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Game Info
Year
2024
Collection
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Description
Welcome to the Ratcity Casino! Here, rats, weasels and rodents of all kinds gather to play Ratjack. Paws are sweaty, whiskers are quivering, the cards are dealt...it's your turn to play.
Each deck in Ratjack has twelve cards with values from 1 to 12, each with a special ability. A central draw pile is created by shuffling together two of the four decks of the game, each of them with different card actions. Players start with a card face down in front of them and a single card in hand. On their turn, they draw a single card from the central deck, then:
Play a card face down in front of them,
Play a card face up in front of them and activate its ability, or
Discard a card to flip over one of their face-down cards and activate its ability.
At any point in the game, a player with more than 25 in value in front of them is taken out. Card abilities are interactive effects that allow players to manipulate cards and their value. Players earn points by taking out their opponents — try to be the last player standing or reach 25 exactly!
—description from the publisher
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BackTracks ▸ Shelfside Plays
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 10
This page: 10
Sentiment:
pos 8 ·
mix 2 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–10 of 10
Video eJOTjtKFGmc
Shelfside Playthrough at 0:36 sentiment: positive
video_pk 86483 · mention_pk 223811
Click to watch at 0:36 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Energetic, chaotic, and fun for groups
- Strong social interaction and banter
- Engaging real-time play and word association
Cons
- Can be frustrating if handwriting is difficult to read
- Rules may be confusing until played
- Long sessions possible if teams struggle
Thematic elements
- train travel, teamwork, speed word-guessing
- train-themed party game with teams competing to trace words on backs
- live-playthrough with on-camera commentary
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Derail cards — Each team starts with two derail cards to disrupt the opposing team.
- Letter choice and display — Teams choose among word options and letters, with legibility impacting success.
- Real-time guessing — Rounds proceed in real time; teams must read and guess quickly.
- Track Advancement — Correct guesses move a train along a track; wrong guesses can let the other team win.
- Track progression — Correct guesses move a train along a track; wrong guesses can let the other team win.
- Word Building — Teams choose among word options and letters, with legibility impacting success.
- Word tracing on teammates' backs — Players write letters on a teammate's back to convey a word to their team.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Gentleman's agreement just do yellow right I purposely don't hit the star I see just to extend the game
- That's the oldest trick in the book
- The words will get harder as the teams move up
- In this playthrough, it's a faster way to play Backtracks
- Three two one
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video tRomhH7wfq4
Chairman of the Board Discussion at 3:23 sentiment: positive
video_pk 86359 · mention_pk 223130
Click to watch at 3:23 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Unique abilities on cards manipulate gameplay.
- Different decks offer variability.
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Blackjack variant
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Blackjack variant — A variant of blackjack where the goal is to reach 25 points instead of 21.
- card abilities — Each card has a unique ability that can manipulate the state of play.
- token manipulation — Players can add tokens to further modify the game state.
- Variable Decks — Different decks can be used for play.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this is where I talk about all of the new games and expansions I've added to my collection just to give you an idea of what's coming up for review
- I think veil of Eternity is close to Perfection so I didn't want to mess um you know mess up the ingredients to such a great game
- I must admit I'm not a fan of it it's too long
- I've gone a little bit cold not cold be colder on the roll and right genre because you know has been exhausted
- it's definitely his um you know it's his Jam it's what he does best
- I do have a lot of these in the collection so it is really fighting for its space
- spoiler a lot I can see why this one's done well it's um is very playable
- all of his games are so vastly different you can make kind of childish filler games like this as well as you know extremely complex and nuanced games uh too
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video RI-ZfqgOGR8
Chairman of the Board Top List at 8:46 sentiment: positive
video_pk 86273 · mention_pk 222747
Click to watch at 8:46 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Really strong example of the genre
- Clever, silly, with a real cool game
- Spectacular artwork and card quality
- Quick to play and resolves quickly
- Variable decks add replayability
- Pleasant surprise
- Highly recommended
Cons
- Fell under the radar last year
Thematic elements
- Blackjack variant
Comparison games
- Capital Lux
- Capital Lux 2 Generations
- Cabo
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Blackjack — this Blackjack variant... you are trying to play cards in front of you to get to a total of um 25 without going over of course
- Card Powers — each of these cards come with a unique power
- Hidden Information — you're also able to play cards not only face up which will contribute to your running total but also cards face down which will not do that but you can use those face down cards later to kind of surprise your opponent by using their ability when you reveal them
- Player Elimination — you're rewarded by eliminating players from the round by forcing them to go over that 25 point mark
- Variable player powers — there do have um variable decks so each game you are playing um two out of a possible four decks I believe it might be five I think it's four um and you can use any combinations of those which will slightly tweak the rules
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is where I take a look at the last five new to me board games that I've played and I rank and review them in order of preference
- This is exactly the kind of card game that I want in my collection
- it's just kind of does what it should do perfectly and I was thoroughly impressed with Rat Jack and I'm definitely one of the uh surprises well definitely going to be a candidate for surprise of the Year this early in January
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video VkSXXVWTYqc
Chairman of the Board Discussion at 9:25 sentiment: positive
video_pk 85999 · mention_pk 221687
Click to watch at 9:25 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Still really like this game
- Nice game
- Good twist and nice little rules and clever mechanisms
- Great artwork
Cons
- Sometimes at the mercy of the cards
- Can get into a pitfall where you can't get the right number or keep drawing too high cards.
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card drawing — Players draw cards, with a risk of drawing too high.
- Push Your Luck — Described as a pushy luck blackjack style game.
- Take That — Features some take that elements.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this is where I talk about all of the games that I have played over the last couple of weeks
- Lorenzo and I think this was the first time I've ever played the game at four players I think three is the sweet spot if I'm honest
- this is still one of the best engine builders out there I love this game I think it is terrific and it is still a top 10 for me
- I think my strategy was mainly based on the buildings here so I got quite a few buildings down and I manag to push right to the top of the building track
- for me this is one of the kind of modern Euro greates because it's just so well refined and so well polished and every time I play it I'm just left impressed
- this one I always say is probably one of the cleanest examples of having a lot of things going on in such a streamlined system
- it really is an efficiency puzzle because there's only like two rounds and there's very little slack and very little kind of room for or you know to make mistakes or you know not be efficient
- I would say maybe the longevity isn't quite there
- this one I'm definitely encourage you pick up if you want to try something a bit different I'm definitely being overlooked and underrated because it's a very well-designed game
- this one I always compare to the famous coloretto works almost identically to be honest except the scoring system is different
- it feels like a a clean Evergreen and if you want a simple easily easily approachable card game in your collect that pretty much anybody can play actually it's it's super simple but still engaging
- splitter a game I've not played a lot recently actually but I always Advocate this little roll and white
- it's really good fun extremely punishing actually if you make a mistake
- Rat Jack a game I speak quite highly of when I when I first played it and reviewed it I still really like this game
- if you like those kind of pushy luck black Jack style games but with a lot more interaction and some take that then rat Jack is a good one to look at
- I have to admit I was very I would even say lukewarm I was quite cold in it to be honest I didn't get a lot of enjoyment from it
- I did I still did not enjoy this one I think it's a little bit too fussy and a bit too fiddly
- I'm not a big fan of this build a poah hand system and based on these cards because you don't know what's going to come out next and you don't really know what to you know to work towards
- I find the um the symbology very tiny and it's not the most comfortable to look at
- I find it a a little bit too swingy and too luck dependent
- it kind of just feels like the game is playing you
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video jEplbdnFqbg
Good Time Society Discussion at 29:11 sentiment: positive
video_pk 80722 · mention_pk 197543
Click to watch at 29:11 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- cute cats
- I'm totally getting it
Cons
- I don't like friendly cats though. I like when they're mean.
Thematic elements
- friendly cat
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Bag Building — Mentioned in the context of "Satchel Games" which focuses on "small bag games".
- Push Your Luck — Described as a "push your luck game".
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This game is confounding.
- Wow, that's going to be hard to beat.
- Wow, friends. So, what are the final scores?
- This was cool. Like, this is a first time for all of us, and I liked how we all went to different things.
- The Elder Scrolls: Call to Arms is a game that you can find yourself diving deep into.
- The Elder Scrolls: Call to Arms has a lot of replayability.
- I love building stuff.
- The Elder Scrolls: Call to Arms is a game that will appeal to fans of the video game series.
- Can you flip the top down so they can kind of see the cards a little better?
- I don't fully understand this game, but I feel like I'm winning.
- No takesies backsies.
- Wow, okay. Freaking
- This is an interesting game, right?
- Wow. That's interesting. I was just thinking about it.
- Dang it. Well done. That cost me the game.
- I quit playing board games forever.
- Wow, that's going to be huge.
- Holy cow, that's going to be
- Wow, Bailey.
- Oh, man. Uh, so I was trying to do some math here of like how many cards are in the deck and I did know notice in the rulebook it's 54 and there's six suits. So, I assume it would be nine each. But then Bailey made the point of like, 'Well, there's got to be at least 10 sculptors.' And then I forgot that some bunch of these are double-sided.
- Oh, man.
- Wow.
- So, what are the final scores?
- GG, friends.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video kmOHgK6RcT4
Get into games Review at 0:12 sentiment: positive
video_pk 61688 · mention_pk 154348
Click to watch at 0:12 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Simple, quick, easy to learn
- Satisfying physical components (weighted chips, tokens)
Cons
- Requires setup to select decks; may be fiddly for new players
Thematic elements
- Race to 25 points, dynamic card actions via chips
- Urban, rat-themed card game with deck mixing
- Compact, fast-paced play with modular decks
Comparison games
- Love Letter
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- chip-modified actions — Poker chips with plus/minus/divide actions influence cards and outcomes
- deck mixing / deck selection — Two decks are chosen from four and shuffled to form a single stack
- point-based victory — Race to 25 face-up points; face-down points don't count toward win
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Ratjack is a race to 25 points.
- A super simple, quick card game that I think deserves a lot more love.
- This is an absolute staple game.
- To start the game, you will choose two decks.
- Are you looking for that next great quick-paced card game for your gaming group?
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Jq7o-wY70tY
Board Gaming Doctor Review at 5:04 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 41330 · mention_pk 125391
Click to watch at 5:04 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Highly interactive with social banter potential
Cons
- Thematic depth may be limited
- Replayability may rely on player interaction
Thematic elements
- risk management and interaction
- Blackjack-inspired rat-themed game
- thematic, light-hearted
Comparison games
- Love Letter
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card play with effects — Cards have additional effects (e.g., discarding top cards, using a small deck)
- deck depletion late-round options — If the deck is exhausted, you can choose to play cards face up or face down
- Hand Management — Draw two cards and choose one to play, aiming to stay under a target total
- interactive tokens to modify opponents' cards — Tokens can increase/decrease values or lock cards in place
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a very mechanically sound game with an interesting theme
- it's a pretty cute theme
- the most interesting part about this game is the programming
- I really enjoyed this game I'll just say despite my I guess not as high score
- I would play this again
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ea_-IgFejaM
Game Night Picks - Pair Of Dice Paradise Discussion at 7:14 sentiment: positive
video_pk 40448 · mention_pk 122499
Click to watch at 7:14 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- accessible entry into WWII-themed strategy
- strong thematic flavor with straightforward mechanics
Cons
- could be lengthy; complex to master for beginners
Thematic elements
- Expansion and conflict; strategic expansion of power bases
- World War II era
- historical wargame flavor with approachable entry
Comparison games
- Risk
- Axis & Allies
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players expand power bases by acquiring regions and contending for control
- combat system by unit type — Combat uses unit strengths based on historical roles
- economic production — An economic system determines production of resources and actions
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- combine real-time bag building and tile placement for a unique city building experience
- two minutes to build their city as optimally as they can
- it's really not as complex as I'm making it sound
- you look at it, it makes a lot more sense when you see it on the table
- an excellent worker placement game for just two players
- the object of this game is to be the player with the lowest number of points by discarding as many cards as possible and then bluffing your opponents
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video dJcNUiGmXAs
Meeple Mountain Discussion at 3:26 sentiment: positive
video_pk 39285 · mention_pk 243827
Click to watch at 3:26 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- high energy and quick rounds
Cons
- can lead to noisy gameplay and disputes
Thematic elements
Comparison games
- Spoons
- Go Fish
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- slap reaction — Players slap when certain cards appear; rapid reaction and reflexes determine the round winner.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I love playing cards card games I feel like are what got me into modern board gaming
- there are so many different games that you can play with just a simple deck of cards
- get your cards out get some games played
- there were so many different variants of rules I got really confused
- this is board game Brody I hope you enjoyed this video
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video vHRA4DxnFG4
Board Gaming Ramblings Discussion at 3:03 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 28838 · mention_pk 222060
Click to watch at 3:03 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- promising mechanisms
- the theme is appealing
Cons
- needs more plays to unlock depth
Thematic elements
- rats as players with a playful, competitive arc
- city with rodents and competitive action
- light, humorous
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- mechanism-forward exploration — promising mechanics that require more play to unlock the full experience
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a review we got that Spiel last year
- randomness of drawing cards
- I like the theme in this you're trying to get everyone to leave home
- points for the Santa's hat
- it's not a good game at all
- it's a call from me and a keep from me because it's fun
- Shipyard is a really really great game
- I think cascadero is better
- two boxes … not ideal but the edition is great
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–10 of 10