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Jump Drive - Terminal Velocity: Review

Jump Drive - Terminal Velocity: Review

Information:

Mechanics: Engine-Building, Simultaneous Play
Player Age: 14+
Player Count: 2 - 5 Players
Time to Play: 30 Minutes 
Game Designer: Thomas Lehmann, Eric Kaminsky
Game Artist: Martin Hoffmann, Claus Stephan, Mirko Suzuki
Publisher: Rio Grande Games
Year Published: 2023
BGG Weight: 2.23
Disclaimer: A review copy for the game was provided by the publisher.

Introduction:

Jump drive is a fast engine building game that is a race to 60 points. This game shares the world of Race to the Galaxy by Rio Grande. Terminal Velocity is a modular expansion that simply adds more variability at a low addition of complexity. For starters this expansion adds more variability on cards adding a further 21 cards into the deck. But what it adds more is another additional player, starting worlds and goals.

Fifth Player:

Jump drive is now playable at five players, with a new starting set of cards (if used) represented by the letter E.

Starting Worlds:

Each player can now have a starting world (starting played card) giving them a focus for their engine during the game. There are 12 starting worlds six focused on the military and six that are non-military worlds. Each player will choose a starting world during setup, from a military and non-military.

Goals:

Goals have been added to the game to create an opportunity to gain five points for every achieved goal not spent during the game. This bonus score is added after the end game is triggered normally. Instead goals can be spent as a discount of three development, two world or two military, when playing cards. Each game will contain an amount of goals based on the player count. Three goals at two players, increasing one goal per player count until five players jump to seven goals (two extra goals from four players).  If any player meets a goal condition at the end of the round any player who meets the goal gains a goal marker and the goal is now out of the game flipped face-down. Gaining these goals fast could be essential to building the engine faster.

Final Thoughts: 

- More variability.
- Goals and starting worlds create a new focus for players early on.
- Easy addition of a fifth player.

This is a more content expansion for Jump Drive. Yes there are changes to the rules but nothing drastic. It instead amplifies and focuses on what already exists. These two modules create a clearer focus on goals and how players should build their engine. This is an easy addition for anyone who already enjoys Jump Drive but needs more breadth and variability in their existing experience.

Click...feed the addiction: 

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