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Game Info
Year
2019
Players
1-4
Playtime
60 min
Collection
Your Tier
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Description
In the late 1840s, thousands of pioneers headed out West to seek wealth and opportunity. Many of these brave souls traveled by wagon over the Sierra Nevada mountain range, into what would soon become the Golden State of California. In the game Sierra West, you are an expedition leader who must guide a party of rough-and-ready pioneers—employing a clever mix of strategy and tactics with each step.
Sierra West comes with four sets of special cards and parts, each of which can be combined with the game's basic components to create a unique mode of play. During setup, the players choose a mode, then build a mountain of overlapping cards with the corresponding deck. Each mode adds new thematic content, alternate paths to victory, and interesting twists on the core mechanics.
The four included modules are:
Apple Hill
Gold Rush
Boats & Banjos
Outlaws & Outposts
Overview of Play
At the start of each turn, you will overlap and arrange three cards into your player board—exposing and concealing a selection of the action icons available on them. This will create two unique paths for your pioneers to follow. Next, you will move your pioneers across their paths from left to right, performing a series of small actions. Common actions include: claiming cards from the mountain, building cabins, gaining resources, and advancing your wagon. Additional actions are brought into the game by the chosen mode—such as: harvesting apples, mining for gold, fishing, and fighting outlaws. As your pioneers complete their paths, they will gain access to the action spaces on the upper portions of your cards. On these, you will be able to exchange resources for to advance on the wagon trail and homestead tracks, or activate other special abilities unique to the mode.
As the game continues—and more cards are removed from the mountain—new and exciting things are discovered! Each piece of the mountain is either a card that can be gained to improve your deck, or a special card that is added to a face-up row at the mountain’s base. As this row extends, more of the mode’s opportunities and challenges come into play. For example, in Boats & Banjos mode, the row is a river that offers more fishing and gold panning options as time goes on.
Sierra West can be set up and played in under an hour, often leaving people with the desire to play it again right away—especially to explore the other modes! It is a highly thematic Eurogame that offers a truly novel and satisfying spin on action-programming, worker-placement, and deck-building.
Includes solo mode by Dávid Turczi.
—Description from the publisher
Note: Contained inside the box are 2 promos for other games:
Teotihuacan: City of Gods – Sierra West Promo
Dice Settlers: Sierra West Promo
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 14
This page: 14
Sentiment:
pos 6 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 4 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–14 of 14
Video _ioMTAJo1Mk
Game Night Picks - Pair Of Dice Paradise Top List at 24:05 sentiment: positive
video_pk 91596 · mention_pk 245825
Click to watch at 24:05 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- intriguing appearance
- clever mix of strategy and tactics
- unique modes of play through modularity
- alternate paths to victory
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- leading an expedition
- The American West
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Modular Board — build a mountain of overlapping cards with the corresponding deck that they have
- Strategy and Tactics — employing a clever mix of strategy and tactics
- variable game modes — players choose a mode and then build a mountain of overlapping cards with the corresponding deck that they have
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The court that surrounds him and contains subjects who seek power and so each player represents a family that will vie for control over the different subjects of the land.
- Seven different victory conditions so the path to victory may shift as you play and you gain more information about each subject's motives during the game.
- Usurp the King does sound interesting enough that I'm really looking forward to giving this one a try.
- Players are aspiring vinyl collectors, you know vinyl those big flat black LPS that my daughter wouldn't recognize if I waved one in front of her face.
- Players then will acquire morsels of information and that information will lead them to different vinyl bins where they will select albums to add and expand their collection.
- Inventory is limited and the other customers may be targeting the very same vinyl gems as you.
- There's there's there's something about this game that scene very very familiar.
- Players take turns being the focus of an intervention by drawing a problem card with a nonsensical problem like uncontrollable interpretive dance or neurotic inability to turn right.
- Friends will give obscure clues and hints at what the problem is without giving it away completely and the sooner the intervened it can guess what their problem is well if the more points they'll score.
- It's also one of those games that I don't know how often I will find the need to play it after playing it once but sounds interesting enough.
- Players take on the role of foxes trying to steal as many chickens as they can from the henhouse and then cook them up into delicious fried chicken dinners.
- Each character's Fox that they play has a unique ability that can be used once throughout the game giving them a little bit of player asymmetry.
- Rolling poorly too many times he might scare the chickens out of your bag which would end the game and no chicken dinner for you sorry.
- I love a good word game.
- In this game all players create words simultaneously from their letter pieces that they're going to have on the table out in front of them.
- There's a thrilling little challenge of word discovery that starts to happen.
- You score more points the fewer pieces that you lose.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video GIpkRS23jXs
Getting Games Discussion at 23:59 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 91553 · mention_pk 245713
Click to watch at 23:59 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Origins is obviously a lot smaller than Gen Con
- I quite liked it
- overall I had a good time at origins
- it's a heavy game with a really neat card and worker placement mechanism
- I actually quite enjoyed this one
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video c0GbnPRu_CE
Meeple University Interview at 2:21
video_pk 91478 · mention_pk 245469
Click to watch at 2:21 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I have a policy for the past three years that when I go to be convention I buy one game because this is the only way I can manage not to have a giant shelf of shame that I need to chew through
- there are only two ways to meet new people either be nice to them or just insult them to their face
- I'm totally I'm trying to find the non swearing words fiction oh yeah it's very addictive
- it's the only way I can manage not to have a giant shelf of shame
- my middle name is crazy
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Uu3CZV0LU7g
Getting Games Discussion at 16:14 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 91361 · mention_pk 245150
Click to watch at 16:14 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I finally decided that it's something that I should try to see how much money I'll actually make
- it's something I've been putting off for years like literally since I very first started this channel
- 80% is still well and good enough for me to go ahead with this
- sound is a bit magical in my old career that I've been doing for like 12 years
- I am planning on leaving them on as they are right now for the foreseeable future
- I don't want to flood people's timelines with all these little five to ten minute videos
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video oOCsw6mcONs
Meeple University Analysis at 8:04 sentiment: positive
video_pk 91318 · mention_pk 244889
Click to watch at 8:04 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Cards pay for themselves if optimized.
- Hoarding resources can lead to powerful turns.
- The mule can be very powerful for summit actions.
- There are multiple paths to victory (cabins vs. cards).
- The animal trapping engine is effective when developed.
- Strategic timing of the fur action and bear interaction is key.
Cons
- Analysis paralysis can occur if trying to do 100% of everything.
- Losing points for unbuilt cabins can be a drawback if not managed.
Thematic elements
- Exploration and resource gathering in the American West.
- American West
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Action Point Allowance System — Using a mule to perform multiple summit actions.
- Card Play — Cards are played over each other to define actions, with summit actions at the top for special abilities or points.
- Deck Building — Building the deck by getting more cards from the mountain.
- Engine Building — Developing an animal trapping engine.
- Movement — Moving a wagon.
- Resource Management — Managing resources like shovels, bears, and gold.
- Set Collection — Collecting resources such as furs.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- These tips are coming from the designers and publishers themselves not from me so these are legit awesome tips for their own games.
- It's the table reading and so what I mean about that is you can actually look around the table and use those euro skills to see what people's intentions are and also what they're capable of.
- You can play around with that element with depending what type of group you have if you wanted to otherwise play it more like a serious euro you could also do that too and kind of keep the table talk and banter to a minimum.
- One of the tricks is is to resolve them in an order that benefits you the best.
- Every card its kind of pays for itself a lot of times so you look at the bottom and realize hey if I do this thing and this thing and I get all the way to the top you'll probably pay for itself.
- There's definitely more than one way to skin a cat as they say.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video pXJ8dPybKrA
The Dice Tower Discussion at 1:38 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 81964 · mention_pk 205250
Click to watch at 1:38 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Duck & Cover is a fantastic filler family game.
- Pentago is one of the best abstract games of all time.
- What is this in the middle of all the board games on BoardGameGeek?
- This game truly is mid.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video FBH_Y9mRt6U
Top List at 3:06 sentiment: positive
video_pk 77795 · mention_pk 188135
Click to watch at 3:06 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Enjoyable cowboy theme.
- Four different modules offer varied ways to play.
- Players are always invested due to actions available on opponents' turns.
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Cowboy
- Cowboy era
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Deck Building — It's this deck builder but also you're like moving a dude up a mountain and that's how you gain more cards into your deck.
- Modular Board — It has four different modules.
- Worker Placement — You're also moving them along trails which are also the cards so it's this really cool multi-use card game.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- i would actually i would take this one over plain seven wonders any day of the week
- it's such a solid kind of strategic two-player game
- this is we always talk about building out this is like the original building out a big map game
- i cannot believe that we still have not had a section where we've had a game crossover
- i find next time there must be at least one that we'll have in the same section
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video MMd4qifeuaA
Meeple University Rules Teach
video_pk 70264 · mention_pk 167190
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
none
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- what is it about in this video we're going to show you what to expect from Sierra West and if you watch till the end we hope you can decide whether or not this game is for you
- The game comes with four distinct modes of play
- the game is of medium complexity with a strong puzzle element
- the order in which the moves are made is up to the player and in optimizing these timing effects lies the puzzle of the game
- the player who can best optimize these action timing effects will be well placed to win the game
- The solo mode
- six of the scenarios special cards have been dug out of the mountain
- in which a deck of cards is used to control the actions taken by the automo
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video MMd4qifeuaA
Meeple University Rules Teach at 0:38
video_pk 70264 · mention_pk 245734
Click to watch at 0:38 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- frontier/gold rush resources and conflict
- North American frontier
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cabin bonuses and placement — Cabins provide ongoing bonuses and cabin-specific access when the maple is living in a cabin.
- Deck-based actions per mode — Each mode uses its own deck of cards to construct the mountain and provide actions.
- Dual action tracks — Players move two meatballs through a top and bottom action track; the order of moves is up to the player, and actions trigger as icons are passed.
- End Game Bonuses — End when six special cards are dug out of the mountain, with all six scenarios completed.
- end of game conditions — End when six special cards are dug out of the mountain, with all six scenarios completed.
- Modular Board — Modules add new resources and mechanics (Apple Hill, Boats and Banjos, Mind cards, Outlaws & Outposts).
- modular expansions — Modules add new resources and mechanics (Apple Hill, Boats and Banjos, Mind cards, Outlaws & Outposts).
- Resource track advancement — Resources are collected and spent to advance on the tracks, with scoring tied to track values.
- Scoring and endgame — Scores come from tracks, cards, and leftover resources; endgame tallies determine the winner.
- Simultaneous Actions — Choosing top actions and bottom actions strategically drives progress.
- Solo mode automation — A solo mode uses a deck to control the actions of an automaton opponent.
- Top vs bottom actions synergy — Choosing top actions and bottom actions strategically drives progress.
- Track Advancement — Resources are collected and spent to advance on the tracks, with scoring tied to track values.
- wagon and frontier movement — Frontiersman and wagons move along their respective tracks, with interactions affecting scoring.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- what is it about in this video we're going to show you what to expect from Sierra West and if you watch till the end we hope you can decide whether or not this game is for you
- The game comes with four distinct modes of play
- the game is of medium complexity with a strong puzzle element
- the order in which the moves are made is up to the player and in optimizing these timing effects lies the puzzle of the game
- the player who can best optimize these action timing effects will be well placed to win the game
- The solo mode
- six of the scenarios special cards have been dug out of the mountain
- in which a deck of cards is used to control the actions taken by the automo
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video aVVIqMiS6js
Meeple University Review
video_pk 70184 · mention_pk 167087
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
none
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The objective of the game is to you're going to be acquiring cards you're going to be traveling with your wagon across the plains.
- Every turn you have three cards and you will be placing them out here in order to create a path for your workers.
- So there's a lot of things for you to consider to make sure that you collect the resources so that you can spend them for your placement spots as well as being able to advance her.
- No matter which one that you're playing the way that you're playing it using the three cards and the action programming that stays the same but you have different things to consider based on which of those.
- There's even others there's a light deck building aspect and in the cards they acquire but you actually you don't shuffle your dad that many times instead the cards do you acquire and have the option of putting them right on top of me thanks away you can use them.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Vpc7OyTDW_I
Meeple University Rules Teach at 0:00 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 64755 · mention_pk 158256
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
- Sierra West is effectively four games in one; action selection is used across four modules.
- Different modules share core rules, enabling varied scoring while preserving a unified system.
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- pioneers heading west to California trying to make their fortune
- in the late 1840s Sierra Nevada mountain range heading west to California
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Action Timer — There is a solo mode with an 'interaction czar' and card-driven actions.
- cabins and cabin bonuses — Cabins give bonuses to actions when a maple is in the matching cabin; cabins are permanent.
- Compound Scoring — Each module introduces a new scoring scheme (e.g., apples in Apple Hill, river fish in Boats and Banjos, etc.).
- homestead and summit actions — Advancing on homestead tracks and taking summit actions provide bonuses and endgame scoring opportunities.
- module-based end scoring — Each module introduces a new scoring scheme (e.g., apples in Apple Hill, river fish in Boats and Banjos, etc.).
- sequence-building from hand cards — Each turn you choose three cards from hand and lay them to form a sequence of actions.
- solo mode interaction timer — There is a solo mode with an 'interaction czar' and card-driven actions.
- trapping and fur trade — Trapping uses a meeple to trap animals; fur trade converts trapped animals into resources.
- two-maple activation — Two maples move along separate color-coded paths with different movement rules and interact with cabins and summit actions.
- wagon and frontier movement — Movement points are spent to move frontiersmen or wagons along respective tracks; wagon advancement creates endgame multipliers.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- we're teaching from a pre-release copy of the game but we are missing a few of the final components and so you'll see a few print and play or borrowed components through this video
- CR OS is effectively four games in one
- the action selection system is utilized across four completely separate modules
- the game comes with a solo mode
- apple hill boats and banjos gold rush and outlaws and outposts most of the rules are the same between each of the modules
- we'll go through the end of the game and scoring
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video YD64pJd8Dhw
Allies or Enemies Discussion at 17:48 sentiment: positive
video_pk 61171 · mention_pk 153798
Click to watch at 17:48 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- unique combination of card pyramid, rondelle, and explorers
- each module feels different
Cons
- heavy; high learning curve; thinky
Thematic elements
- Trading and exploration in the American West
- Frontier exploration and canyon town-building
- Rich, thematic
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card pyramid and explorers — Use a card pyramid and explorers to perform multi-step actions.
- Modular Board — Different modules feel distinct and change how you play.
- Modular modules with varied mechanics — Different modules feel distinct and change how you play.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a really cool simple combo
- it moves so fast
- it's a two player version honestly works fine
- it's like 10 pounds like it's a very cheap game we got a lot of play out of it
- the monsters play very differently to how the ones in the original one do so i really like having both versions to play through
- it's a rondelle game where you've got workers
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video HIkojodDuWE
Getting Games Discussion at 53:40 sentiment: positive
video_pk 13228 · mention_pk 38717
Click to watch at 53:40 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive; inventive use of a single communal piece
Pros
- fresh take on competitive network-building
- strong endgame scoring through connected networks
Cons
- downtime can be noticeable
- map management can feel fiddly at times
Thematic elements
- network-building and rail expansion under social pressure
- American frontier; stagecoaches, railroads, pioneers
- epic western-tinged economic race
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- affecting opponents — offload opponents' pioneers, pay them to maneuver the coach along their lines
- railroad network building — lay track to connect pioneers and unlock endgame scoring
- shared centerpiece stagecoach — move a communal piece to offload pioneers and trigger rewards
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The act of actually throwing these runes is pretty fun and tactile, like coins flipping in the air.
- I think the action selection mechanism is fascinating; it just works so well.
- it's a neat little wallet game and it's not very long, which is perfect for quick sessions.
- The downtime can be a little long as others plan their moves.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 9TCryiEvpSc
The Dice Tower Top List at 9:42 sentiment: positive
video_pk 5987 · mention_pk 17754
Click to watch at 9:42 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- innovative card activation and overlap
- variety in card-driven actions
Cons
- complex card interactions may intimidate new players
Thematic elements
- frontier exploration
- Old West expedition and wagon routes
- cartographic and route-building
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card drafting with overlapping layouts — three cards are played behind a board in a stacked, overlapping arrangement.
- meeple-driven activation — meuples traverse the cards to activate actions and advance tracks.
- multi-action cards — each card offers a green row action, a tan row action, and a summon action.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- action discs are drawn from a bag until there are six action discs in every active slot.
- the action selection process is the biggest reason for this game being on my list.
- The glass factories are going to be seated with random pieces of color glass.
- The game mechanisms are pretty straightforward and relatively easy to learn.
- I split you choose mechanism, and going up tracks.
- The goal of this one is to conquer new land on behalf of the bunny king.
- logistics and how to transport goods around the board.
- You're playing three cards kind of overlapped. So depending on what is showing are the actions you can take.
- Finally, the legacy version gives you something new to play with each game.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
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