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Description
Unlike in other cultures, the desert Tuareg men, known as Targi, cover their faces whereas women of the tribe do not wear veils. They run the household and they have the last word at home in the tents. Different families are divided into tribes, headed by the ‘Imascheren’ (or nobles). As leader of a Tuareg tribe, players trade goods from near (such as dates and salt) and far (like pepper), in order to obtain gold and other benefits, and enlarge their family. In each round their new offerings are made. Cards are a means to an end, in order to obtain the popular tribe cards.
The board consists of a 5x5 grid: a border of 16 squares with printed action symbols and then 9 blank squares in the centre onto which cards are dealt. Meeples are placed one at a time on the spaces at the edges of the board (not including corner squares). You cannot place a meeple on a square the opponent has a meeple on already, nor on a square facing opponent's meeple. Once all meeples are placed, players then execute the actions on the border squares the meeples are on and also take the cards from the centre that match the row and column of the border meeples.
The game is predominantly scored and won by playing tribal cards to your display. These give advantages during the game and victory points at the end. Usually cards are played (or discarded) immediately once drawn. A single card can be kept in hand but then requires a special action to play it (or to discard it to free the hand spot for another card). Each card has a cost in goods to play. Goods are obtained either from border spaces or from goods cards.
The display (for scoring) consists of 3 rows of 4 cards that are filled from left to right and cannot be moved once placed (barring some special cards). There is also a balance to be found between the victory point score on the cards themselves (1-3 VP per tribal card) and in the combinations per row (a full row of 4 identical card types gets you an additional 4 VP, and a full row of 4 distinct card types gets you 2 VP).
The winner at the end of the game is the player with the most victory points.
Year Published
2012
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Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 18
This page: 18
Sentiment:
pos 15 ·
mix 1 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 1
Showing 1–18 of 18
Video QxhyeEkfxeY
Allies or Enemies top_10_list at 6:50 sentiment: positive
video_pk 61205 · mention_pk 153889
Click to watch at 6:50 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- tight worker-placement feel in a compact footprint
- innovative middle-card mechanic
Cons
- lighter on theme for some players
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)
- this time on allies or enemies we are counting down our top 10 small box games for two players
- these are great games at low cost that don't take up too much room
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video VU0OJQMoWaA
Allies or Enemies top_100_list at 8:06 sentiment: positive
video_pk 61163 · mention_pk 153743
Click to watch at 8:06 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- clever use of a card-driven worker placement mechanic
- two-player-friendly and highly interactive
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- deck_selection — cards determine workers and actions; two-player card interaction
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this is specifically for two players
- it's moving cubes around um it's like chits that are hidden
- the panda you're moving and you're chomping away at the bamboo
- it's a great theme
- it's just such a beautiful relaxing game
- two players so i think basically everything on our list does work pretty well for two
- this is a terrific gateway game absolutely
- you can feel his pain as the panda continues to gobble up all of his bamboo
- it's a 10 minute game that does tend to take us half an hour
- it's so pretty and i think the standard edition still is really pretty as well
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video XkyqUt4JMhg
Allies Arene Enemies general_discussion at 0:10 sentiment: positive
video_pk 61009 · mention_pk 153395
Click to watch at 0:10 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Tightly designed with deep interconnections between actions and resources
- High level of interaction and cooperative-competitive dynamics around defense
- Excellent replayability due to variable setups, double-sided boards, and random temple tiles
- Rewarding end-game scoring via tracks, idols, and governor bonuses
- Strong sense of accomplishment when a well-executed turn comes together
Cons
- Heavy planning and long turns may be AP-prone and taxing for some players
- Steep learning curve and potential onboarding challenge for new players
- Two-player bot and solo modes add complexity and can slow the pace for some groups
- Resource scarcity and important action timing can create tough decision points
Thematic elements
- Defend settlements and coordinate a layered economy to survive nomadic pressure while expanding influence
- Around 260 BCE in China during the era of seven warring kingdoms facing northern invaders
- Thinky, interdependent Euro-style design with competitive cooperation
Comparison games
- Great Wall
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- AP management and long-term planning — Players must think several turns ahead; planning A, B, and C is essential due to long turns and interdependencies.
- Barge bonuses and player board bonuses — Barges grant immediate benefits; placing multiple workers can trigger strong bonuses on your player board.
- Combat: Deck/Hand — Two decks provide easier or harder attack waves, altering invader strength and encounter frequency.
- Compound Scoring — Objective cards provide actionable goals; spending them yields rewards but may reduce end-game points if unused.
- Double-sided boards and variable setup — Player boards are double-sided with different bonuses; setup varies with each game for replayability.
- Easy vs normal deck (attack cards) — Two decks provide easier or harder attack waves, altering invader strength and encounter frequency.
- end game bonuses — Barges grant immediate benefits; placing multiple workers can trigger strong bonuses on your player board.
- Governor placement — Pay wood to place a governor on a region to access ongoing and income buildings.
- Nomad attacks and end-of-round resolution — Nomads advance and attack; defense is scored by contribution, with breaches causing governors to be removed if not quelled.
- Objective cards and scoring — Objective cards provide actionable goals; spending them yields rewards but may reduce end-game points if unused.
- Region action and palace track advancement — Place an action marker in a region to move up a palace track, enabling various regional bonuses and progress.
- Shipping action — Trade goods to take a shipping action that awards delivery bonuses; shipping blocks can affect others' rewards.
- Temple bonus tiles and randomness — Temple bonus tiles are drawn randomly, influencing which temple tracks to pursue and shaping strategic choices.
- Temple tracks and idol/statue collection — Advance on temple tracks via various actions and collect idols to boost end-game options; idols can boost track advancement at round end.
- Track advancement — Place an action marker in a region to move up a palace track, enabling various regional bonuses and progress.
- Two-player bot mode — A bot acts as a third participant in two-player games, adding complexity and requiring resets of focus after bot actions.
- Variable building and ship layouts — Buildings, ships, and delivery goods are set up differently each game, driving different strategic routes.
- Variable Set-up: Board — Player boards are double-sided with different bonuses; setup varies with each game for replayability.
- Wall building and defense — Spend rocks or rice to build walls and train soldiers to fortify defenses against end-of-round nomad attacks.
- worker placement — Place a worker on a barge to gain resources; optionally push a worker off the barge to place on your board for future free actions.
- Worker placement on barges — Place a worker on a barge to gain resources; optionally push a worker off the barge to place on your board for future free actions.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Have you played Tangia? Are we pronouncing it wildly incorrectly? Please do let us know both of those things.
- There’s also a solo mode and that works a lot like the two-player mode. It has very similar cards to the two-player mode except that now the bot is also scoring things.
- Please do let us know both of those things.
- I think Tilot is my favorite of the series.
- This is seen also in Great Wall, which is another game that involves the Great Wall 2.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video f9ytY874CRc
Meeple Madness general_discussion at 4:44 sentiment: positive
video_pk 60466 · mention_pk 152868
Click to watch at 4:44 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Intriguing matchup; notable discussion around its impact
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)
- It's literally a popularity contest.
- Code Names Duet is also just a lot of fun.
- Santorini has the legs to make it to the final four.
- Zenith narrowly edged it out 51% to 49% of the vote on this one.
- Watergate is my favorite two-player game.
- I'm 6 and 0 on Cena so far.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video bkxY39O-VXQ
Ilia & Tyler top_10_list at 19:59 sentiment: positive
video_pk 60321 · mention_pk 152744
Click to watch at 19:59 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- tight two-player engine with meaningful decisions
- strong tension and planning
Cons
- older title; heavier weight may deter some players
Thematic elements
- strategic resource gathering with worker placement
- Saharan trader market
- tactical, economy-driven planning
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- grid-based action selection — a grid of possible actions; timing and block interaction matter
- grid/action selection — players select actions from a grid, with blocking elements and timing
- risk and blocking — opponent can block or contest actions, creating tension
- worker placement — players place workers to access actions and resources on a shared grid
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- top 10 two-player games of all time
- the top 10 were very difficult because I think there's a lot of factors that I had to consider
- the production quality really matters when a game feels like Parks-level polish
- the core of this game is adapting
- it's a cozy fun game you can play with somebody else
- we can open this game and play it immediately maybe not having played it in a while
- the clicky clacky of the tile H yeah good
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video quu-B6vz2aI
Unknown Channel top_10_list at 7:56
video_pk 59703 · mention_pk 152223
Click to watch at 7:56 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Array
- Array
- Economic competition through card-based actions and resource management
- Array
- Two-player border-card worker placement game set in a desert market
- Array
- Array
- Array
- positive
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Everything is programmed in
- On Board Game Arena everything's programmed in you know exactly where you can go, how many resources you would get, where your dice are at, which tracks will move up
- this video is not sponsored by Board Game Arena in any way shape or form
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ea_-IgFejaM
Unknown Channel general_discussion at 4:59 sentiment: positive
video_pk 40448 · mention_pk 122498
Click to watch at 4:59 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- strong two-player design
- clear grid-based action selection with approachable rules
Cons
- not as complex as heavier eurogames; may feel light for some players
Thematic elements
- Two-player worker-placement and resource collection; family and trade motifs
- Family-themed resource management in a 5x5 grid with card borders
- domestic, light competitive
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- center deck resource engine — Center card deck provides resources; players collect from the center as actions resolve
- worker placement — Place one of your meeples on border spaces to trigger 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 EzPTvRgIYHA
Unknown Channel general_discussion at 0:39 sentiment: positive
video_pk 39205 · mention_pk 118144
Click to watch at 0:39 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Highlighted as the new Danny Garcia title, generating enthusiasm
- Part of the pre-Spiel anticipation
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Unknown
- Unknown
- Unknown
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- unknown — Mechanics are not explicitly described in the transcript.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- oh I'm starting to get a spider sense
- I'm super excited about one of my most anticipated games for Spiel
- look at this taosi the new Danny Garcia game
- oh it's very heavy I am excited
- probably the last games coming before Spiel
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 0wTdlvVcbNc
Bo stupid general_discussion at 5:23 sentiment: positive
video_pk 34933 · mention_pk 104146
Click to watch at 5:23 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Fresh two-player twist on a trick-taking framework
- Thematic and approachable with a short playtime (~30 minutes)
- Potentially appealing to players who enjoy rhythmic/sequence-based play
Cons
- Niche appeal depending on interest in dancing/step-based mechanics
- Reliant on players enjoying trick-taking as a core mechanic
Thematic elements
- dance steps/trick-taking
- dance-themed competition
- light, competitive
Comparison games
- Fox in the Forest
- Orum
- The Crew
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- display-based planning — Face-up display informs available steps and planning
- hand management — Careful management of cards to line up required steps
- hand_management — Careful management of cards to line up required steps
- Trick-taking — Players play from hands and a face-up display to execute dance steps and win tricks
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a different game
- it's more complex
- it's going to be a big hit
- the year of the two player game
- I can't wait to play somew as well it's going to be fantastic
- Sandbox open world
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video pW2gmCJDImM
Paula Deming top_10_list at 14:07 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12996 · mention_pk 38015
Click to watch at 14:07 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- tight, blocking-driven push-your-luck decisions
- accessible for two players yet deep in strategy
- engaging interaction with direct competition
Cons
- learning curve around border-card timing
- can feel harsh due to blocking and resource denial
Thematic elements
- resource management within a border-grid system
- desert trading caravans and tribal competition
- abstract yet thematic trading
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- grid/intersection effects — actions happen at intersections of workers on a central grid
- set collection — collect goods and tribe cards to sequence scoring
- worker placement — players place workers on border cards to gain resources
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a really good two-player game
- the production value of this game is so good
- it's a tight game that feels tense especially with the drafting
- this game can be quite mean because you're going to be blocking each other a lot
- it's the kind of game that stresses me out like in a good way
- it's got a lot of luck it's not too heavy
- it's another game of historical World War II simulations
- sometimes the dice just aren't on your side
- it's a brain burner
- it's that time you killed me
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Ec0BwVYbtVo
Our Family Plays Games general_discussion at 24:55 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12247 · mention_pk 35780
Click to watch at 24:55 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- deep two-player strategy
- modular board variety
Cons
- steeper learning curve
Thematic elements
- resource management and set collection
- Saharan trade
- deep strategic
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- tableau building — build a personal set of cards to produce resources.
- worker placement — players place workers on actions to gain resources.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- cheap games yes again
- here's some games under 25
- it's a two-player game
- open drafting and set collections
- it's trick taking and bidding
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video dwnoqgIIHZ4
Rolls in the Family top_5_list at 29:05 sentiment: positive
video_pk 10603 · mention_pk 31260
Click to watch at 29:05 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- highly unique two-player experience
- strong blocking and planning decisions
Cons
- not ideal with very large player counts
- can feel long at times
Thematic elements
- economic strategy with its own unique trader dynamics
- Tuareg traders and border interactions
- heavy on strategic positioning and blocking
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- constrained worker placement — place pawns to take actions while blocking opponents' rows/columns.
- set collection — collect resources and gold to acquire cards scoring in multiple ways.
- set collection and resource conversion — collect resources and gold to acquire cards scoring in multiple ways.
- worker placement — place pawns to take actions while blocking opponents' rows/columns.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- D's not a rules follower
- on each person's turn you know one person draws calls out a resource and then everyone has to place that resource
- it's a gateway game and it looks beautiful on the table
- the alien player is giving the human team a word and saying this is the score for this word
- Lost Cities is tense and cutthroat in a very clean, simple way
- this is basically Dominion but with words in Paperback
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video v58xb6iNAwg
Our Fan Face Games top_10_list at 27:57 sentiment: positive
video_pk 9420 · mention_pk 27830
Click to watch at 27:57 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Two-player worker placement
- Unique crossing mechanic
- Strategic depth
Cons
- Does not win frequently at the game
Thematic elements
- trading
- desert_nomads
- economic
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
No quotes stored for this video.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video veIaOFCKZHQ
Unknown Channel game_review at 0:23 sentiment: positive
video_pk 8667 · mention_pk 105999
Click to watch at 0:23 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Unique dual-layer card play combining hand and display cards
- Excellent depth for a two-player trick-taker
- Elegant, fast-paced gameplay with interesting trump interactions
Cons
- Restricted to two players, which limits group variety
- Requires careful tracking of both hand and table cards to optimize plays
Thematic elements
- Dance-themed trick-taking with on-table display cards
- Dance floor competition between two players
- competitive, abstract
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dual_card_play — Each player has a personal hand and a public display that serves as a second playing card for each trick.
- dynamic_trump — The loser of a trick can change the dance style card in the middle, effectively shifting the trump card for future tricks.
- trick_taking — Players compete to win tricks using both hand cards and a row of table cards; a central card acts as a changing trump.
- Trick-taking — Players compete to win tricks using both hand cards and a row of table cards; a central card acts as a changing trump.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Tango is a really fun trick taker
- Tango really shines ... two players although Tango really shines
- Players secretly select their role and create temporary alliances employing any tactics necessary to outwit their soon to be traitorous Partners
- The bottle imp will take your points away
- This revamped version features brand new and old roll cards as well as refined rules that enhance the gameplay experience
- Now you can enjoy the fun with up to nine players expanding beyond the original 3 to 8 players
- 101 is an abstract strategy card game that combines hand management and area control mechanics
- the game concludes in one of two ways
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video FrC4-ewdN_g
Chairman of the Board top_10_list at 3:36 sentiment: positive
video_pk 6563 · mention_pk 113494
Click to watch at 3:36 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- accessible and enjoyable for mixed groups
- solid party-game core with a lavish presentation
Cons
- production is lavish to the point of being impractical for some
- not every variant lands as well as Cross Words
Thematic elements
- Word association and rapid categorization
- Party word game with a grid of marbles and word categories
- Light, party-friendly
Comparison games
- Cross Words
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Compound Scoring — marbles differ in scoring value across categories
- grid-based scoring with marbles — marbles differ in scoring value across categories
- timed / windowed turns — players must act within tight time frames to win marbles
- word association / clueing — players give clues to get teammates to guess words
- Word Deciphering — players give clues to get teammates to guess words
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the coolest thing about this game was that sometimes when you choose a card the cards that you didn't select would end up impacting damage on your ship which would end up costing you negative points
- grossly underrated I can't even believe this game isn't talked about is so well put together
- Woodcraft is my favorite game of the month
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video zsLIUlKZclI
The Cardboard Herald top_list at 0:01 sentiment: positive
video_pk 2620 · mention_pk 7746
Click to watch at 0:01 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- beautiful
- refined
- elegant design
- shows that less can be more when designing for specific player count
- demonstrates interconnected ecosystem of choices
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- desert setting
- dune-inspired ecosystem
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Economic system
- euro game design
- interconnected choices
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- there are a lot of great games and there are a lot of great games that play excellently at two players
- so simple and so elegant and so refined and yet so puzzly and ingenious
- one of the best tactical miniatures games out there without any miniatures whatsoever
- the thing is is that if you sell in bulk you get extra bonuses but if you sell early then you get the most valuable versions
- it gives you so much to consider and be cognizant of as you are drafting every single card but it is incredibly indelibly accessible
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ekgglzrBSiw
Unknown Channel general_discussion at 4:41 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 2677 · mention_pk 7878
Click to watch at 4:41 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- clever tempo and blocking create tense two-player duels
- highly strategic with strong tension
Cons
- can feel punishing or salty due to blocking mechanics
Thematic elements
- resource management and strategic placement in a tribal market
- border-market style game with market cards on the outskirts of a board
- abstract economic conflict with direct competition
Comparison games
- Patchwork
- Hive
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card placement on the board's outskirts — Place pieces to gain resources and influence which cards become available
- direct interaction and blocking — Your placements deny or limit opponent options on adjacent cards
- scoring via central intersections — Points are earned from key cards and intersections created by placement
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's just a great game at getting people to talk to each other because it's always obvious what your opponent is doing when they've done it but it's not obvious until they've done it
- Luna means the space between things
- the idea isn't that different from Magic the Gathering you have followers which are kind of like creatures and then you have these location cards
- the nuclear option as in you blow everything up
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video UF9Xf3qeCUc
Chairman of the Board top_10_list at 2:49 sentiment: negative
video_pk 17 · mention_pk 23
Click to watch at 2:49 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
negative
Pros
- cool grid-based resource system
- interesting card-placement interactions
Cons
- too tight/restrictive; can shaft opponents deliberately
- options diminish as the game progresses
Thematic elements
- card-driven resource management and intersection-based choices
- desert frontier trading with caravans
- tight, strategic, highly structured
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cross-grid card selection — cards placed on grid intersections grant resources and abilities when chosen
- set collection — accumulate sets of resources/cards for scoring and bonuses
- worker placement — players place workers on a shared grid to acquire resources and activate effects
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is probably one of my favorite Uwe Rosenberg games I've played to date.
- it's a weird one because it's kind of like a full-size game but didn't quite feel like it
- the rules overhead was quite high in terms of remembering what they do
- usually trying to build these routes and establish these with blocks and then get the cards
- it's a pretty much a paint by numbers deck builder game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
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Showing 1–18 of 18