Set in the Roman stadium Circus Maximus, in Ave Caesar, players use cards to move their chariots around a quasi-variable track. The track itself has bottlenecks and lane-changing restrictions, which make the race interesting for the racers (very similar to Detroit-Cleveland Grand Prix or Daytona 500). Players are required to race three laps, and they must stop to 'Hail Caesar' before they can finish (a pit stop). The game is light, but if you waste too many moves taking the longer, outside-routes on corners, you may not have enough movement to finish the race. Later, the game was revamped into Ausgebremst, with the most notable changes being modular boards and options to reduce the luck.
The Cafe Games/Pro Ludo edition has only 2 different tracks compared to the Ravensburger edition with 2 track variants on both sides of the board.
It was re-released in 2022 by DiceTree Games with deluxe components, new maps, and new variants (by the designer).
- Simple to learn, yet with strategic depth
- Accessible entry into racing games
- Older title, reprint issues noted
- Some components may feel dated
- competitive track racing and positioning
- ancient Rome chariot racing
- fast tactical card play with blocking
- Flam Rouge
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- blocking and forcing choices — strategic card use to hinder opponents and control laps
- deck-based movement — players draw cards to move, often constrained by lead position
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- This game has sold hundreds of thousands of copies worldwide.
- Ticket to Ride is essentially about collecting cards and building routes.
- In Las Vegas you'll be throwing a dice and you'll be placing the entire lot of a number that you've just thrown onto a casino.
- Skull and Roses is a wonderful bluffing game.
- Time's Up is a card game with three rounds: free, one word, and nothing at all.