The Günzburg-based publisher Huch impresses with its diverse range of games. From children's games to family games to challenging connoisseur games, everything is there. With Goblin Coaster, they announced a cooperative game in spring 2023 in which we have to work together under time pressure. This puts Goblin Coaster in the same category as Magic Maze, which was quite convincing and deservedly received a nomination for Game of the Year. You can find out whether Goblin Coaster was just as convincing in this review.
It's an exciting day. The mayor of the goblins wants to open the Goblin Coaster in the Goblin Cave. The fastest and most daring roller coaster ever built! However, there is a tiny problem: the mayor misunderstood something and only the construction site for the roller coaster was opened. However, the first car has already started rolling. Now it's up to us to put the Goblin Coaster together as quickly as possible before the roller coaster hits an obstacle or falls into the depths of the Goblin Cave!
The coal cart sets off
Goblin Coaster is a cooperative game for 1-6 players in which we have to build a roller coaster against the clock and bring the coal cart - represented by an hourglass - back to the start safely. Because every time the hourglass runs out, the coal cart moves one space further. If we are too slow, the coal cart falls into the depths of the goblin cave.
Whoever's turn it is draws a piece from a bag containing various track pieces. We can then choose between the three track pieces we already have and the one we just drew, and decide whether we want to build one of them onto the roller coaster or not. If we don't want to build any of the track pieces, we can throw any track piece back into the bag. The bag is then passed on and it's the next person's turn.
Expandable game
Depending on how difficult you want it to be or what age group you are playing, you can choose between 5 levels that expand on the basic principle step by step. The second level adds obstacles to the track that must be removed in advance using object tiles that are also in the bag with the tracks before the coal cart reaches the obstacle.
Level 3 adds checkpoints that must be avoided, as well as a game variant in which you have to reach a treasure and, if possible, build a route within a marked area. Level 4 introduces the coal cart to travel faster, because with every object that has an hourglass symbol and with which we remove an obstacle, the hourglass moves one space further.
Level 5 is the climax of all emotions and makes Goblin Coaster even more chaotic. This is where safety regulations are added to the bag, which are the same size and shape as the item tiles. If we accidentally pull one of the safety regulations, a rule is activated that the players must follow. For example, the active player must cover his ears and no one is allowed to communicate with each other until the coal cart has reached a certain field.
Information about Goblin Coaster
| Number of players: 1 – 6 Age: from 8 years Playing time: 20 minutes Difficulty: Family game Long-term motivation: low Classification: Real-time, board game Author: Ursula Hermens-Meyberg, Jan Meyberg Illustrations: Martin Hoffmann, Claus Stephan, Antje Stephan Publisher: Huch! Official Website: Link Year of publication: 2024 Language: German, English, French, Dutch Cost: 29,99 € |
Conclusion
In Goblin Coaster, as with Magic Maze, you are gradually introduced to the game through different levels so that you can finally crack even the most difficult challenge. That's great. The chaotic and hectic construction of the roller coaster is fun in itself, but the game has one big problem. The material. It seems as if the game was not properly tested with the final material, because the puzzle-like track pieces don't fit together at all, as they are always just a little too big. There are also parts that are punched out to be extra small so that you don't connect the wrong track pieces together. These cutouts don't fit together either.
This is a huge problem in a game that is timed. Everything happens hectically and if the puzzle pieces only fit together with hammering and a lot of pressure, this spoils the fun of the game. Children in particular, who would actually really like the game, will have a lot of trouble with it. That's a real shame, because the basic idea isn't bad. The pieces themselves also feel really high quality.
In terms of gameplay, the safety regulations add a lot of fun to the game, but are also somewhat unnecessary. Only a few of them bring a great challenge to the game. The rest just seem to be there for entertainment. Overall, a lot of things about Goblin Coaster just don't seem to have been thought through, which is a real shame. In a later edition, these problems could or should be urgently addressed. Perhaps with new safety regulations (also in the form of an expansion) or other game approaches. But the track parts in particular need to be revised, because then Goblin Coaster could also be a good game.
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HUCH! | Goblin Coaster | cooperative games | family games for ages 8 and up...* | 29,84 EUR |
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