Starlight Stage: Review

Starlight Stage: Review

Information:

Mechanics: Deck Builder, Variable Player Powers, Hand Management
Player Age: 10+ 

Player Count: 3 - 4 Players

Time to Play: 30 - 60 Minutes 
Game Designer: Hironatsu Yamada

Publisher: Japanime Games

Expandable: One expansion currently available

Year Published: 2014

BGG Weight: 2.5
Disclaimer: A review copy for the game was provided by the publisher.

Objective:

You are a producer of a talent agency and you want to take your beginning singers, actresses and models to stardom. Once there have been enough opportunities to gain fame the game will end and the producers will compare how their clients have performed.

Game Anatomy:

Starting Idols:

These are the base (beginner) idols. Each one will produce one of the three talent symbols (music, heart or diamond) and will give the player one victory point as shown on the top right of the card.

Talent Tokens:

These tokens can be gained through various means via idols, events or fame cards. These tokens are used to acquire fame and events, or when reinventing your idols. They simply get discarded with your idols to add these talents to your turn.

Event Cards:

These are the beginning jobs that your talents will perform. There will be a cost to acquire the event found in the top left, which can be paid by idols or talent tokens. The majority of jobs will give the players achievements which will be used later to reinvent your idols (these cannot be used as normal talents that idols and tokens generate).

Some events will give you added or different bonuses when they are gained, such as giving you talent tokens or allowing you to recruit more starting idols.

Idols:

These idols need to be reinvented by discarding events that match the required achievements and paying the talent cost by using an Idol along with any necessary tokens. The majority of idols will give the player more talent symbols on the turn they are played. The crown symbol on an Idol card means that any one of the three talents are generated.

Some idols also give players tokens to use on future turns or at the end of every round. One round consists of every player having played every idol in their hand. Some idols allow for a unique end game scoring condition which is denoted by the purple stars in the top right of the card.

Fame Cards:

These cards represent the fact that your talents have now become stars. These are the major jobs and awards that your talent has reached. Most of these fame cards are highly costly in the required talent needed and will be the main avenue for victory points. Some fame cards will only give victory points,
 where others will give alternate methods to score points at the end of the game (purple stars). The other notable difference is that some of these cards will give bonuses when purchased.

Setup:

- Deal each player one of each of the starting idols (the newcomer idol, newcomer actress and newcomer model), this will create the starting hand for every player.
- Separate and shuffle the three decks (an Idol deck, fame deck, and event deck)
- Draw cards equal to the player count from each deck and place these in a row next to their respective deck.
- Determine the first player and give them the first player marker and give any player who needs it  a turn reference card.

How to Play:

The game will play over the course of several rounds. Each turn, a player will flip over a card then play one or two idols and do one of the following assignments.

Flip a Card:

At the start of every turn you get to draw a card and add to the corresponding row from any of the three decks. This helps enhance the options that each player has to choose from.

Assignment:

On your turn you must play and discard at least one idol or pass your turn. For the majority of the game only one card can be obtained each turn.

Acquire an Event Card:
To acquire an event card discard one or two idols and add in any tokens you desire. The symbols on the token and cards need to create the symbols on the top left of the event card in order to acquire it. Once the event has been acquired it will sit face up in front of the player. This card will sit here until it is discarded by the player to gain that achievement or special effect (such as gaining tokens or idols) on their turn.

Reinvent an Idol Card:
To reinvent an Idol, only one idol can be played but numerous tokens and event cards can be discarded to match the symbols on the idol card. Once the idol is reinvented the original idol you used this turn is discarded from the game and the newly reinvented idol is placed in your discard pile.

Acquire a Fame Card:
These idols are the main way to gain victory points, discard an idol from your hand, along with any amount of tokens, to meet the fame requirement and then place the new fame card in your victory pile. Your idol has now made it big time and has earnt an award or a high paying job.

Take a Lesson:
Discard any idol to gain any one talent token for later use.

End of Round:

The round will end once every player has passed their turn because they have run out of idols to play. Each player will redraw their idol discard pile into their hand and the first player marker will rotate to the player on the left.

End of Game:

Rounds will continue like this until the fame deck has ran out and all jobs have been completed. Each player will then score the stars on all their idols and fame cards (including the purple scoring cards). Whomever has the most points is the most successful producer.

Final Thoughts:

Pros:
- Mostly unique idols and fame cards.
- Fast gameplay once you understand the game.
- Many strategies on the path to fame.
- There are fame cards that visually match idols which helps bring out the theme of the game.
- Interesting resource hand builder.

Cons:
- The rulebook is hard to understand at first.
- Little opportunities to gain more idols.
- Unsure why this game cannot be played at two players.

'Starlight Stage' is a refreshing hand and resource building game of trying to reinvent your idols to stardom, and gain several points through the idol and fame cards. The gameplay is fast and strategic  as you are constantly trying to build a tableu of resources to re-invent your idols and gain an abundance of fame. While doing this you are also trying to flip cards you need and buy the cards you require before your opponents. There are several issues that arise however, such as the limitations of lasting longer in rounds by gaining more idols or manipulating your idols, and I don't understand why there is no option for gameplay with two people. With this said, if you enjoy resource builders with quick gameplay and have three to four players then Starlight Stage is a great option.

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