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Game Info
Year
2021
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Description
In Camel Up: Off Season, each of the 3-5 players has their own caravan of four camels that can carry goods, with the camels being able to carry 3, 4, 5, and 6 goods. Goods come in four types — carpets, vases, dates, and (non-date) fruit — and these goods will be available at markets, with one more market in play than the number of players. Each double-sided market indicates how many face-up and face-down cards are placed there, in addition to the special power of that market.
At the start of a round, players bid to see who selects goods first from a market, with the bidding rules being set by the back of the topmost goods card in the deck. Whoever wins the bid pays their money to the bank, while everyone else keeps their coins. (Coins are victory points, so you might not want to throw away too many of them!)
The winning bidder chooses a market, uses the power of that market (if they wish), then takes all of the goods from that market, flips them face up (if needed), then loads the goods on their camels. A camel can hold goods of only one type, and if a goods type is on a camel, then you must continue placing that good on the same camel. Each camel has a goods limit, however, and if you exceed that limit, then you must throw away all of that type of good.
Each other player in clockwise order then chooses an unchosen market, optionally uses its power, and collects and loads its goods. Each player then has the option of selling goods from at most one camel, with each type of goods paying out in different ways:
Dates: Cards show 1-4 dates, and the more you sell at once, the more money you receive.
Carpets: Cards come in six colors, and you can't sell the same color twice in a batch. Again, the more you sell at once, the better.
Vases: Cards come in three types (with some overlap), and you can sell only one shape at a time
Fruit: Cards come in four types worth different amounts, and you can sell only the lowest-valued fruit.
Place a 1 coin on the unchosen market, flip all the other markets, refill those markets with cards, then start the next round. When the deck runs out, complete one more round — selling once from each of your camels — then whoever has the most money wins.
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Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 5
This page: 5
Sentiment:
pos 5 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
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Showing 1–5 of 5
Video t47jFiuUQx4
Meeple University Top 10 List at 13:49 sentiment: positive
video_pk 89371 · mention_pk 287889
Click to watch at 13:49 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Clever design
Cons
- Not very related to original Camel Up
Thematic elements
Comparison games
- Camel Up
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- uh yes sister Ami yes by boarding guys and it has rondel worker placement game Wheel rather than a Rondo thank you thank you um but it was you know for everything that you'll see here it's fundamentally a uh simple worker placement leading to a tile placement but it's very interesting tile placement
- plain craft this is this was successfully kick-started we this is the deluxe edition with beautiful components by cardboard I can't say things right now cardboard Alchemy yeah very uh very big in the hotness at the moment this one indeed indeed
- next one is Evergreen now this is by the designer of photosynthesis it has some same feeling but I think it's not as special as rotationally as photosynthesis yeah you really struggle to uh to visualize what was going on with photosynthesis and even I did and I can rotate stuff in my head oh right yeah it's very challenging that one yeah this one Evergreen
- next one is endless winter now this is this is the uh the Australian version which has got gas Studios so I am part of goth Studios with Mark and Carl so there's no way I'm gonna review this game I'm just telling you that I think this is going to be it's well anticipated well anticipated it'll be a in my anticipated list not because I want to get it but because I'm excited for our partner Fantasia games so it's liberation
- if you're in Australia um Essen weekend corresponds with Pax Australia week and it'll be a demo there as well and hopefully be for sale there as well
- this is we're helping Mozart in his last days and this is also it is going to be I think it's really good the components are great it's double layered it's from Denver games which is the rectil guys let me show you the back of the box it boxes kind of like typical Euro gaming and I was looking at the components I was punching it out the other day and look at this side it's so cool it's like it's music book but it's a double layer player board ta-da it we have not played this yet as of today but it looks like kind of like the Concordia style card play which the deck building pool building pool action Action Pool thank you so theme is great so excited for this one
- so again what are your release am I going to see you at Essen let me know let us know in the comments section below and I'll be happy to also check it out maybe it is your game maybe someone else's game I don't care in any cases write in the comments and I'll check it out anything else Sam
- if you enjoy this video and you want us to make this sort of video or you know maybe our most anticipated other games or our whole Essence Hall games it's probably like should be another one which is showing and then compare this video with the next one anyways if you do that please let us know like the video comments below and subscribe and hit the bell
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Video Fw9FeqbYMaw
Meeple University Review at 3:03 sentiment: positive
video_pk 88816 · mention_pk 336899
Click to watch at 3:03 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Expands the Camel Up universe with a distinct, non-racing flavor.
- Provides a lightweight, approachable alternative focused on collection and drafting.
Cons
- No racing element, which may limit appeal for fans seeking the original racing experience.
Thematic elements
- set collection and drafting
- set collection with drafting; no racing
Comparison games
- Camel Up
- Downforce
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Drafting — Draft-like selection mechanics govern how components are collected.
- no racing — Unlike Camel Up variants, this flavor has no race movement.
- Race — Unlike Camel Up variants, this flavor has no race movement.
- Set Collection — Players aim to collect components to make sets.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this is probably the first time I can I would say that this is more complicated than basic Camelot
- it's halfway to downforce
- it's a step up from Gateway Games
- I would still recommend basic camel up for your standard public Meetup first timers
References (from this video)
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Video 4cixlljYQH4
Watch It Played Game Discussion at 5:22 sentiment: positive
video_pk 88430 · mention_pk 305380
Click to watch at 5:22 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- fun resource collecting and selling game
- interesting way to switch from wanting many to few resources
- avoids toppling a camel and losing items
- devious twist in bidding
- thematic sequel
Cons
- exceeding camel capacity causes goods to tumble off and be lost
- bids can cancel each other out
Thematic elements
- resource collecting and selling
- Camelot
Comparison games
- Camel Up
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Auction — Here you're bidding and in these auctions that change the auctions different each time slightly so it's such a different game that it's a thematic sequel without really being a sequel I feel like.
- bidding — Plays bid to select Goods first from a market use the power of the market if they want then take all of the goods there.
- Resource Management — The camel can hold Goods of only one type and each has a limit of how much it can hold exceed that limit and all of the goods stacked on a camel will tumble off and be lost.
- Set Collection — Plays bid to select Goods first from a market use the power of the market if they want then take all of the goods there.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I want to do a Euro game but let's give it some of those emera thrash type of feeling things a Euro game where we're placing workers out gaining resources trying to do all those type of things but then let's have it that we go and get there to the big monster you can see it and roll dice and then take hits and then roll dice again
- Champions and midgard just stands as a testament to a a pure fun game and I think it's the plinth it's it's the base of the structure upon which so many other games are built it's the shoulders of giants I feel like Champions and midgard I think it's a testament to board games it's a and it's just it's it remains a fun game even if when you roll your dice you'd think I've got this I've got so many dice I lose
- Longshot the dice game is more a betting and bidding game and rolling right everyone forgets it's a rolling right it's a rolling right they should put that in big letters on the front of the Box
- Summer camp turns deadly in the Happy Trails horror expansion for Final Girl.
- Despite being the beginner set for final girl this was the third one that they played and the one that finally defeated them final girl is great wonderfully thematic and a game which made me realize huh I guess I don't care about theme that much or playing with other people do I refer to Hans the butcher as Pigman yes I do am I only aware of Pigman because of certain Matthew Jew telling me through the medium rare podcast yes yes I am
- It's just a miraculous kind of solo experience that I really see a lot of people enjoy.
- Never mind that the dusty Roman senators of the original audition work just as well for me look at the chunky animal tiles and let them draw you into this fascinating game this is a tightly plotted negotiation game a remake of rhino conicius classic from the 90s that has a delightful narrative Arc doesn't drag even at higher player counts and creates nuanced decision points around the dual goals of getting into the zoo's star exhibit and getting the most money neither can be ignored with ships incentives even as you try to cooperate with others in an ultimate competitive environment Sublime
- I am a big fan of running filter which I think has been said a couple times maybe on the channel and I also am a fan of Quo Vardis I like Dusty Roman old Senators I like Rome and that it's actually my favorite theme for board games like Ancient Rome or ancient Greece but there's something quite wonderful about this new edition the pieces are just ridiculous it's the quality of the production is great the artwork is just absolutely marvelous and you get these extra things you've got the special abilities each of your animals your different species has a special ability but you don't get to use it oh no it's a bargaining tool which you can offer to other people
References (from this video)
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Video U50FUnKaV5g
Meeple University Review at 0:24 sentiment: positive
video_pk 70754 · mention_pk 300321
Click to watch at 0:24 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Clever design with multiple viable paths to revenue through different selling options.
- Balanced tension between risk and reward with clear constraints on selling.
- Highly interactive and replayable due to changing auction rules and market variations.
- Not Camel Up; stands as a strong standalone gateway with strategic depth.
- Unique bidding mechanic adds a layer of unpredictability that keeps decisions interesting.
Cons
- Randomness can frustrate some players, particularly those desiring tighter control.
- Icons and learning curve can be non-trivial; requires looking up the rulebook for iconography.
- The unique bid mechanic can feel unfair or overly swingy to players who prefer predictable outcomes.
Thematic elements
- trade and transport of goods using camels
- world of Camelot between seasons of camel racing
- gateway drafting and pusher luck mechanics
Comparison games
- Camel Up
- Scoville
- Downforce
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Auction / Bidding — Auction rules change each round based on the top card of the deck, adding replayability.
- auction for turn order — Players bid blind (then reveal); the highest bidder becomes the first player.
- Card/Chit Market — Markets show face-up and face-down cards drawn from a central deck.
- Deck-driven auction rules — Auction rules change each round based on the top card of the deck, adding replayability.
- End-of-round selling — At the end of each round, each player sells from one camel and from each of the four goods cells in different ways.
- Face-up and face-down cards in markets — Markets show face-up and face-down cards drawn from a central deck.
- Icon-driven actions — Markets are driven by icons, requiring reference to the rulebook for understanding the actions.
- Market power cards — There are market power cards; for example, one market may grant an extra selling ability.
- market selection — From the available markets (equal to players plus one), a player chooses a market and applies its effect.
- Resource placement on camels — Players stack goods onto camels, with a limit of one good per camel per type; exceeding the limit discards all goods on that camel.
- Selling rules by good type — Pottery sells by matching colors, carpets by color diversity, fruit by ascending cheapest-to-most-expensive order, and dates increase with multiple-sale combos.
- Set count and deck depletion — The deck eventually runs out; when this happens, the game ends.
- Turn Order: Auction — Players bid blind (then reveal); the highest bidder becomes the first player.
- Unique bid mechanic — The winner of a bid must be unique; if bids are not unique, the outcome is resolved by the zero bid rule.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this is this is not camel up it's not an expansion to camel up
- This is a really big heavy game
- i think what they've got designed here is really clever
- it's essentially a big gateway drafting and pusher luck game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Za0BbjLQW-g
kovray Review at 0:46 sentiment: positive
video_pk 68870 · mention_pk 300363
Click to watch at 0:46 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Varying auction rules and rule variations
- Mix of set collection and bidding mechanics
- Push-your-luck mechanic
- Accessible and approachable for players, familiar to Camel Up players
- Three-to-five player count and ~45 minute playtime; good for larger groups
- Beautiful card dispenser
Cons
- Card dispenser is beautiful but pyramid/coin holder feels wasteful and unnecessarily bulky
- Pyramid and coin holder add clutter and inconvenience
- Some players may find the mind-game/bidding aspect less satisfying; sour with bidding mechanics
- Push-your-luck can be risky and not as engaging for everyone; some may dislike it
Thematic elements
- off-season camel market and goods trading
- desert market trading with camels
Comparison games
- Camel Up (original)
- Megaland
- AEG game
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Auction — three-phase game with an auction to determine first player; bids with coins; special auction rules may affect scoring; can win with zero bid
- Auction / Bidding — three-phase game with an auction to determine first player; bids with coins; special auction rules may affect scoring; can win with zero bid
- camel capacity and collapse — each camel has a limit per type; placing goods beyond limit causes camel to collapse and lose all goods
- Card/Chit Market — players choose a market card; may activate its ability; reveal market goods; move or peek at cards; place goods on camels
- face-up/face-down goods in market — top card shows face-up goods, back card shows face-down goods; reveal when market tile is taken
- market — players choose a market card; may activate its ability; reveal market goods; move or peek at cards; place goods on camels
- selling goods by category — sales rules for dates, carpets, pottery, fruit with color/shape constraints and group sizes
- Set Collection — collect different types of goods; sets impact selling value
- tiebreaking for auctions — if tied, next highest bid wins; zero bid can win under specific rules
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- i like it, i'm pretty far gone when it comes to bidding games
- one of my favorite mechanics is push your luck and this game certainly has that
- i wasn't expecting what this game was going to be
- it's a sequel to a game that is pretty popular
- this is one of the few bidding games where you can bid zero
- the card dispenser it's very beautiful
- the pyramid and the coin holder comes into play it seems like a lot of plastic and cardboard for no purpose
- we enjoyed this game
- it's easy to draw friends in
- you've played camel up you're gonna love camelot off season
References (from this video)
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