If you like pirate themed games you may choose to walk the plank (and buy this one), if not you will still love the cartoon animal artwork on the cards and the chunky, brightly coloured bits and pieces in the game. The revamping of the artwork from the original printing of this game has made a huge difference in the overall table presence (I know, I know…some may love the old school pirate themed artwork on the original…and if that is you, I totally get it, I’m the same way ).
Board Game Scores & Ranks:
- BGG Weight: 2.09
- Play Time: 45-50 Mins
- Player Count: 1- 6 players
- Year Published: 2022
Board Game Designer:
Game Mechanisms:
- Action Queue
- Hand Management
- Set Collection
What’s In the Box:
Game Play
The game is played over 3 journeys (rounds) composed of 4, 5, 6 days (each round is one ‘turn’ longer). Cards are randomly drawn by one player for each journey, each other player then selects the same set of cards for that journey. One card is played per player on their turn and then the cards are resolved based on card number and the type of effects (day, dusk, night) on the cards, finally loot is collected (if possible) and the board is reset for the next turn.
I have not played the first version so I cannot speak to the differences. The game scales extremely well at all player counts, there is even a ‘bot’ to make the play tighter at 2 players, though it does not require a complicated network of cards etc. to orchestrate which is brilliant. Resources are also scaled to maintain a tight and interactive game.
Replayability
?☠️40 different cards only 18 are randomly selected each game
?Cards have various abilities and can piggy back off certain cards
?Two sides of the board that play differently (calm and stormy – variable amounts of take that)
?Randomization of loot (each type of loot has different powers and abilities – loot powers can also be randomized further at setup)
?Easy to teach (cards in general are self explanatory)
?Fairly quick setup, allows it to hit the table often
?Plays 1-6 players (works for most game nights)
?Fair amount of player interaction due to the card powers
Who is this game for?
We recommend this game for those who enjoy a great production with a fictional ‘air’ pirate theme. If you like set collection, quick setup, nice components and playing the player this could be a brilliant fit. As the rules are fairly straightforward this game is accessible to non-gamers and gamers alike.
