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Basari is a game of gem merchants competing in a marketplace": racing, collecting, trading, and predicting what the other merchants will do.
To start the game, players receive 12 gemstones (3 each of 4 colors).
Each turn there will be a movement phase and an action phase:
For movement, everyone simultaneously rolls their die and moves their markers around a track.
They then choose one of three different actions to perform. The actions are:
- to take a variety of gems from a market stall,
- to immediately score from between 4 and 7 points, or
- to roll and move again and also collect points.
The action cards are revealed simultaneously. If only 1 player chose a particular action, they simply perform that action. If 2 players chose the same action, they barter back and forth with gemstones. One player will eventually accept the other's offer of gems, and the other will take the action. If 3 or 4 players all chose the same action card, that action is cancelled. Note that in 4-player games, there will always be a conflict in choice of 3 actions, so much more negotiating goes on.
A new turn begins with everyone rolling their die, moving, then choosing and revealing their action cards. When any merchant piece completes a lap around the board, the round ends and bonus points are awarded based on who has the majority in each gem color and who has completed a lap. After three rounds, the game is over and the highest score wins.
Re-implemented by:
Edel, Stein & Reich
- Finding broken combinations is the core of the game and feels rewarding.
- Synergies make the game fun.
- The game feels rewarding when special cards are found.
- The host wishes they could keep playing runs that go well.
- Some runs can be a bit beat up.
- The game has an end, which can be disappointing if you want to keep going.
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Deck building — The host mentions finding special cards and the idea of building towards powerful combinations.
- Synergy — The game is about finding synergistic combinations of cards, such as three pickaxes in a row, that create powerful engines.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Balatro is finding that broken combination.
- If everything is perfectly balanced, it's perfectly boring to me.
References (from this video)
- Mix and match characters with gear creating combined card decks and minis.
- Engine building happens quite rapidly at the start while doing actions you want to do.
- Installing different skills on player boards adds to replayability.
- Monster can hinder but also help against runaway winners.
- Team versus Team mode offers both competitive and cooperative play.
- mutated animals surviving
- post-apocalyptic world
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Action Point Allowance System — Players have action point tokens to spend on skills and actions.
- Deck building — Skill decks are a mix of 'Rider' and 'Geek' cards.
- engine building — Installing skills on a player board that provide further actions, with each use moving up an upgrade track that increases hit points and action point tokens.
- Movement — Basic movement actions are available.
- player elimination — Winning can be achieved by destroying another player twice, reducing their hit points to zero.
- Variable player powers — Players choose a creature and gear/vehicle to create their play board, influencing their abilities.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- humans they were walking the earth once upon a time now the victim of their undoing no longer their pets that we must survive by gaining the atomical of vanquishing Alphas
- reminds me of Sharknado cool
- here's the engine building bit
- The monster cannot be killed scary but there's a way to use it to your advantage
- feels good to be able to control it under your command well temporarily
- I think it is pretty cool that you can mix and match the characters with the geese creating combined card decks and combined Minis
- The monster is there yes to hinder you but also to help you against runaway winner attack other players yourself or let the monster do your daily work hehehe