Gold Country: Review

Gold Country: Review 

Introduction:

Gold Country is a reimagining of Reiner Knizia 2012 Spectaculum. This is a stock manipulation game masked by a fun theme of gold mining in the old west. Players have three claim tokens that they have to place each turn. These tokens will slowly close the available spots on the board while also manipulating the value of each mine. 

Game Anatomy:

Board:

There are two boards included in the game the standard board. 

As well a second side which contains rivers and tunnels. 

As well as new tokens such as gems that score five points at the end of the game; boats that let the players cross the river and dynamite which gives the player a surge of two extra claim tokens in the turn. In short these tokens add tokens that affect the player not the mine. 

Claim Tokens:

Each turn a player will start with three claim tokens they can place. 

These claim tokens are colour coded and will determine where they can be placed from as well as what mine the tokens affect. Each location can only have one claim token placed. Each claim token has to be placed adjacent to an existing claim token of that colour or the starting mine. Any token underneath a claim token placed will affect that coloured mine.

Bandits:

Bandits will be added to the bag after a gold vein tile has been claimed. When these bandit claim tokens are played they can extend off any colour (blocking future path) and will discard the token. Preventing that colour from reaching the positive or negative token. Bandits create a lot of opportunities for players to manipulate the market. 

Tokens:

There are several tokens that will affect the mines value during the game. Whenever a mine coloured claim tokens is placed on top, the token will be used (discarded in some cases, moved to the mine in others) to affect that colour. The positive and negative values number will move to the mine of that claim colour making the value of the mine cards higher or lower. 

The gold veins work as a positive value but they also add two bandit tokens into the main draw bag.

The gold nuggets and broken mine work like dividends.

When a claim token is place on a gold nugget each player gains two points per mine card they have of that type. The broken mine works the exact same as a cost, where players will have to pay two coins to the game based on how many mine cards of that type they have.

Coins:

Coins are the points of the game. They are also the currency. As this is a market manipulation game coins must be spent to buy mine cards and will be gained when selling mine cards. They can also be spent once per turn to use an action card, unlocking an extra action or a way to alter their turn by spending three coins.

Action Cards:

Once a turn a player can spend three coins to activate an action card. The card will then be discarded from the game. When all nine are used this option is no longer available. These cards can either refresh the three claim tokens, gain another buy or sell action; lastly another claim token can be added to the three in a player's 

Mine Cards:

Mine cards are a player's stock. 

Players will want to buy mine cards when prices are low and sell when the prices are high. The value of a mine card is easily seen on that mine. For example the Kelsey's Diggens are valued at four coins currently.

Hardware Store:

The hardware store is the unofficial fourth claim token per turn. Essentially if a player doesn't like a claim token they can swap it out with the hardware store. Changing the claim tokens colour.

Setup:

Game Setup:

- Choose which map side is being played. 
- Each mine base will gain there matching five coin starting value. 
- seven spaces on the board are dense forest hexes. Place two bandit tokens there and place a gold vein token on top. The centre forest hex will gain the five vein.
- Display the nine action cards and hardware store.
- Place the tokens face-down on the gold spots hexes on the board. Then reval the tokens face-up.

Player Setup:

- Deal each player a secret mine card. There is one of each colour and they are not active during the game but will be sold at market value at the end of the game. 

- Deal each player one mine card if each colour.
- Each player will gain three claim tokens from the bag.
- Give each player a value of 20 coins.

How To Play:

Gold Country has players manipulating the value of these mines through careful claim tokens placement. On a turn the active player has to place their three claim tokens. These tokens have to be adjacent from a previously placed claim token of the same colour or the starting mine. After the claim tokens have been placed the active player will collect three claim tokens for the next turn. The game will end when all gold vein tokens have been taken. The active player will finish their turn, all mine cards including the private mine will be sold. Whichever player  has the most coins in the winner. 

Buy/ Sell and Action Cards:

The buy and sell action can be performed before or after the active player places all their claim tokens. Players will buy or sell up to two mine cards. The mine cards will either cost or award coins equal to the coin cost shown on that colour's mine. For example this mine card could be bought and/or sold for $4.

Any time during the active players turn they may spend three coins to activate and discard one (no more) action card. These cards will either replace the three drawn claim cards, add a buy or sell action; or add a claim token of the matching colour.

Final Thoughts:

- Thematic market manipulation game.
- Inter sting dynamic of a shared board and semi-randomised claim tokens determining how stocks will fare.
- A lot of choice in manipulating the board and in return the gold mine value. 
- Double sided board with different mechanisms.
- Interesting bandit mechanism that can be used for blocking paths and removing unwanted tokens.

- Due to the hardware store and action cards there is a lot of control to effect the randomness of claim tokens.

Gold Country is a great market manipulation game which has earned a Silver Seal of Approval. In this game players have three claim tokens (ramdomly from the four mine colours) each turn to place connected to that claims path. Whenever these claim tokens land on a token the value of this mine or the dividends that are paid will affect that colour of mine. This creates the unique dynamic of how the market works in this game. Ultimately players want to buy mine cards when the value is low and sell when the value is high. Determining the right time, when the market will crash and inflate is integral though, as this game has always been a close game when scoring occurs so players will scrape the win by under 10 points. There is an interesting amount to watch as other players work within their claim tokens to affect the market in the way they see beneficial, hopping on this bandwagon or tanking the mine when the time is right is integral. This is a great market manipulation game wrapped in a fun theme with a unique core game loop that I think will win over fans of stock manipulation, while the theme and easy gameplay will also carry on newer players to this genre.