The Two-Minute Review Series:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/31672

Do we really need another review of Tikal? The game has been around for a while now, you know.
I know, but I want to address a particular aspect of it – the analysis paralysis reputation.

Ah, that. Yes. What had you heard about it?
Well, I was looking for a new game a few months ago and did a lot of research on about a dozen games, and Tikal was one of them. I like to joke that researching which game to buy is actually my favorite game!

(…?)
Yeah, no one ever laughs at that... Anyway, Tikal’s reputation preceded itself as one of the games that suffers the most – if not THE most -- from AP.

Wait, didn’t you learn from your Dungeon Twister review not to confuse Action Points (AP) and Analysis Paralysis (AP)?
Oh yeah. Let’s use AP for Action Points and AnalSis for Analysis paralysis… Wait, lemme change that. AnalP. No. OK, AnPar. Is that OK?

That’s better.
Good. So anyway I was playing four-player games of Catan where it was taking people forever to take their turn (just build a road, dammit!) and AnPar was really bugging me to the point where I swore I’d never play another 4P game of Catan.

Maybe you just play with, ahem, “slow” people.
Maybe. Anyway, Tikal’s reputation made me cross the game off my list as even a candidate for my next purchase. Fortunately, a friend bought it recently and I was able to try it, and I found I loved it. Like, surprisingly so. Amazingly so.

Really? And what about the AnPar reputation? By the way, I don’t like “AnPar”.
I don’t either but I can’t use AP and I’m too lazy to type it out each time. Anyway, that’s what I want to talk about. The game doesn’t “suffer” from AnPar. “Suffering” from AnPar means that you’re not engaged by the game between turns and the wait is annoying. That is simply not the case with Tikal. You want a game that suffers from AnPar and should be ding'd for it? Try Settlers.

HOW DARE YOU!
Hey, Catan is my one 10 ranked game. I love it, but the fact is in Catan, you don’t know what you can buy until it’s your turn because you might collect more resources or someone might rob from you or you might be able to trade. So people are hindered as far as working ahead. The 4P game is a wait-fest. I will go so far as to say – you ready for this? – that I would much more quickly play a 4P game of Tikal than Catan.

This cannot be. You, sir, are a charlatan. This game has a serious AnPar rep.
I know, but I’ve played 3P and 4P games of Tikal and each of us was completely engaged by the other player’s turns because a) you advise them in ways that help you and/or hurt other opponents, and b) there are some moves that are neutral to you and other players and it’s in everyone’s best interest to help the active player plan, count, etc. And it’s fun to do all that.

Furthermore, in Tikal you know you’re always going to have 10 APs to use, so you can start working on your turn while it’s someone else’s turn, e.g., “I’m gonna go there and get the treasure, so that 6 APs, I have 4 left…” You’re never bored or disengaged from the game – you’re either participating in the active player’s turn or working on your next one.

Hmm. Your ideas are intriguing to me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter... But there must be something to Tikal’s AnPar reputation?
Well, I will say that the game requires a lot of math checking and you have mistakes and redos, e.g., “Wait, how many was that, 8? I have 2 left. Oh, that was 6? I have four left. Wait, let me start over…” But even so you’re engaged and incented to help dumbasses like me count the APs accurately.

Well, what about the game itself?
Read other reviews for a description of play, but I want to say that it’s just damn fun. It somehow captures the theme of exploring – I think it’s all the green -- while being a great tactical game of spending your “moves”.

Who would like/not like this game?
“Brilliant.” “Much more accessible than Puerto Rico.” “Easy to learn.” These were some of the comments from my group of mixed experience players. We have a newbie (wedgie time!) who played this and Puerto Rico the same night and he preferred this saying, “I got this down pat". And he came in second (ahead of me) in his first game. At the same time, us vets love it as well.

Parting Thoughts?
Components are great -- did I mention the green? As to length, I’d plan on a half hour per player... ”Guess, what? I got a fever, and the only prescription… is more Tikal!”

Bottom Line?
Buy. No reservations.