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Game Info
Year
2016
Players
2-4
Age
10+
Playtime
80 min
Collection
Your Tier
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Description
Players are Saloon owners in an old west gold rush town. They've purchased lots on the four corners of the main crossroads and need to expand their small establishments into thriving businesses. Their goal is to create massive centers for commerce and entertainment in the wilds of the West. To boost their success, they’ll need to attract the wealthy and famous citizens of the town while keeping away the less savory characters.
This is a building and tile placement game where the purpose of the game is to build the best saloon. The game is played by each player taking a board and then taking turns going clockwise from the first player earning gold, taking an action, building and collecting bonuses.
The player with the most reputation points at the end of the game wins!
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 6
This page: 6
Sentiment:
pos 2 ·
mix 2 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 2
Showing 1–6 of 6
Video YUdTtLVqWEI
Getting Games Top 25 List at 5:11 sentiment: negative
video_pk 92121 · mention_pk 247398
Click to watch at 5:11 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
negative
Pros
- neat ideas; strong engine-building potential
- combos with new tiles leading to income
Cons
- felt unengaging; not compelling; too long
- randomness and interaction from opponents interfering with plans
- endgame lead felt insurmountable at times
Thematic elements
- engine-building with building tiles and objectives
- Wild West saloon
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- 3D stacking of tiles — place tiles to build a multi-level saloon structure
- end-game scoring with heights and tokens — bonuses for completing tiles and levels
- engine-building — build an engine from rooms to generate income
- personal/public objectives — achieve objective cards for points
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the rules were really not good there were a couple questions we had where we like passed the rule book around twice trying to figure out some really basic questions
- it's a chaotic game I felt zero control while I was playing it
- I would teach and play it again
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ifvEL5sSzHY
3 Minute Board Games Other at 13:30 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 91254 · mention_pk 244686
Click to watch at 13:30 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Some really innovative stuff about how you build up your saloon
- Different buildings
- Different character play
Cons
- Not really into Western themes
- None of the people I play with are into Western themes
- Sat unplayed for eighteen months with no interest
Thematic elements
- Building up a saloon and different buildings in a western setting.
- Western
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- building — Focuses on building up a saloon and different buildings.
- Character Play — Involves different character play options.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I appreciate Tigris and Euphrates. I admire its design but I don't really enjoy playing it that much.
- One of the problems of Kickstarter and there are many problems with Kickstarter is that it creates games that are more flash than substance and one of those games for me was Vengeance.
- It's also quite similar to a game I really like called Pay Dirt and Paid it was on my hidden gems list.
- Gen7 for us was a hilarious experience of four people playing bureaucratic middle managers arguing and bickering while their colony ship started to burst into flames around them.
- I really didn't like tapestry I really didn't enjoyed it all and it's not because I wasn't good at it I knew how the game worked I could get big scores.
- The game keeps punching losers in the face.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ElecsgNMz84
The Dice Tower Analysis at 5:51 sentiment: negative
video_pk 80789 · mention_pk 197978
Click to watch at 5:51 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
negative
Pros
none
Cons
- Wasn't as good as hoped
- Not a great game
Thematic elements
- building saloons
- Wild West
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- 3D building — About building up these three-dimensional buildings.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- A frenetic 10-minute game from Queen.
- This is one of the key games I have not played. This is the sixth one.
- That's a cool name.
- I felt it could have done a little better. Um, it's it's almost too slight for me.
- I found it a little too fiddly, but as you can see, it's moving up in ranks.
- So it it's kind of funny it took him so long to come out with an Axis and Allies World War I game.
- I know I enjoyed it, but also it's 10 years ago, so it's hard to remember.
- This is the prequel to Clue where you're going around trying to kill Dr. Lucky.
- And I found it to be a lot of fun.
- If you like He-Man, this really brings it out.
- I've heard good things about this game, but I have never played it.
- This game is very weird and unique but I like it.
- This is one of the classic war games.
- It's running a kind of like an engine building thing through the space station.
- I liked it, but it has been a while.
- This is the OG Fury of Dracula game.
- I have never played Peanuckle. I know a little bit about it, but it's interesting to see this one kind of rated way here in the middle.
- I find it very odd that they are they're basically the same game. I'm not sure why they have two separate entries.
- Bidding to take Bowolf down a path has almost nothing to do with the theme.
- I liked it fine.
- I do like that you use the box and stuff as terrain.
- This is kind of a holy grail for many people.
- I'm not as big on the horror theme as many other people are, but I know people like this concept here of horror games running around.
- Of the ones I talked about today, I think Masters of the Universe, the board game, um, is my favorite.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video FDwMxzKQ_bU
Ryan and Bethany Board Game Reviews Review at 0:02 sentiment: positive
video_pk 62296 · mention_pk 154802
Click to watch at 0:02 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Excellent table presence and artwork
- Three-dimensional city-building feel with visible growth
- Rich decision space with multiple viable paths
- Clever blend of Euro-style mechanics with Western theming
- Clear reference card keeps rules lightweight and accessible
Cons
- Outlaw cards can be punitive and require discarding or wasting a turn to remove, which can slow early progress
- Can be somewhat complex for new players due to the number of interacting mechanics
Thematic elements
- building out a saloon to attract customers and maximize profit while avoiding undesirable patrons
- Wild West saloon town economy, running a gambling/entertainment venue
- business-simulation flavor within a Western setting; players are owners, not the characters
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Character movement and bribery — Moving characters around the board and bribing to influence others, with negative effects from Outlaws.
- End Game Bonuses — Game ends when supply cubes run out; scoring includes buildings, roofs, claims, and characters.
- Endgame via supply cubes — Game ends when supply cubes run out; scoring includes buildings, roofs, claims, and characters.
- Negotiation — Moving characters around the board and bribing to influence others, with negative effects from Outlaws.
- Open/secret claims — Objectives that score points and interact with other players' layouts and characters.
- Resource Management — Managing gold and supply cubes to build and activate abilities.
- Tile Placement — Players build tiles to expand their saloon and access new rooms and capabilities.
- Tycoon cards — Cards that grant actions, resources, and combo opportunities; a central engine for taking actions.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is a great table presence
- the artwork was fantastic
- I thought the theme was unique
- three-dimensional town that you're building as it grows up and up
- Top Notch
- I had a great time kind of playing this multiple times exploring different ways to play
- The Western theme hasn't been done before ... you're a business owner
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video nIQn6hRqkPg
Bower's Game Corner Rules Teach at 0:00 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 28692 · mention_pk 207367
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Family-friendly with a variety of mini-games to keep different ages engaged
- Short play sessions with quick setup and straightforward rules
- Encourages physical activity and fine motor dexterity
- Bright, appealing components that are visually engaging for kids
Cons
- Some components can be fragile (balloons can pop or tear)
- A few mini-games felt a bit chaotic or overly simple for older kids
- Space and cleanup required after play due to balloons and small pieces
Thematic elements
- Balloon collection and chaotic mini-games driven by a spinner and timed challenges
- Colorful playroom environment with balloons, a snack shack, frog holes, and a central spinner
- instructional, family-friendly, hands-on
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- button-press timed actions — Players press a center button to start a task within the allotted time.
- color-coded balloon rewards — Different colors of balloons are earned depending on success in each mini-game, guiding progression toward victory.
- dexterity and precision scoring — Balloon balloons are earned by successfully performing the miniature dexterity tasks (e.g., fitting balloons into holes).
- dice-tower randomness with set collection — A dice tower rolled during a certain mini-game yields results; matching sets (e.g., four of a kind of snacks) provide rewards.
- image construction and recognition — Players use prompts to assemble or recreate an image as fast as possible, scoring balloons based on accuracy.
- Mini-Games — A central spinner determines which mini-game is played on a given turn.
- spinner-driven mini-games — A central spinner determines which mini-game is played on a given turn.
- timed challenges — Each mini-game has a time limit enforced by a starting cue from the spinner and button press.
- turn-based play — Players alternate turns, cycling through the spinner-determined mini-games until a balloon pool is exhausted.
- Word Building — Letters gathered from a fishing/letter-draw activity are used to form a four-letter word for additional balloons.
- word-building mechanic — Letters gathered from a fishing/letter-draw activity are used to form a four-letter word for additional balloons.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- God, it's so hard to
- the first person to fill this up with balloons will be the winner of Balloon Lagoon.
- So, this activity really kind of simple.
- You'll press the button in the center, the music will start and you will try to complete the activity.
- If you get all four, you get four red balloons.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video qrVyo3DUXsM
Board to Death TV - Board Game Reviews Review at 0:50 sentiment: positive
video_pk 1835 · mention_pk 5308
Click to watch at 0:50 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Fun to see a saloon come to life with quality components and thematic flair
- Accessible for beginners yet offering meaningful depth for experienced gamers
- Balanced design with strong long-term strategy and exploitable combos
- Artwork and production feel well matched to the Western theme
- Playful energy with some tension and strategic decision-making that rewards planning
Cons
- Some luck is involved due to secret or tycoon cards drawn, which can influence short-term outcomes
- The theme and mechanics may feel familiar to fans of frontier/economic games, potentially requiring multiple plays to master for some players
Thematic elements
- Wealth, reputation, influence, and control of a saloon through building, patrons, and bribery
- Old West saloon towns and frontier towns
- Economic-management with thematic western flavor and competitive town-building
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Actions — On each turn, a player chooses one action from options such as gaining gold, playing a tycoon card, drawing tycoon cards, building a tile, or bribing a character.
- Bribery — Players can bribe or move patrons from other saloons, influencing opponents at a cost of gold.
- Building tiles — To build, players must meet prerequisites and pay costs. Completing a tile increases income and yields rewards.
- Endgame scoring — Final scoring considers unfinished tiles, completed claims, and citizens; special adjustments apply, and the winner is determined by the most reputation.
- Income tracking — At the start of a player’s turn, they gain gold equal to their income track, which is determined by the number of tiles they control on the board.
- Open claims — Free actions to claim open claims by meeting prerequisites; claims are limited and first-come, first-served.
- Patrons and outlaws — Patrons provide positive effects while outlaws impose negative effects, creating a tug-of-war tension between players.
- Supply cubes — Supply cubes can be purchased and placed on tiles. Completing tiles earns large reputation rewards, and supply tokens affect endgame turns.
- Tiles and roofing — Each building can have up to three floors; the fourth tile space becomes a roof. Expanding outward costs gold but yields reputation.
- Tycoon cards — Tycoon cards grant various effects: additional gold, supply cubes, extra actions, or forced interactions with other players.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I love a good western, and this is one of them.
- First of all, it's fun actually seeing your saloon come to life, and the pieces are of good quality.
- I was worried at first it'd be gimmicky or too simplistic, but it's not.
- Game is easy enough for beginners while providing just enough depth for experienced gamers to enjoy.
- There's a little bit of play by road feel to the game and some luck is involved with secret or tycoon cards drawn, but the game itself is balanced enough to make it playable for anyone.
- This game gets an 8 out of 10.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–6 of 6