Professor Treasure's Secret Sky Castle: Review

Professor Treasure's Secret Sky Castle: Review

Information:

Mechanics: Programming, Modular board, Competitive
Player Age: 13+
Player Count: 2  Players
Time to Play: 15 - 30 Minutes
Game Designer: Jason D. Kingsley
Game Artists: Fabio Fontes, Laura La Vito
Publisher: Level 99 Games
Release Date: 2018
BGG Complexity: 2.05

The Game:

Objective:

The aim is to gain the most points over three rounds by collecting artifacts and chest tiles.

Card/Tile Anatomy:

Role Cards:
The role cards represent the treasure hunters characters that will be used, each player has eight role cards that are exactly the same as each other. The cards have a initiative number on the top left, which will be used to resolve in the castle phase (more on this in how to play). On the bottom of the card there will be regulations on where the role can be placed and what the role will achieve when the castle phase resolves.

Artefact Tiles:
These tiles are free for the players to claim in the castle phase and will give you points based on how many are collected by the end of the game.

Key Tiles:
These tiles are free to claim in the castle phase and are used to open chests. These tiles will be usable once per round after claiming a treasure chest tile, then they will be flipped over. At the start of the following round the used keys are flipped face up to be used again.

Chest Tiles:
This is where the large points lie (on the bottom right of the tile). However, as mentioned above, keys are needed to be used to open these treasure chests.

In order to gain the treasure inside you will need to have the exact amount of keys face up as shown on the chest tile, at the time of picking up the chest. If not, you can use skeleton keys to equal up to the required keys although they will give negative points at the end of the game, or you can leave the chest behind.

Skeleton Keys:
What happens if you don't have enough keys to open the treasure chest due to bad planning or rotten luck? well, this is where the skeleton keys can be used.

If you don't have enough keys to open a chest when claimed, any amount of skeleton keys can be taken from the pile and used to open the chest. However, the keys will score negative points based on how many the player has at the end of the game.

Setup:

For each of the three rounds the following setup occurs:

1. give each player their eight role cards

3. Determine the first player, this player will play first on the first and third round

4. Shuffle each players role cards and discard two cards each

6. The first player for this round will randomly create three piles of 2 role card, where the second player will randomly create two piles of 3 roles cards

7. Reflip any keys already claimed from previous rounds

9. Set up the tiles a four by three grid, if there are tiles remaining from previous rounds keep the tiles in their current places and fill the spaces around them to create a four by three grid

How to Play:

There are two phases in each of the three rounds. These two phases are the role phase and the castle phase.

Role Phase:

Once the piles are separated according to the first and second player (as described in setup), taking it in turns, the round begins with the first player using one of their chosen piles (may look at each of your piles to select the optimal pile). The player places the role cards face up as described by the placement rules on the card. This will continue to all the six cards are played by each player.

Castle Phase:

In this phase the cards (which have all been placed) will resolve their ability and the player gains a tile. This occurs in ascending order of the role cards. If at any time their is a tie, the first player will resolve their role first.

The thief, however, works differently. This role can activate anytime the player chooses, normally when another player in the column is collecting a tile.

Scoring:

The scoring occurs after the three rounds, where the tiles and skeleton keys are tallied up. The chests are worth the amount of points stated on their tile and the skeleton keys and artifacts work on a set collection method based on the amount you have.

Final Thoughts:

Pros:

• Easy to learn/setup
• Fans of programming and tactical games will enjoy
• Great component quality

Cons:

• Not good for people that don't like direct conflict or having their plan derailed
• The randomised piles of cards make it harder to predict what your opponent will do

Ultimately I am not sure if programming games are for me, as in your mind you will design a perfect order and ultimately have this derailed by your opponent. Although in saying this, if your a fan of programming games then I suggest looking into "Secret Sky Castle" as this game is quick and easy to learn but has enough tactical choices to explore time and again.

Click...feed the addiction:

Level 99 Games

Professor Treasure's Secret Castle on BGG
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