving this goal.
Each player has a set of five action cards to manage their gameplay, and the power of an action is determined by the slot the card currently occupies. The cards in question are:
• CARDS: Allows you to gain new zoo cards (animals, sponsors, and conservation project cards).
• BUILD: Allows you to build standard or special enclosures, kiosks, and pavilions.
• ANIMALS: Allows you to accommodate animals in your zoo.
• ASSOCIATION: Allows your association workers to carry out different tasks.
• SPONSORS: Allows you to play a sponsor card in your zoo or to raise money.
255 cards featuring animals, specialists, special enclosures, and conservation projects, each with a special ability, are at the heart of Ark Nova. Use them to increase the appeal and scientific reputation of your zoo and collect conservation points.
—description from the publisher
Weight 3.72/5
A Little More Info
There is so much to this game that I just don’t have the energy to write about. Let’s just say that every aspect of the game has some form and function that works together to complete the game.
Yes, there is a lot going on and at first it is overwhelming… even for us who love some complex games. However, as you progress in your first game, things become easier and easier as you learn the five different main actions cards.
The best advice I can provide right now is to watch some of the videos that explain the game better. Click here for the one that helped us best.
What we like about the game
The first thing we love about the game is the way that the action card gain their “power.” In the game the action cards are laid out from left to right with power of one up to five. After using one of the cards, it gets put all the way to the left at a power of one and the other cards shift to the right. You can also add modifiers to increase the value of the cards.
Second thing we like, no love, about the game is that almost every component in the game is aesthetically beautiful. The one thing that stands out the most are the cards in the game. All of the artwork is just gorgeous and makes you want to stop for a second and look at each one.
Next up, the downtime between turns for the most part is minimal. Even in a four player game the turns go pretty quickly because you can plan ahead what your next action might be. Even if someone triggers the Break (where you reset some things in the game, go down to your hand size, and even earn the income that allows you to build buildings/enclosures and play your animal cards ) or takes a card you might have been eyeing, modifying your planned turn typically is quick. We have not seen a lot of analysis-paralysis with the game .
Another thing is that there isn’t really much “take that” actions. Yes there are a few ways to slow down opponents but that is short lived especially when the Break happens.
We do love that you cannot just focus on one area, type of animal, or one action to win the game. You must learn to balance everything out to succeed. This creates a well-rounded game.
What we don’t like about the game
Only three things that we find that lacked in the game…
The first, the break token shaped like a coffee cup big and awkward looking. Most of the time if it gets knocked over you wouldn’t notice. If they made it half the width, it would look better.
The second, the money tokens are square and plain looking. No real designation that they are supposed to represent money except they match what is on the cards. We can see so many people substitute them with other coins and poker chips.
The third, what a TABLE HOG. On a 4’x3’ dining room table, there was little space left. For some comfort, a 4’x4’ table is the minimum I would recommend.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you are looking for a fun game with higher player counts, small table space, and fast game play, Tiny Towns is the game for you.
If you are looking for a game that takes up the whole table, plays in a couple hours at the minimum, but is one of the hottest and most complete and beautiful games out there then for sure, get your hands on Ark Nova.
Do we have a preference as to which is better? Nope. Because each game is unique in its own right.
Currently Tiny Towns has a handful of expansions that adds more to the game and Ark Nova has the potential to add more content to enhance the game without changing the actual gameplay (such as adding more building, animal, etc.)
Also regarding Ark Nova, don’t be afraid of this game. Once you get going the overall game play is not hard to grasp. A friend of ours had stated that there is a difference between a 2 player game and a 4 player game (my wife and I felt that there was not much difference between as 3 and 4 player game) but it doesn’t change the overall play of the game much; just that you can better plan for when the Break comes.
So to answer the question of is Ark Nova worth the hype? We say yes. Yes it is worth all the hype.
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