BOARD GAMES EVERYBODY SHOULD...
  • Home
  • Board Game soundtracks
    • The 7th Citidal
    • Kemet
    • Titan
    • Abyss
    • Claustrophobia 1643
    • The 7th Continent
    • Lucky Duck Games
    • Poule Poule
    • Syrinscape
    • Last Night
  • Board Game Talk
    • Reviews in English
    • Reviews en Français
    • Kickstarters
  • Burky & Badger podcast
  • Contact me

RECENT REVIEW THUMBNAILS

Barry has just played... 

Picture

Facades at the end of your pen

6/25/2020

0 Comments

 

Copenhagen: Roll & Write (2019) review

Picture
Designer:
​
Asger Harding Granerud,

Daniel Skjold Pedersen
Artist: Markus Erdt
Publisher: Queen Games

2 to 4 players
2 to 40 minutes
Age 8+ 
Language dependent: No

Written by Guilou

Picture

Bonjour and welcome to this beautiful city of Copenhagen. Capital of Denmark, this big city has its own charm. Among the treasures it shelters, you will have the opportunity, during your strolls, to notably discover The Little Mermaid of Eriksen. This emblem of the city sits proudly in the port ....


Sorry? What do you mean? Have you ever read that somewhere? But that's impossible, this is a new game. I would not dare to repeat the same sentences and repeat the test. You want me too? Checked ? If you insist. So Copenhagen ... Ah. Yes indeed. We’ll forget all this and start again?

Right now, one of the game mechanisms that is all the rage is roll & write (in other words, " throw dice and write results"). These are simple little games to learn, playable anywhere and generally everyone having a huge success with. Many publishers or designers therefore decide to adapt their great classics in this format. This transformation is often done most often for the worse ... but sometimes also for the better.

Copenhagen Roll & Write is therefore an adaptation of the Copenhagen game. I had the chance to play the latter and I gave you a review some time ago. You can find it here.

For this new version, released during Essen 2019, we find the same team behind. The duo of designers Asger Harding Granerud and Daniel Skjold Pedersen immerse themselves in the charm of this Scandinavian city and called on Markus Erdt for the illustrations. The publisher in charge of this game is also the same: Queen Games. There is no denying that we are on familiar ground. And that's just the beginning.​
Picture

Indeed, after reading the rules, the game takes us back into this atmosphere. If you've played the board game, the version
Roll & Write will be very familiar to you. We thus find our buildings, composed of columns, in order to create the façades as well as possible. The coats of arms are also there. The facade tiles will be used again to efficiently fill our buildings. But then it's the same game? Yes ... but above all no.


Roll & Write requires, the material of the board game gives way to paper and dice. Each player has an individual sheet. The large grid will represent the building (on the right) and new tracks corresponding to the colors of the facade tiles (on the left). Above each, there is its own score track. But that's not all. In the center of the table, you will have previously installed a Facade block. This block will simulate the façade tiles still available for purchase. Finally, exit these pages, making way for the dice. You have a nice set of five dice representing colors.

In Copenhagen Roll & Write, the goal of the game is to have the most points at the end. The game ends at the end of a round where a player has reached or exceeded twelve points. If you don't pay attention, it can quickly happen. It is important to keep this in mind. The game makes the racing side feel more strongly than its predecessor.

On their turn, the active player will roll the five dice. Depending on the result, they will be able to select one and only one facade tile to add it to their building. Of course to collect a tile, they must respect certain constraints.

But before talking about them, a little detour on the facade block. This is divided into two parts. The part on the left, under the infinite symbol, corresponds to the tiles which are always available. On the other hand, those on the right, under the extended X symbols, are for single use. First come, first served.​
Picture

Facade tiles are therefore the forms that you will use to fill your building. To use a tile, you must have the right number of dice equal to the size and equally that they are all of the same color. For example, if you want a red tile with four squares, you must have four red (or white wild) dice. In addition, the chosen tile must still be available, without it being crossed out. If the chosen tile is in the single use section, you must cross it out after, to indicate that it has been used.

Once you have made your selection, you will draw it on your building. You’ll find the rules of construction the same as the original  game. You can orient the tile as you wish and you must draw it on the lowest available square or directly on top of another tile. After drawing, you must put an X (the walls) in one of the boxes of your choice and in the rest of the O (the windows).

You’ll find the same system of notations. If by drawing you complete a row or a column, you immediately score points.

  • If it is a line completed with at least one X: 1 point
  • If there are only O: 2 points.
  • If it is a column with at least one X: 2 points
  • If there are only X: 4 points.

Small subtleties, you may have to unlock a coat of arms by designing your facade. The thing is very simple, you just need to complete a row or column attached to a coat of arms. The coats of arms are fairly strong bonuses that will help you with your goal. Once a coat of arms has been validated, you must tick it to indicate it has been done. Each completed coat of arms gives you one action out of two:

  • draw a tile for free with one O in accordance with the rules,
  • fill two boxes of your choice on the same ability track.
Picture

So now is the time to tell you about this little novelty, the capacity tracks. The active player's turn at this time is over. But the others are not to be outdone. Among the remaining dice (therefore not used), and I insist on that, the other players can choose a dice and fill a box on one of their tracks according to its color.
The tracks will allow you to unlock bonuses (the +) or capacities (the star) that can be used at any time. Bonuses are used to modify the results of the dice by increasing their number up to two (using up to two bonuses). Capabilities allow rules to be changed while they are in use. However, to achieve this, there must be dice to select ... If the active player uses everything, you can not check off  anything. And that's all.


This is how the explanation of this little game ends. I must not hide it, the two games are very very close. One can even wonder about the interest of having created this version. The rules are almost the same, the way to play remains similar, the operating logic could come closer. Copenhagen and Copenhagen Roll & Write are a bit like playful twins. And yet.

Despite these very close resemblances, Roll & Write manages to offer different sensations. Certainly, you lose the interest of touching the pieces of the board game but you win the chance to roll dice, the stronger possibility of controlling it with the abilities. Surprisingly, over the duration of the game, the two games are announced as being identical. In fact, Roll & Write seems less sluggish, less repetitive or even more pleasant to play.

Transportable everywhere, or almost, the game remains limited to four players (maybe because of the length or lack of tiles). It is fun to play it in all configurations, and this time you can even play it alone (even if you lose a lot of interest).

Why “transportable almost everywhere”? Isn't that the advantage of Roll & Write? Normally, this is actually one of their advantages. This is also the case here ... but the sheets of paper are large. This provides undeniable visibility and playing comfort. On the other hand, you lose on the side "we’ll play in a very small corner" and take it anywhere. Even if it is true that there is always a way to mitigate that, the game is less practical than other competitors.​
Picture

The idea of ​​the facade block is really well instigated. While offering a rendering close to physically pocketing tiles, it accentuates the racing side of the game. The unique tiles can quickly melt in the sun if you take too much too think about them. Admittedly, filling your building with simple tiles greatly lengthens the construction time and further reduces the possibility of victory. But the important thing is to have the pen in the eye and the overview to succeed in beautifying this beautiful city.

It would be an affront if I didn’t talk about the theme, absent, or the fact that there are still no bags in the box (good ok here it is useless). Another unfortunate thing, the absence inside the box of pens or pencils. I always find it difficult to understand that for a game of this type, this kind of accessory is not provided. Japanese publishers do it well, so why not Western publishers?

However, I wanted to come back to one positive point: the size of the box. I already talked a little about it with Clash Of Vikings. Here, Queen Games has created an intermediate box size. This size is quite unique but has the big advantage of not offering anything superfluous. At a time when space is running out on our shelves, and being fed up of empty boxes, we are beginning to be heard. I don't know if this will be a new habit on their part, but if it is, I can only encourage it. Everything fits in the box and when opened there is no vacuum. Hope it lasts. In any case, a good point for Queen Games.

Replayability level, the game offers enough challenge and renewal to allow you to play it again and again. I would even dare to say that you get tired of it less than your elder. Which is quite strange considering the proximity of the two games.
Picture

​Copenhagen Roll & Write is a good surprise for me. Far from being a simple true copy of the original, it offers different playing sensations. The little tricky side in addition allows you to try to catch the others. Even if it happens quite rarely in the end, it offers this welcome little pressure boost. If we lose out on the tactile tiles, we gain by handling dice and creating our own facade with our pen.
This little Tetris side is always present for our greatest pleasure. The size of the box and the fact that it can be more easily transported make it an advantage. Even if the question of duplication is completely legitimate, as is the question of questioning the need for both.


Copenhagen Roll & Write is a clever, simple, transportable and easily playable game (the front block as well as the player cards still take up a little space). For once, given the low price, it would be a shame to deprive yourself. Unfortunately, the game arrived at the height of the, Roll & Write boom. Faced with other serious competitors, with better visibility, the game was put forward with a little less boom. It's a shame because it has real good ideas and interesting assets. Without being an essential in the field, Copenhagen has everything of the great games. It is part of this very pleasant family of games, but drowned in the mass of outings like it. And yet, it is with pleasure when the games are linked.
 
Technical note 9/10
For a game of this type, the components are adequate. Even if it improves the comfort of play, the size of the blocks and sheets is a little large to facilitate transportation easily. It looks like the game is between two worlds: the board game and the roll & write. The icons are readable, the rules well written and everything is explained quickly. A big plus: the size of the box. But no pencils inside ...
 
My BGG score 8/10
Very good - enjoy playing and would suggest it.
Relatively similar to its big brother, roll & write offers a little more fun. At a low price, you have great replayability and some light moments of reflection. We can however regret the lack of real novelties which would completely differentiate it from its elder and which would justify its existence. Without being "THE writing game", it deserves in any case more light than others in its category.
 
Combined score 8.5 / 10
Now it's your turn to play ...

​
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Authors

    Barry &
    Guilou & Arnauld

    shortcuts

    All
    1st Impressions
    99 Monkeys
    ABACUSSPIELE
    Act In Game
    Alderac Entertainment Group
    Ameritrash Games
    Arnauld
    Asmodee
    Atalia
    Aurora Games
    Barry
    ​Bellwether Games
    Blackfire
    Blackrock Games
    Blog
    Blue Orange Games
    Bombyx
    Bonjour Games
    Burky & Badger
    Buzzy Games
    Catch Up Games
    Choice Provisions
    Clyde & Cart Press
    CMON Limited
    Cool Mini Or Not
    Cosmo Duck
    Cranio Creations
    Cryptozoic Entertainment
    Czech Games Edition
    Draco Ideas
    Druid City Games
    DV Giochi
    Eagle-Gryphon Games
    Eclipse Editorial
    Edge Entertainment
    Eggertspiele
    Elwin Klappe
    EmperorS4
    Essen Spiel
    Events
    Fantasy Flight Game
    Filosofia Editions
    Flying Carpet Games
    Flying Frog
    Funky Sheep
    Game Brewer
    Game Works
    Gen Con
    Gigamic
    GMT Games
    Golden Egg Games
    GREIFERISTO
    Grimlord Games
    GRRRE Games
    Guillotine Games
    Guilou
    Haba
    Hasbro
    Helvetiq
    Hexy Studio
    Holy Grail Games
    Homosapien Lab
    Homosapiens Lab
    Horrible Games
    How To Play
    HUCH!
    Iello
    Imperial Publishing
    Impressions
    Inside Up Games
    Interview
    Intrafin
    Itten
    Japan Brand
    Jeux Opla
    Jolly Dutch Productions
    Jolly Thinkers
    Jumping Turtle Games
    Junk Spirit Games
    Karma Games
    Kickstarter
    KOSMOS
    La Boite De Jeu
    Last Night
    Lifestyle Boardgames
    Lucky Duck Games
    Ludonaute
    Ludonova
    Mandoo Game
    Matagot
    Meeple City Games
    Modiphius
    Monolith
    Monthly
    Moonster Games
    Morning
    MOZI Game
    My Cup Of Tea
    Mythic Games
    Nauvoo Games
    Next Move Games
    Norsker Games
    North Star Games
    Nürnberger-Spielkarten-Verlag
    Oink Games
    Oka Luda Editions
    Osprey Games
    Oya
    Ozaku Brand
    Oz Editions
    Pandasaurus Games
    Paris Est Ludique
    Parker Brothers
    Pegasus Spiele
    Pixie Games
    Plan B Games
    Player 3
    Podcast
    Precisamente
    Preview
    Quantum Quiz
    Queen Games
    Renegade Game Studios
    Review
    RUNES Editions
    Say Cheves
    Schmidt Spiele
    Second Gate Games
    Serious Poulp
    Sit Down!
    Sorry We Are French
    Soundscape
    Space Cowboys
    Spielworxx
    Steamforged Games
    Stronghold Games
    Superlude Editions
    Super Meeple
    Sweet Games
    Tasty Minstrel Games
    Tested
    The Flying Games
    ThinkNoodle Games
    Tiki Editions
    Top Ten
    Treefrog Games
    Twitch TV
    TWOPLUS Games
    UK Gaming Expo
    USAopoly
    Weta Workshop
    White Goblin Games
    Yoka By Tsume
    Z-Man Games

    RSS Feed

Picture
Picture

Contact me

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Board Game soundtracks
    • The 7th Citidal
    • Kemet
    • Titan
    • Abyss
    • Claustrophobia 1643
    • The 7th Continent
    • Lucky Duck Games
    • Poule Poule
    • Syrinscape
    • Last Night
  • Board Game Talk
    • Reviews in English
    • Reviews en Français
    • Kickstarters
  • Burky & Badger podcast
  • Contact me