Skip to main content

Widget Ridge: Review

Widget Ridge: Review

Information:

Mechanics: Head to Head, Engine Builder, Deck-Building
Player Age: 12+
Player Count: 1 - 2 Players
Time to Play: 15 - 45 Minutes 
Game Designer: Ian Taylor
Game Artist: Matt Burton
Publisher: Furious Tree Games
Year Published: 2019
Disclaimer: A review copy for the game was provided by the publisher.

Introduction:

Each player will start with a ten-card deck used to generate gold and spark. Gold is only valid for that turn but the spark is saved from turn to turn. When a player reaches 100 spark they win the game. Following the rules of all deck-building games, players will improve their deck throughout the game, and will gain new ways to generate gold/spark. As well as this, players will build a modular engine in front of them in the form of their invention. The invention can be built by combining three types of cards and can be augmented and changed throughout gameplay.

Card Anatomy:

Starting Cards:

The starting cards consist of widgets and gadgets that will give the player different amounts of spark and gold.

Spark Tracker:

Two cards will be used to track how much spark each player has.

Inventions:

Each player may build one full construct in their workshop. This invention can only contain one augment, device and accessory. Invention components can either be played then discarded for their play effect (augment and accessory) or they can be played into the workshop as long as it connects to a pre-existing invention component. This is done by matching icons on the side of the cards. There may be multiple symbols on a card but only one needs to be matched to add on a card. The device card has an ability that is activated when an augment and/or accessory is attached. 

Once an invention has all three components connected it will activate and complete an action at the end of every turn. This action is a combination of full construct ability across all the cards. These cards can be discarded during a turn and replaced with new cards of a matching type.

Goal Cards:

These are cards that can change the game to have a different value of spark needed to win, as well as an added rule that will happen throughout the game.

Set up:

- Shuffle the marketplace deck and reveal a card row of six cards.

- Give each player their shuffled starting deck.

- Each player draws five cards, the starting player only draws three.

How to Play:

Players will choose cards for their play effect, generating gold and spark. Gold is spent to buy new cards from the marketplace (refreshing the marketplace every time a card is purchased). During this phase, cards can also be played as a part of an invention, activating any connect abilities as they occur. Following this play phase, hand cards are discarded and invention components will remain in front of a player. A new hand of 5 cards is drawn and a full construct ability will activate now if able. The game ends once a player gains 100 spark or by a different means as represented by the goal card.

Final Thoughts:

- In concept a full construct ability sounds great but in practicality it is not as interesting of a mechanism.

- Race to the victory points.

- Have to choose between playing a card for the play effect or building it towards the construct effect.

- Not many fascinating ability cards, instead they mainly focus on generating spark or gold.

- Compact package.

At its core Widget Ridge is a race game towards 100 sparks. You will build your deck in pursuit of the most points as fast as possible. The added element is the invention you design in front of you. This invention is made up of three attributes, a payment (augment) then an effect from the device or from the accessory. The problem with this is 80% of the time the player is always going to pick either the device or accessory effect resulting in the invention addition being less interesting than expected. This invention can be altered throughout gameplay as you draw better options or chose to return the cards into your deck so you can use them for their play effect later. Widget widge excels more when players are aware they are racing for points instead of the engine building from more traditional deck building games. If you enjoy a mix of deck building games with a race towards victory points then you should try Widget Widge.

Click...feed the addiction: 



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Expand Your Game: Seals

Expand Your Game: Seals Some games that have been reviewed so far really stand out and for those games they deserve an extra highlight. These seals are those extra highlights for a Kickstarter Seal i would highly recommend backing or seeking out the kickstarter post release. For the Silver Seals i would seek out those games if they meet your style of game. The Golden Seals will be pat of my collection for a long time and i would highly recommend adding them to your collection. Go to Golden Games: Marvel United Power Rangers Deck Building Game and Zeo Welcome To.. Gem Hens Everdell: Bellfaire Draftosaurus Eminent Domain Crusader Thy Will Be Done Wingspan: Oceania Sorcerer City Tapestry Everdell: Pearlbrook Cóatl  Air, Land and Sea Wingspan Element Outback War of Supremacy Kings Struggle Can't Stop Express Queenz Kamigami Battle - Battle of the Nine Realms Bushido Bob's Your Uncle Eight Minute Empire Shobu Cryptocurrency Demon Worker Dice...
Post a Comment
Read more

Harmonies: Review

Harmonies: Review Information: Mechanics:  Tile (token Placement), Open Drafting, Ecosystem, Pattern Building Player Age:  10+  Player Count:  1 - 4 Players Time to Play:  30  - 45  Minutes  Game Designer:   Johan Benvenuto Game Artist:  Maëva da Silva Publisher : Libellud Year Published:  2024 BGG Weight:  2.50 Disclaimer:  A review copy for the game was provided by the VR Distribution. Introduction: Harmonies is a tile(token) placement game where you have to find the balance in scoring tokens based on their end-game scoring, while also creating patterns to score animal cards. The big score payoff occurs when you achieve the animal card goal multiple times. Game Anatomy: Personal Board and Central Board: Each player will have a personal board which is where they place the tokens as they draft them throughout the game. The central board is where players draft from. The central board has five locations that will each hold t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Expeditions: Review

Expeditions: Review Information: Mechanics:  Point Salad, Area Control, Engine Building, Variable Player Powers, Worker Placement, Hand-Building Player Age:  14+ Player Count:  1 - 5  Players Time to Play:  60 - 90  Minutes  Game Designer:   Jamey Stegmaier Game Artist:   Jakub Rozalski Publisher : Stonemaier Games  Year Published:  2023 BGG Weight:  3.03 Introduction: Expeditions is a sequel to Stonemaier’s beloved Scythe . It uses the same universe and artist as the original Scythe but is unique in its gameplay.  Expeditions is a hand-builder game with light exploration and a very unique implementation of worker placement that has workers being placed as cards are played. This is instead of a more traditional worker placement game with pre-determined or random worker locations. The game will continue until one player has boasted four times then each player will have one last turn before scoring. Game Anatomy: Player Par...
Post a Comment
Read more