Duelosaur Island: Rapid Review
Information:
Mechanics: Hand Management, Drafting Set Collection
Player Age: 10+ Player Count: 1 - 2 Players Time to Play: 30 - 45 Minutes
Game Designer: Ian Moss
Game Artist: Kwanchai Moriya, Peter Wocken, Anthony WockenPublisher: Asmodee, Pandasaurus GamesYear Published: 2018BGG Weight: 2.35
Disclaimer: A review copy for the game was provided by the publisher.
Player Age: 10+
Game Designer: Ian Moss
Game Artist: Kwanchai Moriya, Peter Wocken, Anthony Wocken
Disclaimer: A review copy for the game was provided by the publisher.
I have recently decided that I would try a new review format that focuses more on my thoughts than how the game runs. This new format is called a R.A.P.I.D. review and the categories are Rundown, Alteration, Production, Interaction and Determination.
Rundown:
Have you ever wanted your own theme park? 'Duelosaur Island' lets players create their own theme park of dinosaurs. It is a tense drafting game for two players that invokes feelings of competition and adventure.
Alteration:
There are two main forms of alteration in the game play, the first is the cards. All cards in the game are multi-use and consist of specialist cards and park cards. Every draft phase there are two specialists available that will either give the player a bonus in certain phases of rounds, a new action for a certain phase, or contribute to end game scoring. The other option a player has when drafting this card is to immediately discard it and gain a one time bonus listed at the bottom. The real card alteration comes from the park cards. These park cards can either be dinosaurs that costs DNA to build or attractions that are built with coins.
The attractions will have either an immediate bonus (the amusement rides), will gain an extra coin every income phase (food vendors), or will gain an extra card every income phase (merchandise attraction). The attraction cards rarely give players visitors (victory points) but does help to build up the players future turns.
Dinosaurs on the other hand are the most exciting part of the theme park. Whenever you build a dinosaur there will be visitors gained at the end of the round and the public excitement level will increase. Players will gain visitors equal to their level of excitement at the end of every round. The downfall of dinosaurs is that they add a threat to the park. If your security is not equal to or beyond your threat level at the end of each round then sadly some dinosaurs have run rampant and eaten your visitors, therefore losing your victory points.
Every game has four plot twists randomly selected that give players a bonus when drafting dice. This bonus may include coins, cards, bonus DNA, options out of two choices, or multiplication of the dice chosen. These plot twist heavily alter the game as they will make the decisions of what dice to draft harder than simply DNA necessities.
Production:
The production of this game is at a good level. The player boards have indented places to keep track of everything. The other crucial part of the game is the chunky dice which were wonderfully done with eight unique dice (only five used each round).
Interaction:
This game has heavy interaction between the players as everything is drafted. Not only are you drafting what you want or what you want to block the other player from getting, but one specialist/dice will be left undrafted each round and they will add their threat level to both parks this round. This often has players drafting to keep the threat level low to protect them self, or high to hinder the other player while trying to cover themselves with increased security. The first player after rolling the dice will choose which dice will be linked to each plot twist. This has crucial decisions for that player in trying to manipulate what the other player will select and keep the drafting choices that they want more available for them. Both players will have the chance to make this decision as the first player will alternate each round.
Determination:
'Duelosaur Island' is an interesting drafting game which plays perfectly at two players as it keeps the game play tense and full of choices. Like all great two player games it is filled with decisions for the players that directly affect the opponent. There are numerous games emerging with the dinosaur park theme, but if you enjoy drafting and I-split-you-choose mechanisms that create a tense situation then Duelosaur Island is a must try.
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