Ben Lott
United States
Mason
Michigan
It's time to play the music, It's time to light the lights...
Wocka Wocka Wocka!!
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Games Magazine has been one that I have read for many years now. In particular, I'm always on the lookout for their special issue once a year that lists their picks for the 100 best board games of the year. But when I read the issue that named Vegas Showdown as the game of the year I was quite reluctant. I've never been a big fan of casino games and there just appeared to be so little I would enjoy in the theme. But when I read a bunch of other positive reviews of the game, and I found it at a cheap price, I took the plunge. But was it worthy as a game of the year, or was it just as bad as I worried it would be? Read on...
What do you get with Vegas Showdown? In the box you get a rulebook, a game board, a start player/turn order button, a small stack of cards, a bunch of poker chips, 5 player mats, 5 fame markers, 5 population markers, 5 revenue markers, 5 action markers, and a ton of room tiles in 3 different sizes (small square, rectangle, and large square.)
How does Vegas Showdown work? I'm not a big fan of giving really detailed rules overviews, unless the game is very simple and can be explained in a few paragraphs. Vegas Showdown is a little more complicated than that, so I'm just going to give the basic idea of what is going on in a game turn, without going into the nitty-gritty of all the rules.
Each player has a mat with their hotel outline on one side, a common area in the middle, and their casino outlined on the other side. Next to this grid is a track that you use to track your population and revenue. On the game board there is an outer track used to track fame (also known as victory points.) And then there are a number of slots where room tiles are placed for bidding with a bidding track next to them. The basic room types are Slots, Restaurants, and Lounges, which are almost always available. Then there are 4 spaces for special premier tiles like Fancy Slots, Five-Star Steakhouse, Night Club, etc.
Each round is played the same way, at the beginning the minimum bid prices of all the premier tiles are dropped. Then, if there are any empty premier tile spaces, a player draws a card for each. The card will tell which size premier tile fills the space and it will have a special effect on the round of play. Then players collect income equal to their population or their revenue, whichever is lower.
This is where the real meat of the turn takes place. Now each player, in turn, places their action marker on a bid that they are willing to pay for a tile. This bid must be equal to or higher than the minimum bid for that tile. If a player outbids an opponent for the same tile, then the lower bidder must move their marker (either outbidding their opponent on the same item or moving somewhere else.) Once all players' markers are on different items, players pay the amount they bid to the bank and take the tile they won.
Tiles must then be placed onto the player's grid. Yellow (Gambling) rooms must be connected to the player's casino entrance, and Blue (Dining) rooms must be connected to the player's hotel entrance. The Green (Entertainment) rooms can be connected to either entrance, as long as they are connected to at least one. Then players adjust their fame, population, and revenue markers based on the benefits of the room they placed.
The game ends when a card calls for a premier tile size that has run out, or when someone completely fills every square of his or her grid. Bonuses are awarded for things like highest population, cash on hand, having a full casino section, etc. Then the player with the most fame points wins.
What does Blott think of Vegas Showdown? I love this game! It is definitely one of my favorites. There's just something satisfying about the way you design your rooms so that they fit the right way. And you can try lots of different strategies to attain a victory, but they all seem equally viable. There are so many options on each turn that you will often find yourself straining to figure out which one's the best. And no matter what happens in a game, whether I finish in first or last, I always walk away really enjoying the experience. And I have had great success teaching it to gamers and non-gamers alike.
Who will enjoy Vegas Showdown? I think this is a game that belongs in everyone's collection. I'm sure there are those out there who don't enjoy the game for one reason or another, but I have had nothing but the highest praises for Vegas Showdown from everyone I have played with. It's got so much going for it, and should satisfy all game players, no matter their level of experience. Despite the fact that this review might read as a lot of rules (and there are lots more that I didn't even bring up) it's amazing how simple this game is to learn. The way that each round repeats seems like a perfect method for teaching the game, because after only one or two rounds everyone should catch on to the way the game works.
Any parting comments about Vegas Showdown? Along with any positives, I have to mention the one minor negative. The player mats are nothing better than pieces of paper. If only they had gone the extra mile and tried to create boards for every player, or at least laminate the mats, but they did not. This results in me being a little more protective of this game than others I own. Usually I allow all kinds of beverages at the table, but when Vegas Showdown comes out, players need to relocate drinks. One spill, or even a few drops of condensation can seriously affect these paper mats. That being said, it's a very minor quibble I have with an extremely awesome game. If you've never tried this one, then make it a priority. It has my highest recommendation.
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John Bandettini
United Kingdom
London
How you doing?
Kemp was robbed. At least Kershaw got his.
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Just played it tonight. Good fun too.
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Joel Weeks
United States
Roswell
Georgia
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i like the bidding, but i can't ever get my casino to line up right.
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Jason Lott
United States
Cheverly
Maryland
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This is one of my favorite games that I'm lousy at. Bring it on!
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William Collins
United States
San Diego
California
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I still haven't had the chance to play this yet. I am not sure what it is, but I think it's because I have other games in front of it in the queue, other games that, for one reason or another, just *seem* like I'll like them better. Does that make sense?
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Железный комиссар
United States
Madison
Wisconsin
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This game has always been a winner for me, and I find that it works with pretty much any audience. At times I've worried about the replayability, but then I'll challenge myself to play a new way and it usually works out.
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Dan Conley
United States
Enon
Ohio
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Nice review, Ben! I REALLY like this game a lot!
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