Thunderworks Games Tenpenny Parks, Red

Product Information

Tenpenny Parks is definitely a light game. The rulebook is relatively short and you can get playing from the rulebook in about 10-15 minutes. This is definitely a plus as I think this could become a family favourite in many households and I think that players of a lot of different ages can enjoy the game. The game flow elegantly and smooth. Tenpenny Parks is played over five rounds, with the goal of earning the most victory points. Each round takes place over five phases. Players will be placing workers around the board for actions.

Visiting People, conveniently abbreviated to VP are the victory points in the game. The player with the most at the end of the game will be crowned victor. At some point, you’ll either run out of Trail, or you’ll opt to move one of your Hikers to the Trail End. When you move here, you’re presented with a few options, and you can perform any one of them. You could decide to Reserve a Park. To do this, you place your Hiker in the top space on the Trail End. If you’re the first player to place in this option this season, you also claim the First Hiker Token for next Season. Later players can also Reserve Park cards too, but not with an extra benefit.

Complexity, Dialed Down

PARKS, by Keymaster Games, is a beautiful, relaxing board game experience. In it you control two hikers, trekking across the National Parks of the US. What ‘memories’ will you make along the way? What photos will you snap? Lastly, during the Cleanup Step the available concessions get refreshed, workers are returned, the carousel is rotated by the new start player (by rotating the carousel certain attractions on display will get a discount while others get a price increase) and the month marker is advanced. We are using a custom rating scale. Each game will be evaluated by both of us on 1 to 10 scale in five areas. When combined, this creates a possible score out of 100. It is safe to say that this game is certainly a bit of eye candy. But it is also a fantastic family game in addition to that. Personally, it will be a game that I play with my family during a holiday. Or a game I will get out to introduce people to the hobby. OK, it won’t be a go-to for me, but overall, I love PARKS. I think it has achieved a quality balance between, looks and function. Something we don’t often see, or at least to the level that PARKS has achieved. A delightfully looking game, with wholesome gameplay and a game that won’t disappoint!

A Feast for Odin is a classic. A Feast for Odin is ranked as the #22 game all-time on BGG; it might be the best game of its type ever made. Boards are double-sided, representing differing difficulty levels of your amusement park, and are filled with bonuses that can be earned by covering those spaces with your tiles.

A Meager Plot of Land

My Comments: I think that worker placement and polyomino title placement is a good combination. Both of these mechanisms are very tactical while still requiring players to think strategically about what is happening next. The stunning art direction comes from the Fifty-Nine Parks team. Your two hikers trek the span of the United States of America. You’ll marvel at the charming wooden components that sit inside the classy Gametrayz insert. You’ll bask in the phenomenal visuals on the 48 Park cards up for grabs. You’ll nod your head in satisfaction at the class that oozes out of this title from Keymaster Games. While you might not be in said breathtaking locations, you’ll make memories of your own when playing Parks. It would be a leap to say that if you love A Feast for Odin, you’ll love Tenpenny Parks. The complexity is dialed WAY down in Tenpenny Parks. As a result, Tenpenny Parks is also a much, much shorter game. My first two games of Tenpenny Parks were played in about 90 minutes total at three players. I’ve never played a three-player game of A Feast for Odin in less than two hours. The second option is buying a Gear card instead. Remember you dealt three out during set-up? Gear cards provide game-long benefits in Parks, or provide immediate rewards. They might be permanent discounts off Visiting Park cards. Or they might be means to fill your Canteens at certain points. There are 36 of them, so plenty of variety! Gear cards cost a range of Sunshine tokens. Are you the first player to place in this option this season? You gain one Sunshine token (so a -1 discount, if you like). Later players can also buy Gear cards, but don’t get the Sunshine token benefit. Her Comments: Three workers a turn and five rounds feels right. The length of this game seems to strike a good balance.

After that players may advertise during the Advertising Step. Each build attraction comes with an Advertising option that lets you convert money into VP. It is fair, then, to consider the comparison with A Feast for Odin when considering the types of players each game suits best. So double-knot your laces and fill up your canteen with water (or something stronger, we won’t judge). Leave the map at home. Let’s go for a wonderful, meandering hike along the trails within these areas of natural beauty. Join me as we learn how to play Parks! How Do You Win? During the Actions Step players take turns placing their workers onto the main game board. By doing so players may remove trees, expand their property, gain money and build concessions and attractions. At the end of each month, rewards are given to the player with the park that best exemplifies raw emotions (Thrill, Awe, and Joy). After five months, the player with the most VP tokens wins!

FAIRLY ADVENTUROUS

OK, maybe it didn’t happen exactly like that, but anytime a new theme park board game is published, I immediately must have it. I’m not sure what is about this genre of games that attracts me so much, but I want to play them all. I mean, don’t even ask me how many hours I’ve logged in Planet Coaster… Construct rides through the stone age, the American old west, the age of fantasy, the cosmos of space, and the depths of the sea! The end of the trail will allow players to either reserve a Park, visit a Park, or buy gear, cards that can offer a one-off bonus, as well as an on-going perk. There are bonuses for those that finish the trail first, netting additional resources once they finish that current trail. Tenpenny Parks is a super tight board game. Lots of options that are limited by other player’s choices and the relatively constrictive gameplay. There are so many things you would like to do, but so few workers to do them with. Some may find this restrictive gameplay too much, especially at three or four players. At the time of writing, we’re still in the midst of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Trips away and idyllic plans got put on pause. We’ve had to cancel holidays, and travelling to far-flung places is a case of fuhgeddaboudit. It’s fortunate then that Parks allows you to visit national parks around the US, from the comfort of your own home. If you’re not familiar with this game already, fear not. I’ll be explaining how to play Parks from set-up to conclusion.

You have two Hikers, remember. Once your first hiker reaches the Trail End, you get to flip your Campfire token alight again. (So once again, if you want, you can visit an occupied tile). When it comes to moving your Hikers, you can move one on one turn, and the other on a later turn. Or, you could move one again and again – the choice is yours. Once both of your Hikers reach the Trail End, you’re done for the Season. Alongside this artwork, you get a production value that is second to none. The first player token is a metal token with an enamel finish, itself being a beautiful addition to the game. The wooden tokens are well-produced, with the 12 unique wildlife tokens being a particular standout component. Everything about this game in terms of its looks and quality has been developed in such a beautiful way. I would say to most that this game is worth getting just for the artwork alone, but of course, a board game has to play well in addition to looking good. So, does it play well?

All of this creates a thoroughly enjoyable quandary. What to focus on, what to spend and when. It all really makes the cogs whir. I don’t know another game where four moves with limited choice can burn the brain so much! My Comments: A lot of the variables change from game to game so that the puzzle the game offers will always be different. Filling parks with attractions is perhaps the heartiest puzzle in Tenpenny Parks, but takes only one or two tries to solve. Players, myself included, usually fall for the trap of using concessions to grab early placement bonuses, before realizing there’s no longer any room for attractions. Once you’ve learned from that mistake and familiarize yourself with the placement rules, you’ve mastered Tenpenny Parks.