Prior to purchasing Pitch Car, one would only need to look at my game shelf to see the focus of my family / game groups taste. My group and family typically favors the Euros (Catan, Puerto Rico,Caylus,etcetera) and some of the Ameritrash Games (Battlestations, Descent, Ticket to Ride, and Tide of Iron).

For some time I've been looking into the dexterity games: Stiga Hockey, Le Passe Trapp, and a few others. Being a Formula De player... Pitch Car resonated with me the best.

Well so it goes... I sent away to Thought Hammer (I deal with these guys all the time, if I had mentioned funagain... I wouldn't bother capitalizing)the package arrived and we quickly descended upon it. Here are our impressions.

Components and Presentation:

Firstly, the pucks or racers. They were bigger than I initially imagined. Approximately the same size as a quarter. They have a smooth finish and the stickers apply easily.

The tracks, they are smooth and the fitting is perfect regardless of the direction of fitting. This allows for experimentation and ease of set up.

The railing... herein lies the rub. This is perhaps my only complaint. I know we don't live in a perfect world. The railing is a bit of a pain in the youknowwhat to put in, in the first place. Then during the race they are prone to pop out. I suppose with extended use the wear on the pieces will make this easier. Perhaps in a future edition the railing will clamp onto the side of the track. I think this would be a vast improvement.

Rules and Play:

The rules... nothing but good things to say about them. As Shakespeare said once. Brevity is the soul of wit. And thats what you'll find. Brevity. The game is easy to grasp, easy to learn. And whatever you don't find in the book can easily be ruled on by the masses. Generally our judgement is pretty fair, if a bit analytical and cold.

The play... fast, fun, and a real breather between gaming sessions. Its ease and accessibility make it a real winner. The competition and buildup on the last lap make the gaming experience a real joy. This game is best done in small doses or with alcohol in my opinion. A couple of circuits and then move on. This game could lend itself to tournament play with the use of alcohol of course. Oh and make sure you set up on a flat even surface like a table. Carpet play makes for interesting seams on the track surface.

Conclusion:

This light hearted dexterity game is a welcome addition to the collection. Its a nice breather session between heavier titles. The only thing heavy about this title is perhaps the cost. Otherwise I strongly recommend.