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Scotland Yard

Game ID: GID0278602
Collection Status
Description

In Scotland Yard, one of the players takes on the role of Mr. X. His job is to move from point to point around the map of London taking taxis, buses or subways. The detectives – that is, the remaining players acting in concert – move around similarly in an effort to move into the same space as Mr. X. But while the criminal's mode of transportation is nearly always known, his exact location is only known intermittently throughout the game.

The 125 fare tickets are 5 black, 23 pink underground, 43 green bus, 54 yellow taxi.

Similar to

The Fury of Dracula
Clue: The Great Museum Caper
Ghost Chase
Letters from Whitechapel
Garibaldi: The Escape
Specter Ops
Whitehall Mystery

Year Published
1983
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 8
This page: 8
Sentiment: pos 7 · mix 1 · neu 0 · neg 0
Mentions per page
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Showing 1–8 of 8
Video _zyIJhNFJus Adam's Board Game Wales general_discussion at 3:06 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12319 · mention_pk 35918
Video thumbnail
Click to watch at 3:06
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Nostalgic classic
  • Solid core loop
Cons
  • Mechanics may feel dated to new players
Thematic elements
  • hidden movement, deduction
  • London chase
  • classic abstract chase
Comparison games
  • Jaws
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • hidden_movement — Mr. X moves secretly while detectives pursue
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • hi i'm adam porter and this is my board game vlog
  • this video is partly inspired by actual video john perkis recently did
  • the kalax shelves the ikea kalax every youtuber has kalax shelves don't they
  • i'm afraid we're going to have to go broad strokes here
  • since i've been at home through lockdown working from home a lot of the time this has become my office as well
  • monopoly monopoly gamer i just think monopoly game is so fun
  • i've backed the complete collection which will come in a massive coffins type box
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video IDMhrux6wt8 Actualol analysis at 0:40 sentiment: positive
video_pk 11326 · mention_pk 33281
Video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:40
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Innovative for its era, tension-filled chase, iconic status as a hidden movement pioneer
Cons
  • Older design can feel dated to modern players
Thematic elements
  • police procedural pursuit into the city
  • London, traditional detective chase
  • asymmetric information, detective pursuit
Comparison games
  • Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective
  • Letters from Whitechapel
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • asymmetric information — One side has limited information; the other tries to elicit and read clues.
  • cooperative deduction — Detectives share and act on gathered clues to corner the fugitive.
  • Hidden movement — The fugitive moves secretly on a map while detectives infer his location.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • That started the hidden movement movement and that's Scotland Yard.
  • Elementary my dear Justice at London prices.
  • Mr X secretly moves around the board using London's public transport system.
  • Letters from Whitechapel is a ball game that tries to paint him as a villain.
  • Spectre Ops is a blast I love it.
  • Fury of Dracula isn't for everybody but for some it will sing like no other.
  • Nuns On The Run has a detection system that's wonderfully thematic.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video PgoIECFvcbw Adam Porter general_discussion at 2:15 sentiment: positive
video_pk 9595 · mention_pk 28352
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Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Absolutely loved it as a kid
  • Still love it now
  • Really good with 3 players
  • Pre-1995 classic
Cons
none
Thematic elements
  • Police pursuit and criminal evasion
  • London
  • Asymmetrical detective
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Asymmetrical — One player as Mr X, others as detectives
  • Cooperative — Detectives work together against Mr X
  • Hidden movement — Mr X's location concealed
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • a series of videos where I take a bunch of different possible scenarios some of them provided by you the viewers and I shuffle them up into a deck of cards I reveal a scenario and roll a dice to see how many players I've got
  • I got in lots of trouble last time for using the word dice as a singular so we'll be sticking with die as long as I remember today
  • everything economic uh that I really really love seems to cap out at five players
  • I can't imagine how long it would take so I think that would probably ruin ruin game
  • frankly I played that with uh two players once and we gave up after about seven hours
  • there's some good ones but most games before 1995 would ruin game night if you tried to play them today
  • you're not allowed to speak to each other and you're playing against the time so it's very frantic
  • the only way you're able to communicate is by tapping this wooden token to say look I need you to do something
  • I think Mysterium would fall apart if they didn't speak the language and that's odd isn't it because it does isn't a game that has any text in it
  • I think a terrible idea there's not that much interaction and the game gets longer with each player that you add
  • I don't understand the people who put down a big you know they stick down Scythe in front of kids or boast about the fact their four-year-old can play sides
  • there's no reason to be playing um Snakes and Ladders or or Candyland I would say not that Candyland is a big thing in the UK
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video GIMmaM_fP-A Adam's Board Game Wales top_10_list at 12:38 sentiment: positive
video_pk 9203 · mention_pk 27138
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Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • great with two players
  • high tension
Cons
  • older design may feel dated
Thematic elements
  • hide and seek/asymmetric pursuit
  • A chase through London streets
  • story-like deduction
Comparison games
  • Mr Jack
  • Fury of Dracula
  • Letters from Whitechapel
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • hidden_movement — one player tries to evade while others deduce location.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Two-player only games tend to lend themselves to deduction games
  • I could play deduction games like Mr Jack all day
  • plenty of scope for new stuff
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video jxt0ddH7MVI Dice Tower review at 1:34 sentiment: positive
video_pk 6594 · mention_pk 19552
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Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • classic game
Cons
none
Thematic elements
  • chase
  • deduction
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Welcome back to the Dice Tours. We take a look at another shelf in the Dice Tower Library.
  • if you like games about delivering the mail, this is it
  • Just a solid game of quick, snappy turns
  • AIA, what a great game about shipping. This is a fantastic, terrific game.
  • You like Dominion, but you want it for dice. This is your game.
  • Very very popular games all them. That's why there's two of each.
  • Although, frankly, you should always play with the expansion.
  • I just really am loving SETI. Fantastic game.
  • I do like this game. I have a soft spot for it.
  • Vast, not as popular as its successor, root
  • My favorite game here is The Great Museum Caper. Nope. I forgot Magical Athletes there. Magical Athlete is amazing.
  • I just love Tumbling Dice.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video dcC2trShhXg Unknown game_review at 0:11 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 3717 · mention_pk 10971
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Click to watch at 0:11
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
  • Solid introduction to hidden movement games
  • Balanced blend of luck and skill
  • Accessible and easy to learn
Cons
  • Component quality on older editions
  • Potentially long with 22 rounds
  • Mistakes in tracking moves can disrupt the deduction
Thematic elements
  • hidden movement chase between Mr X and detectives
  • London, modern day
  • asymmetric information with intermittent reveals
Comparison games
  • Fury of Dracula
  • Spectre Ops
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • asymmetric information — Only Mr X holds hidden information about his exact location during most of the round, creating deduction for detectives.
  • board game with route map — London map with numbered locations connected by colored transport routes (bus, taxi, underground).
  • Hidden movement — Mr X moves secretly; detectives see only the transport type used, not the destination.
  • limited reveal / round-based reveal — Mr X reveals his location on specific rounds and then disappears, creating a push-pull chase.
  • ticket-based movement — Movements are governed by transport tickets; Mr X has Black tickets for any transport and detectives have a fixed set.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Scotland Yard is a hidden movement game.
  • it's unfairly labeled a kids game
  • it's a very simple game
  • it's got a good blend of skill and luck
  • Scotland Yard is quite a balanced game
  • the game seems to be quite a balanced game actually
  • you've got to be quick because on his next turn Mr X will disappear
  • the components in this game are very, very basic
  • it's just as difficult for Mr X to survive as it is for the detectives to catch him
  • it's a double bonus
  • it's that simple you're just going to be spending tickets moving and then Mr X is going to announce where he is
  • I actually do enjoy Scotland Yard quite a bit
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video m99w5IcXUIQ Adam in Wales top_10_list sentiment: positive
video_pk 2003 · mention_pk 5693
Video thumbnail
Overall sentiment (raw)
very_positive
Pros
  • Original deduction game that created a genre
  • Simple and easy to teach
  • Exciting gameplay with heart-stopping moments
  • Brilliant asymmetric gameplay
  • Stands up to modern Spiel winners
  • Timeless design
Cons
  • Later games in the genre (Fury of Dracula, Letters from Whitechapel) add bloat
Thematic elements
  • detective pursuit
  • hidden movement
  • London setting
  • spy cat-and-mouse
  • deduction
Comparison games
  • Fury of Dracula
  • Letters from Whitechapel
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • This is the tile laying game this is the entry point into the modern board gaming um world for many many people
  • Those moments are rare in gaming and it is one of those games where you'll stand up and shout yeah yes you know your your your camels just won the race
  • When it works oh my word it's a Sublime experience
  • Dominion was an absolute turning point in the hobby
  • The Artistry that has gone into this game the beautiful images the beautiful artwork
  • You can't really talk about carcassonne without thinking about Ticket to Ride because really these are the two most significant games as Gateway Games into our hobby
  • This game is that it's it's so ingenious the fact that you can explain the rules on a single rule sheet
  • Dixit is the game that's going to convert people
  • If I want to show people what the board game world is capable of Dixit is the game that's going to convert people
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video GQnIUN3hLsM Unknown top_10_list at 9:39 sentiment: positive
video_pk 1240 · mention_pk 3605
Video thumbnail
Click to watch at 9:39
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • defining for the toy-store game genre
  • strong legacy in hobby gaming
Cons
  • older design may feel dated to some
Thematic elements
  • deductive chase and teamwork
  • hidden movement pursuit through a city map
  • genre-defining for its time
Comparison games
  • Fury of Dracula
  • Whitechapel
  • Europe in Flames
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • asymmetric information — reveal information gradually as moves are made.
  • Hidden movement — one player is Mr. X, unseen, while others pursue.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Bridge as a game is kind of dying
  • it's just a game it's not great for people with addictive personalities but what it has going for it is it only takes this deck of cards
  • Monopoly isn't that bad if you're playing with the auction rules
  • Go is the oldest game on this list I believe
  • Scotland Yard is the genre defining game for hidden movement
  • Diplomacy is a unique experience and its influences can be found in games like A Game of Thrones
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
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