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Game Info
Year
2002
Collection
Mechanic profile
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Vibe profile
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Description
Each player has a backpack with room for 12 tools, provisions, trading goods, or treasures. The number of squares you can move on a turn is the number of empty spaces in your backpack, so the lighter you travel, the faster.
In the beginning, only 13 tiles (two legs of a 7x7 square) are on the table, and everybody starts in the corner with three fish (provisions) and two pearl necklaces (trading goods). One thing to do on your turn is "explore," adding a randomly drawn tile next to the one where your pawn currently stands. The board gradually fills in to the point where the tile at the opposite corner from the start is drawn, and this tile is designated the site of the lost temple and pays bonuses for everyone who reaches it. The sooner you get there, the better the bonuses.
About half the squares are free to enter and let you obtain other items for your backpack. If you're already carrying a fishing pole, for example, in some squares you'll be able to pick up more fish. The other half are "adventure" tiles that require the expenditure of backpack items in order to gain entry. You might have to spend two rifles, for example, to enter a wildcat tile; then you place a "camp" marker and can enter that tile for free in the future. A lot of the game involves going back and forth to tiles where you can assemble the necessary items to work your way through the adventure tiles to the lost temple.
Goldland appeals to puzzle-solvers and has a fun atmosphere of exploring the wilderness in search of El Dorado.
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 7
This page: 7
Sentiment:
pos 6 ·
mix 1 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–7 of 7
Video cZEQFeiS-1M
Review at 0:06 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 68946 · mention_pk 165249
Click to watch at 0:06 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Easy to teach
- Quick to play
- Cute, poppy, fun aesthetic
- Can be mean (for some players)
- Simultaneously released expansion offers more mix and match options
Cons
- Lack of strategic investment
- Lack of fulfillment from perfect arrangements
- Cardboard tokens are a letdown compared to premium wooden standees
Thematic elements
- Building a shared map with creatures/animals
- Oddland
Comparison games
- Harmonies
- Cascadia
- Carcassonne
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — you can't put them in the same region, aka contiguous land mass of the same type as any other animal.
- hand management — Play a card, play an animal, draw a card.
- set collection — players building a shared map where everyone is trying to place the same set of creatures, scoring points based on the A or B sides a raid during setup.
- tile placement — this game definitely fits into the zone of those in being a tile placement game where you're trying to secure points by having the best habitats for animals as defined by external cards that say, 'Here's what you want to do with these animals.' There's a shared environment which gives it a little bit more of a carcassonish feel.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Play a card, play an animal, draw a card. That's the whole shtick.
- this really feels like an amalgamation of a bunch of different games
- it is so easy to teach. It is so quick to play that I would reach to it beyond those other games as a sort of barroom pub type public gaming atmosphere
- Probably my biggest criticism of the game overall is why AllPlay thought that they could get away with these cardboard tokens when they offer the premium upgrades of these wooden standies which are so much cooler and these just lay completely flat on the table.
- Oddland is cute, poppy, fun, has a great aesthetic, looks silly
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ZAdXWUq-o7E
CA Couple Discussion at 0:39 sentiment: positive
video_pk 66231 · mention_pk 161075
Click to watch at 0:39 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- simple, elegant core mechanics
- interesting central-board interaction
- fun thematic critters and visual appeal
Cons
- scoring can be disrupted by others placing on the central board
- strategic planning may require tracking opponent intentions
Thematic elements
- territory scoring via evolving central map and species placement
- central map-building with hybrid animals across terrains
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — each terrain grouping can be inhabited by only one of your species
- Compound Scoring — each species scores differently; you must decide which to place when to maximize points
- species scoring — each species scores differently; you must decide which to place when to maximize points
- tile placement — place a map card in the center, either adjacent to the current map or overlapping two squares at most
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the simple mechanics all you're really doing on your turn is playing a card and playing one of your Critters
- I think what's really interesting too is each of them scores differently
- the interaction is what really makes the game shine
- sabotage everybody else in this odd land
- this is definitely a game that evolves with your players as well
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 9Bwi_6mrWWY
Jamie, Tabletoptiktok Review at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 61384 · mention_pk 154057
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Quick to teach and approachable
- Solo mode adds depth
- A/B scoring sides provide variety
- Expansion adds more depth and animals
- Good fit for small-box line and upgradeable components
Cons
- Table space can become large at higher player counts
- Solo scoring can be complex or punishing if not planned
- Expansion adds more components to manage
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card placement — On your turn you play a card and place one animal; you may not place an animal where another exists; adjacent to at least one side; can overlap at most two spaces on any card
- Compound Scoring — Each animal type has a specific scoring rule (e.g., Kangaroo scores four points per species in the row or column; Begator scores two per water space; Pagor scores two per white territory)
- expansion integration — Expansion adds two more animals and scoring conditions; expansion characters appear on standies; includes cardboard punch-outs for all players
- Paper-and-Pencil — Includes punch-out tokens or upgraded standies; dry-erase score sheet
- physical components — Includes punch-out tokens or upgraded standies; dry-erase score sheet
- scoring rules per animal — Each animal type has a specific scoring rule (e.g., Kangaroo scores four points per species in the row or column; Begator scores two per water space; Pagor scores two per white territory)
- solo mode mechanics — In solo play there are 10 turns with dedicated scoring conditions per animal; you may lose points to maximize certain animals depending on the side used
- two-sided scoring cards (A/B sides) — Each card (animal) has A and B sides affecting scoring; provides variety and changes every game
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I love a solo mode.
- So, this game, if you're playing without the expansion, you will have six of these odd animals.
- it's in that line that's really quick to teach
- Oddlands is a great one.
- it's going to tell you how that animal will score.
- Give me a like and a follow, and I'll keep bringing you more board game content.
- Let me know if you've played it or what is your favorite smallbox game from all play.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Rap4ET12btw
The Brothers Murph Playthrough at 0:54 sentiment: positive
video_pk 39620 · mention_pk 119671
Click to watch at 0:54 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- offbeat charm and memorable components
- potential for light to mid-weight group play
Cons
- niche humor may not appeal to all players
- component quality and clarity can vary
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- quirky/theme-driven mechanics — A game built around unusual components and a humor-infused setting that invites playful interaction.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Ultimate Railroads because I'm trash at that game and I deserve uh, to learn and try to get a little better.
- this beator right here is my favorite thing of all time.
- This might be like a top 10 game for me. I love word games, spell games, and this is Slay Fire, but with words.
- really enjoyed it. All the dice mitigation and stuff.
- Let’s play Root.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video gfpK82fi1mQ
Stonemaier Games Discussion at 0:03 sentiment: positive
video_pk 36177 · mention_pk 108326
Click to watch at 0:03 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Concise turn structure that yields deep decisions.
- Clear core loop of place card, place animal, score based on habitat.
- High impact of each turn given the six-turn limit.
Cons
- No explicit cons discussed in the video; potential critique could be limited replay variety due to six-turn constraint.
Thematic elements
- Wildlife habitat creation and ecological optimization.
- A shared map of square cards where players place animal meeples to build habitats.
- Abstract, with scoring driven by habitat size and animal interactions.
Comparison games
- Oddlands
- White Castle
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- animal meeple placement — On each turn, a player places one of six animal meeples onto a placed card.
- Compound Scoring — Animals score based on habitat size and their neighbors or interactions on the map.
- Limited Resource Pool — New cards are revealed/added into a central pool as the map grows, enabling continued placement.
- Limited turns — Each player has exactly six turns; the game ends after all six meeples are placed.
- scoring by habitat and adjacency — Animals score based on habitat size and their neighbors or interactions on the map.
- shared resource pool — New cards are revealed/added into a central pool as the map grows, enabling continued placement.
- tile placement — Players place square cards into a central, shared map, overlapping squares to grow the map.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Six turns per player; you get six turns to do everything that you could possibly do in Odd Land.
- Every single turn has such meaning behind it.
- I'm a little fascinated by these games that give you so few turns and yet you are able to accomplish so much.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video TRgodMW6XeY
Stonemaier Games Top List at 17:50 sentiment: positive
video_pk 32915 · mention_pk 97529
Click to watch at 17:50 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- high-per-turn impact makes six turns feel substantial
- tight, elegant package in a small box
Cons
- very tight turn economy may restrict experimentation
Thematic elements
- cooperative-like planet-scape with meeple placement
- landscape formation with terrain cards
- compact, highly selective turns
Comparison games
- Welcome To...
- Calico
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card placement with meeples — place one card and one meeple per turn on a shared map
- terrain scoring through meeple placement — end-of-game scoring tied to terrain-specific abilities
- turn-constrained pacing — only six turns, with meaningful impact each turn
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- These aren't necessarily sprawling long games or even complex complicated games, but they're games where you feel like you've accomplished something fairly big over the course of the game despite having a small number of turns.
- the order of operations puzzle is what you're really thinking about on your turn
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video jQe8-faMzUo
The Board Game Garden Review at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 31585 · mention_pk 93076
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Crunchy decisions with meaningful map-building
- Two-sided scoring cards add variety and replayability
- Solo mode and expansion options increase longevity
- Deluxe components improve visibility and aesthetics
- Short playtime (~30 minutes) fits in a small-box format
Cons
- Take-that interactions can be mean and affect pacing
- Ambiguity around some animals (e.g., kangaroo card) and scoring specifics
- Expansion adds complexity and setup time
Thematic elements
- Nature exploration and ecosystem scoring through animal and flora placement
- A shared map-building wilderness with four terrain types (forest, shore, water, mountains) and various flora and fauna to score.
- Educational overview with enthusiastic walk-through and component showcase
Comparison games
- Chomp
- Cascadia
- Life of the Amazonia
- Carcassonne
- Sprawlopolis
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- animal and flora dual-sided scoring cards — Each card has two sides (A and B) offering different scoring, and players choose which side to use.
- Compound Scoring — Each card has two sides (A and B) offering different scoring, and players choose which side to use.
- deluxe components option — Optional 3D meeples replace cardboard tokens for a more tactile, visually distinct experience.
- expansion integration — Expansion adds two new species and changes scoring options; players shuffle in new cards and use extra scoring possibilities.
- Melding and Splaying — Expansion adds two new species and changes scoring options; players shuffle in new cards and use extra scoring possibilities.
- solo mode with modifier cards — A solo variant uses extra maps and a calibrated scoring modifier per card, with rankings on the back.
- take that — Flora and fauna can block opponents from scoring by occupying or limiting their territories.
- take-that style blocking — Flora and fauna can block opponents from scoring by occupying or limiting their territories.
- territory creation and scoring — Territories are groups of adjacent terrain types; scoring depends on animal and flora placements within territories.
- tile/map card drafting and placement — Players place map cards to grow a shared map, with at least partial touching required.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this is one of AllPlay's games, and it's in their small box, big game series.
- the expansion adds two additional animals which those two animals are double-sided as well with the two different ways of scoring.
- deluxified components... you're going to be able to use these 3D meeples and you're going to have your color kind of as the bottom as the base.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
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