Perfect Homes and Spacey Space
Continuing onward through my journey of reviewing my current collection (which I suspect will take some time since it's growing and changing every month now), I thought that I would dive into two games that really helped me cement my love of flip and write games this last year. These two are part of a series and while I know that there are more games in the series, these are the ones I own, so staying true to what I planned on, here's a review of the two games that I own:
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
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Publisher: Blue Cocker Games
Year Released: 2018
Mechanics: Bingo, Contracts, Paper-and-Pencil, Pattern Building, Simultaneous Action Selection, Solo / Solitaire Game
BGG Score (Overall Rank): 7.5 (#175)
Expansions:Halloween Thematic Neighborhood, Winter Wonderland Thematic Neighborhood, Doomsday Thematic Neighborhood, Outbreak Thematic Neighborhood, Spring Thematic Neighborhood, Summer Thematic Neighborhood
Times Played: 18
Josiah's Score: 9
What I Liked: Welcome To was one of my first introductions to a "Flip and Write" game (the other being Cartographers) and I initially bought the game after finding it here on BGG and from the high recommendations that it got. I went for the "All In" package on a Kickstarter reseller website, getting everything for a little over $40 (every expansion, the erasable boards, neoprene mat and new solo mode) which was a steal. When I got the game I played it and fell in love with the ease of learning how to play the game, especially since it could be played with any number of people.
The simplicity of what the game entailed made for a very fun experience and the additional expansions that were included were very well done. With the player tasked with putting 1-15 on each house in ascending order (with gaps of numbers) and pairing those numbers with an associated action, there was a surprising amount of depth to the game. Not including the extra objectives from the expansions, there were 28 separate objectives that players could work towards (6 basic objectives for 1-3, and 5 "advanced" objectives for 1 and 2) which gave the game significant replayability. Add in an additional 3 objectives for each expansion and there were an additional 18 level 3 objectives to be added to the game for more difference.
The cards were excellently designed, the board was beautiful and everything was laid out in a fashion that was easy to understand as well. Additionally, the expansions themselves only added one or two new mechanics to the base game, and each one was standalone, not being able to be combined with the other expansions, making choosing a new board to play on a fairly easy prospect. There is so much that I still can delve into 15+ games into the game and yet I still feel like the game is new and fun to play with.
What I Didn't Like: The original included solo mode is serviceable, but the Solo Expansion (which will be included in the Collector's Edition) really takes it to the next level. The initial included solo mode is a "beat your high" score mode, which while serviceable, didn't really scratch the itch of wanting to play with another player. The Solo Expansion however really takes the game to the next level and gives ever more challenging opponents to play against that turn the game into a puzzle.
I am slightly frustrated with myself for not waiting until the Collector's Edition came out before buying the all in version and then laminating player boards, but I really have only myself to blame for that one. I don't believe at this time (April 2024) that there's a way to easily get the game in the states, but I expect that it'll just take some time for that to make it over here. I'm on the fence about picking up a copy of it since I have the base game, but if you haven't bought the game yet, wait for the Collector's Edition.
Overall Thoughts: Overall, Welcome To... is a fantastic game that is wrapped in a neat package that is not only easy to learn and play, but also houses surprising depth and replayability in a small box. It's definitely one of my favorite Flip and Write games and the expansions that can be added into the game only take it further by adding in new objectives. I know that there's a Collector's Edition that's coming out soon for us here in America, so I would absolutely recommend on getting that versus an older edition. If you're looking for a great game to introduce to your family, this is one that I can highly recommend.
Spacing Out
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Publisher: Blue Cocker Games
Year Released: 2021
Mechanics: Bingo, Narrative Choice / Paragraph, Paper-and-Pencil, Pattern Building, Race, Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game, Simultaneous Action Selection, Solo / Solitaire Game
BGG Score (Overall Rank): 8.0 (#197)
Expansions: N/A
[b]Times Played: 17
Josiah's Score: 10
What I Liked: It's like Welcome To..., BUT IN SPAAAAACE! All joking aside, with the game being made by the same creator (the incredible Benoit Turpin), it takes the already fantastic mechanics in Welcome To... and translates them to eight separate maps that each have their own theme, rules, and objectives associated with them. Additionally, the game also incorporates a "Choose Your Own Adventure" style campaign that has unlockable cards, multiple endings and secrets that abound through it.
The game is absolutely incredible and I smashed through the first campaign set of missions really quickly. The only reason I haven’t finished more is because my 10x10 challenge demanded I play other games and I’ve lost my streak at this point. However, the tantalizing “What’s in the box?” question still haunts me and draws me back in to play again and again.
The campaign unlocks new cards and objectives and even changes to the included maps as players go through it up to three times. Even after finishing, there are going to be cards I still will have to unlock and add to the base game, which can be played with at any time they are unlocked.
What’s even cooler is that the cards can be reset in the included boxes in the main game, allowing players to reset the campaign at any time. While this isn’t necessary to play the game again, it does allow for additional replayability for the game.
Each of the eight included maps is very unique and has a different feel from the other, along with separate objectives, despite each one having the same cards to pull from. When going through the campaign, there also might be alterations made to the map rules that change based on the player choice.
The included solo mode is also incredible, taking what they learned from Welcome To… and improving upon it significantly. The cards each are dry erase and present varying challenges to solo players that utilize the “pick two cards and the third goes to the AI” scoring method. Each one is able to be paired with the card for the map and gives the solo mode the “puzzle feeling” the first game had with the solo expansion.
What I Didn't Like: Honestly, the only frustration I had while playing the game is the ”Sergei” opponent for the solo mode. He’s super frustrating to deal with and the solo mode has you facing increasingly difficult opponents if you beat the previous level in the last game.
Otherwise, I would say that the game is amazing and everything I want in a flip and write. There is a caveat that I would note is that the game is more difficult to learn than its predecessor due to the new maps being completely different with their actions used.
Overall Thoughts:
Honestly, I love Welcome to the Moon and it really seems to me like they learned from the first game when building this one. While both are excellent, this one is slightly better in my book. It surprised me that the first game was rated higher than this one here on BGG, but with it being newer, I think that accounts for the disparity. If I had to choose only one of the two, I’d go with Welcome to the Moon easily, but I don’t so I’m enjoying both.
Final Thoughts
I’m a huge fan of the Welcome To… series and it’s been a great addition to my collection. It’s exactly what I want in a flip and write: easy to learn, quick to play, and hard to master. Welcome to the Moon slightly edges out its older brother for me because of the campaign and unlocking mechanic, but both are excellent games.
Give me your thoughts:Have you played any game in the Welcome To… series? What are your thoughts on the games? How would you describe Welcome To… to someone? (Sarah noted it was a bit like sodoku for the table)
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