“Hey Tony, take a look at this new theme park board recreation.”
<Tony grabs the field and you may actually see the define of mud as he runs off with it>
OK, possibly it didn’t occur precisely like that, however anytime a brand new theme park board recreation is printed, I instantly should have it. I’m undecided what’s about this style of video games that pulls me a lot, however I need to play all of them. I imply, don’t even ask me what number of hours I’ve logged in Planet Coaster…
And the most recent one on my tabletop is Tenpenny Parks. Designed by Nate Linhart and printed by Thunderworks Video games (Cartographers, Roll Participant Adventures), Tenpenny Parks may have you attempting to construct one of the best amusement park.
Gameplay Overview:
Tenpenny Parks is performed over 5 rounds, with the aim of incomes probably the most victory factors. Every spherical takes place over 5 phases.
1. Achieve Income: Earn three {dollars}, plus any bonuses from sights and concession stands.
2. Actions: Through a typical employee placement mechanic, you’ll take alternate taking turns putting your meeples on numerous places across the board. Some are free, similar to eradicating bushes, gaining cash, or taking a concession stand. Whereas others value cash: constructing rides and increasing your park. Rides are bought from the carousel location which is able to regulate the value you pay. As soon as constructed, you should place the polynomial-shaped tile in your park (no orthogonal touching beforehand positioned tiles allowed) and regulate your marker on as much as three tracks: Thrill, Awe, and/or Pleasure.
3. Bonuses: Whoever is furthest alongside on the three tracks can select to both achieve a VP or transfer their marker again one house and achieve a bonus: an additional employee, the primary participant marker, or $3 relying on the monitor you might be on.
4. Promoting: Every of your rides will allow you to spend cash to realize VPs. The ratio will depend upon the trip constructed.
5. Clear-up step: About what you may count on.
After the fifth spherical, gamers whole up their VPs, together with bonuses for end-game objectives and secret goal playing cards. Most factors wins.
Sport Expertise:
One of many first issues I observed about Tenpenny Parks is simply how incredible it seems to be. I imply, Vincent Dutrait is among the premier tabletop artists, so no surprises there. His work is at all times stellar. However the manufacturing values are wonderful as nicely. The tokens are thicker than the same old punchboard and there’s a 3d carousel that sits on the board (Bonus factors as a result of it could keep assembled within the field). So prime marks to Thunderworks for producing this recreation.
One factor to find out about Tenpenny Parks is that it’s a actually tight recreation. Each by way of motion choice and cash. For actions, you might be getting about 15 actions (except you seize the bonus employee just a few instances) for your entire recreation. These should be cut up between constructing rides, increasing your park, and clearing bushes (amongst different issues, however you’ll be doing these most). So, each motion you’re taking is extremely essential. I actually hated going to the financial institution within the recreation, as a result of spending one in every of my treasured actions to realize $2 felt like such a waste.
However that’s the opposite factor in regards to the recreation. Cash is even tighter. You begin with a pleasant nest egg, nevertheless it goes shortly. Most rounds you may count on to earn about $4-$7, which may help you purchase about 1-2 rides a spherical, at most. However we continually felt like we have been chasing cash within the recreation. That is doubly so due to the necessity to promote. Throughout section 4, you may spend cash on VPs, however doing so it is going to minimize down in your alternative to increase your park. Personally, I wasn’t a fan of simply how tight the cash was within the recreation. I actually favored constructing and increasing my park however having to chase down VPs with promoting wasn’t as attention-grabbing to me.
Talking of constructing the park, I did benefit from the optimization puzzle there. You need to match this polynomial-shaped tiles into tight areas. Once more, as a result of actions are so tight, having to spend them to filter some bushes means it is advisable assume actually arduous about the place to positing your rides. There are bonus areas on the board that earn you a bump on one of many three tracks for those who cowl them up, so that may issue into your puzzle as nicely. However since rides can contact orthogonally, and bushes get in the way in which on a regular basis, you’ll need to watch out not simply what rides you purchase, however the place you construct them as nicely.
I additionally loved the emotion monitor mechanics. Having to make powerful choices on whether or not to take the bonuses or VPs made for attention-grabbing rounds (nicely besides the final one). And every of the bonuses are quite good. The additional employee and cash are clearly superior, however even the primary participant token is essential. A number of the hidden aim playing cards need you to gather particular varieties of rides. In case you are going final in a spherical (particularly at the next participant depend), then you could have to go first to have the ability to purchase them. However not solely that, the primary participant will get to rotate the carousel, adjusting the value of all of the rides. If you need inexperienced ones, then it’s good to provide your self a -$2 low cost when shopping for.
Remaining Ideas:
Total I loved Tenpenny Parks, however I’m undecided the place I’d rank it in my assortment of theme park video games. The manufacturing values are incredible, and the tile laying puzzle with the bushes was fairly attention-grabbing. Nevertheless, the tightness of the cash wasn’t as interesting to me. I’d quite be a parkitect making a park with cool rides than attempting to scrounge up $3 to run an advert within the newspaper. This recreation positively felt extra alongside the strains of managing a park over designing one. Regardless, we nonetheless had enjoyable enjoying Tenpenny Parks, and for those who assume you’d take pleasure in a employee placement recreation with a extremely tight economic system, this one is value trying out.
Remaining Rating: 4 Stars – An excellent entry into the theme park style, simply bear in mind that each cash and actions are fairly tight.
Hits:
• Stellar manufacturing values
• Emotion monitor was an attention-grabbing mechanic
• Massive spatial puzzle to determine with trip placement and bushes
Misses:
• Cash issues bought in the way in which of constructing my park
• Some secret objectives really feel more durable than others
