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Lacxox.

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Zooloretto Dice Game, Africana, Pics, Review and Questioning if the Latter’s a Pick up and Deliver Game at All

Laszlo Molnar
Hungary
Budapest
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Some random thoughts and infos.

From Abacusspiele I have already received my copy (wow, they were fast!) of Zooloretto Würfelspiel and Africana, the new Michael Schacht game in the „book of adventures” series started by Valdora.

I have taken some pics (here: Africana, Zooloretto Dice Game)– I wanted to take them in natural light but it was rather impossible when the kids were awake so these are simple pics with kit flashlight.

I have added some of these pics to my Africana review. I guess the it is is easier to read this way.

I was also thinking of how different Africana is from Valdora. It’s not only different, I’d say it takes the book of adventures series as close to the Ticket to Ride series, or maybe the world of Alan R. Moon as it can get. It feels a bit like Ticket to Ride with open cards – in part the book of adventures in part 5 cards laying open and accessible for everyone – or is it like in Elfenland? Elfenland is more about taking your adventurers from here to there, paying by specific cards that are needed to move to the neighbouring city, just like in Africana. But as in Ticket to Ride, you have tickets with starting and end stations that you have to connect some way (even a map is drawn on each card to make it easy to connect them).
It’s a point-to-point movement game that is probably as close to the most popular (and Spiel des Jahres-winning) Alan R. Moon designs as a game by Michael Schacht can get. But well, the game is listed as „pick up and deliver”, probably based on its similarities with Valdora. I don’t think it’s right. I don’t think this is a pick up and deliver game. You don’t really pick up and transport anything but your researcher. You get some bonuses for reaching certain cities but you don’t take these to anywhere on the board.
Unless anyone explains me why it’s a pick up and deliver game, I will ask the mods to change the game entry. Until then, read my review.. Thanks for your attention.
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12 Comments
Subscribe sub options Mon Feb 13, 2012 8:49 am
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Laszlo Molnar
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So I did. Now the mechanisms listed at the game are set collection and point to point movement.
 
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  • Posted Mon Feb 13, 2012 3:14 pm
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Derek Thompson
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Did you buy these are Nurnberg, or are they already available publicly in Europe? Should I start checking import sites? Very excited about 'em...
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  • Posted Mon Feb 13, 2012 4:01 pm
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Laszlo Molnar
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I got them straight from the Abacusspiele warehouse but as I can see they are already available in German webshops: Africana and Zooloretto Dice.
 
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  • Posted Mon Feb 13, 2012 4:39 pm
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Derek Thompson
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Beech Grove
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I just tried to read the German rules and one thing is confusing - can you explain this: if you take a cart of dice, it says (I think) others can still take that cart, even though you've removed the dice? How does that work? Or does it actually say that cart is NOT available anymore?
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  • Posted Mon Feb 13, 2012 9:29 pm
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David Etherton
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How many unique dice are there in the Zooloretto game? From the other pictures it seems like there are more than six unique faces or at least different-colored coins?

-Dave
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  • Posted Mon Feb 13, 2012 9:56 pm
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Laszlo Molnar
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It's not perfectly clear for me either, but it looks like that's what's written there. If you take the dice from a cart, the round is over for you but the others continue playing - and can use the cart you emptied again. If it's true, that's an interesting difference from Zooloretto or Coloretto.
 
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  • Edited Tue Feb 14, 2012 2:29 pm
  • Posted Mon Feb 13, 2012 10:00 pm
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Derek Thompson
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Beech Grove
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Oh, so you mean, they can begin to refill the cart on the main board? Or they can use the same pile of 3-or-less that you took?
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  • Posted Mon Feb 13, 2012 10:39 pm
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Laszlo Molnar
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Derek: The dice can't be reused. The dice are at your paper and this shows that you're finished for the current round. But it seems the trucks can be reused. As you are always placing 2 dice at the same time, it might be useful.

David: it's six faces, 10 similar dice. (6 in a 2-player game, 8 in 3-player and 10 in a 4-player game). The different coin colors are only the trick of reflections: they are all shiny golden coins.
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  • Posted Mon Feb 13, 2012 11:18 pm
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Matthias Wagner
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lacxox wrote:
It's not perfectly clear for me either, but it looks like that's what's written there. If you take the dice from a cart, the round is over for you but the others continue playing - and can use the cart you emptied again. If it's true, that's an interesting difference from Zooloretto or Coloretto.


Yes that's right. This is an important difference to Zooloretto. You don't take the cart but only take the dice. So the other players can start filling that cart again.
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  • Posted Wed Feb 15, 2012 7:33 pm
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Laszlo Molnar
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Thank you for the info! I'm looking forward to trying the game (I have only toyed with its components with my 3 and half-year-old son, creating simple rules for him )
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  • Posted Wed Feb 15, 2012 9:08 pm
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David Etherton
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Can dice be re-used (re-rolled) after they're taken from a cart? Otherwise it seems like you'll never get four full carts in a four player game with only ten dice. They'll be 3/3/3/1 or 3/3/2/2.

I suppose it's more common in this game to take a cart that isn't full yet?

I suppose player 1 could roll two dice, place them on to two different carts, and player 2 could take one cart, player 3 could take another, then player 4 would roll two dice, place them on two different carts, and player 1 and 4 would each take one die as well.

-Dave
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  • Posted Thu Feb 16, 2012 4:37 pm
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Laszlo Molnar
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Dice can't be reused. And yes, you'll never get four full carts in a 4-player game (nor 3 full carts in a 3- or 2-player game). It makes the decisions probably more interesting, or at least different. It's more like Zooloretto/Coloretto 2-player, where you have a cart with 3 spaces, one with 2 spaces and one with 1 space - only this system gives a bit more freedom for the placement of your rolls.
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  • Posted Thu Feb 16, 2012 7:17 pm
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