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If you were directed here from the Catacombs Third Edition rulebook, then you are in the wrong forum. The game entries were split after the Catacombs Third Edition rulebook was printed. The forum for the new edition can be found at this link: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/195137/catacombs-third-e...
Catacombs is an action/dexterity-based adventure board game. One player controls the Overseer, controlling the monsters of the catacombs; the other player(s) control the four heroes who cooperatively try to defeat the monsters and eventually the Catacomb Lord. Each of the heroes has special abilities that must also be used effectively if they are to prevail.
The main mechanism of Catacombs is for the players to flick wooden discs representing the monsters and the heroes. Contact with an opposing piece inflicts damage, but missiles, spells, and other special abilities can cause other effects. When all of the monsters of a room have been cleared, the heroes can move further into the catacomb. Items and equipment upgrades can be purchased from the Merchant with gold taken from fallen monsters. The Catacomb Lord is the final danger that the heroes must defeat to win the game; conversely, the Overseer wins if all of the heroes are defeated. The game is designed for quick set-up and fast play within 30 to 60 minutes.
Year Published
2010
Featured Videos
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 7
This page: 7
Sentiment:
pos 7 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–7 of 7
Video 2tylQmA0p2Y
CA Couple game_review at 0:57 sentiment: positive
video_pk 60323 · mention_pk 152751
Click to watch at 0:57 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Accessible for new players and easy to teach
- Appealing, cute cat-themed artwork that reinforces the theme
- Rapid play sessions with high replayability
- Multiple modes and variant cards add depth and longevity
- Portable and suitable for on-the-go gaming
Cons
- Dice luck can influence outcomes and may feel luck-driven to some players
- Strategic depth may be limited for heavier gamers
- Rules can become nuanced with multiple domains and variants
Thematic elements
- Cat-centered soul-journey and playful mythic setting
- The afterlife, with Heaven and Hell domains guiding cat souls to the afterlife
- Lighthearted, whimsical, cat-themed fantasy
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card shedding — Players aim to discard cards from their hand as quickly as possible to avoid being the last with cards.
- Casual mode — An optional mode where discarding replaces passing, smoothing the experience for new players.
- Competitive variant (3-4 players) — A variant where players guess the number of cards in their final set for points; encourages risk and prediction.
- Dice augmentation / wild card — Up to two dice from the center can be used to augment a set, acting as wild cards; usable once per round.
- Hell domain / heaven domain interaction — Cards from different domains influence play; players may play from hand or from their domain, with rules about when each can be used.
- set collection — Players form sets or sequential runs; larger sets beat smaller sets and runs.
- set collection / runs — Players form sets or sequential runs; larger sets beat smaller sets and runs.
- Special cards / variants — Madam Mitch and Catlon provide unique effects (copy dice, swap cards between domains) that alter strategy.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- welcome to catap pomp
- a game where you're guiding cat souls to the Afterlife to make sure they're nice and safe
- it's a card shedding game
- Madam Mitch is the cat witch
- catlon
- there's a casual mode
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 7kdE701ozY4
Board Game Garden game_preview at 2:08 sentiment: positive
video_pk 41614 · mention_pk 126183
Click to watch at 2:08 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Vibrant cat-themed art and illustrations by the designer/illustrator
- Compact 15-20 minute playtime with strong replay potential
- Interesting twist on ladder-shedding with Heaven/Hell domain interplay
- Dice drafting adds strategic decision-making and tension
- Catlin and Madame Mitch provide unique, fun options that alter the standard flow
Cons
- Components are described as prototypes and subject to change
- Rules can be dense and may require a learning curve for new players
- Some interactions (Heaven vs Hell, reserved die, and special cards) could be confusing initially
Thematic elements
- death, afterlife, and cat-themed mythic world
- Underworld / afterlife with cat psychopomps guiding souls
- quirky, thematic, mythic with a humorous tone
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card shedding / ladder climbing — Players play a hand of 1-4 cards to beat the previous hand; more cards or a stronger hand (run or set) wins the trick; runs beat smaller runs and sets beat runs.
- dice drafting — A pool of dice is rolled and drafted by players; drafting occurs once per round and can modify the composition of a set used to beat previous plays.
- dice drafting / pool drafting — A pool of dice is rolled and drafted by players; drafting occurs once per round and can modify the composition of a set used to beat previous plays.
- end game bonuses — Each player starts with two Soul Gems; losing both ends the game for that player; end conditions vary slightly with a variant where only one winner is determined.
- Heaven/Hell domain management — You must choose to play Heaven or Hell cards; you cannot play from both domains in the same turn; playing Heaven requires moving a Heaven card into Hell, and other chaining rules apply.
- Ladder climbing — Players play a hand of 1-4 cards to beat the previous hand; more cards or a stronger hand (run or set) wins the trick; runs beat smaller runs and sets beat runs.
- Optional predictions variant — An alternate version where players predict the number of cards in their final set to gain victory points.
- Predictive Bid — An alternate version where players predict the number of cards in their final set to gain victory points.
- Reserved die / catch-up mechanic — If a player has one Soul Gem left, they get a reserved die at the round start that they can set to a chosen value; using it affects the round and can be swapped back into the tray later.
- Soul Gems and end condition — Each player starts with two Soul Gems; losing both ends the game for that player; end conditions vary slightly with a variant where only one winner is determined.
- Special cards: Catlin and Madame Mitch — Catlin acts as a zero that can be swapped into a hand, circumventing some domain restrictions; Madame Mitch mirrors the dice values to augment sets.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I absolutely love the art in this game.
- All of these components here are prototype and subject to change.
- Madame Mitch the cat witch... how adorable she is.
- Catlin as a zero and how it lets you swap into a different card from your hell domain is neat.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video tYd_4PI4hhk
Adam Porter game_design_analysis at 8:59 sentiment: positive
video_pk 10961 · mention_pk 32273
Click to watch at 8:59 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
very_positive
Pros
- Massive amount of content
- Multiple expansions available
- Diverse hero/monster variety
- Campaign structure with upgrades
- Varied special powers
- Immersive theming
- Multiple sized pieces for tactics
- Barriers and obstacles add strategy
Cons
- Overwhelming amount of content for newcomers
Thematic elements
- Dungeon crawling
- Monster combat
- Fantasy adventure
Comparison games
- Flick Em Up
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Barriers and terrain
- Character progression
- Combat: Damage Based
- Different sized pieces
- Disc-based combat
- Flicking
- Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game
- scenarios
- Special Powers
- Stacking pieces
- Track advancement
- Unique player powers
- variable setup
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
No quotes stored for this video.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video miaTx2EupNw
Adam Porter general_discussion at 10:23 sentiment: positive
video_pk 6239 · mention_pk 18488
Click to watch at 10:23 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Unique physical interaction in a dungeon setting
Cons
- Flicking accuracy can affect fairness
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Flicking — Dexterity-based movement with some board interaction.
- Flicking/dexterity placement — Dexterity-based movement with some board interaction.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Dice are not the answer in a first-time design.
- They are toxic. They destroy your first designs.
- Meaningful interesting decisions… the decisions have to mean something.
- Even if you have all sorts of other unique stuff going on in your game that roll for combat just overwhelms it.
- Monopoly has a bit of both, chaotic, entertaining momentarily but ultimately frustrating.
- Event decks can be devastating to your design if they wipe out progress or resources.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video AyxV2fK215g
Adam Porter top_100_list at 19:20 sentiment: positive
video_pk 6055 · mention_pk 17942
Click to watch at 19:20 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Dynamic and thematic flicking action
- Varied monsters and powers add depth
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
- Flick 'em Up
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- flicking / dexterity combat — flicking discs as projectiles; hidden threats; terrain-based tactics
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- i absolutely love cockroach poker
- the big moments and the big swings are quite satisfying
- i find these games hilarious
- i really like the game huh or hein
- watching the value of things change
- the moment when that tower collapses it's exciting
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video wlIeooaozuE
Rodney Smith (Watch It Played) rules_teach at 30:20 sentiment: positive
video_pk 4927 · mention_pk 14658
Click to watch at 30:20 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- dungeon
Comparison games
- Cube Quest
- Crokinole
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Formula D is really the epitome of roll and move games in the modern era
- Settlers of Catan which was perhaps the most significant euro game that really sparked this whole new wave of modern board games
- Yahtzee has become a mechanic in its own right
- epitomises dice games really and how far they've come
- this is a bit of a tricky one to learn, it's well worth the effort
- ridiculously more fun than it should be
- playing with children it's fantastical
- absolutely brilliant
- this is my top 10 different ways to use dice in wooden board games
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 0TmcP02NSDw
Cardboard Herald top_20_list at 9:08 sentiment: positive
video_pk 178 · mention_pk 518
Click to watch at 9:08 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- dexterity-driven combat with a thematic overlay
- fantasy dungeon crawl
- cinematic and tactile
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dexterity/physical interaction — tactile shooting and blocking with miniatures and discs
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I've been jack and I'll see you next year
- this is one of the best looking games in the biz
- thank you so much for supporting the cardboard Herald
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–7 of 7