4 years in the past, simply as individuals had been beginning to journey once more after being cooped up for months for COVID, we reviewed a enjoyable household board recreation by Underdog Video games referred to as Trekking the World.
So after we heard Underdog Video games was publishing a brand new model of the sport, we had been greater than desirous to attempt it out. And now that it’s hitting retailer cabinets, we’re pleased to share the small print with you.
Whereas the premise stays the identical as the unique, Trekking the World 2nd Version is way more streamlined and simplified to play. Not that the first version is difficult. However this new model is even higher for common household play.
We actually just like the adjustments made to the sport.
We’ll give a fast overview of the right way to play Trekking the World 2nd Version, then go into particulars on the numerous components which have modified to make this enjoyable household board recreation even higher.
Trekking the World 2nd Version, as you may think, is a household board recreation about taking journeys all over the world. Gamers acquire factors by taking Excursions, having Encounters, and amassing Souvenirs at totally different places.
Firstly of the sport, the Tour card deck is shuffled and reduce in half. One half might be positioned art-side as much as create the Tour deck. The opposite half might be positioned text-side as much as create the Encounter deck. 4 playing cards from every deck will all the time be obtainable to the gamers. The Itinerary deck can also be shuffled and 5 playing cards are positioned out withstand be obtainable to gamers on their turns.
Every participant takes a cash tracker (set to 0) and a suitcase board for the souvenirs they gather through the recreation. Gamers additionally every begin with a Frequent Flyer token.
Earlier than a participant’s first flip, they place their Trekker on any airport of their selection.
Shifting and Amassing Souvenirs
On a participant’s flip, they select an Itinerary card from these on show, do what it says from prime to backside, then discard it. Every Itinerary card present 3 components. On the prime, it reveals the precise variety of areas the participant will get to maneuver on their flip. Subsequent, it reveals how a lot cash the participant receives that flip (like an ATM withdrawl). Lastly, if the participant’s Trekker is on one of many continents proven on the backside, they obtain the indicated Memento cubes.
When transferring, a participant might use the airports as considered one of their motion steps however they have to spend $1 to take action. They could additionally cross by or land on areas occupied by different gamers.
When including a Memento dice to their suitcase, if it covers an icon, the participant additionally receives the matching token for later use. The 4 tokens and their talents are:
- Frequent Flyer – Use this token to fly out of your present location to any airport. This should be completed initially of a flip, earlier than selecting an Itinerary card.
- Transfer – Use this token to maneuver one additional house.
- Cash – When gaining cash from an Itinerary, use this token to double the sum of money you obtain.
- Memento – When gaining souvenirs on a flip, use this token to realize the identical quantity and shade of memento cubes once more.
Having Encounters
After finishing an Itinerary, if a participant ends on the precise location matching one of many obtainable Encounter playing cards, they get to take it. Every Encounter card grants a one-time use skill to that participant. As soon as the participant makes use of their skill on a future flip, they discard the cardboard.
Some Encounter playing cards grant factors on the finish of the sport. These playing cards are held to the top of the sport fairly than getting used and discarded.
Taking Excursions
Tour playing cards are the principle method of gaining factors all through the sport.
After finishing an Itinerary, if a participant ends on the precise location matching one of many obtainable Tour playing cards, and in the event that they manage to pay for, they might pay for taking that Tour. As soon as they deduct the quantity from their Cash tracker, they take the cardboard and can get the indicated factors on the finish of the sport.
Finish of Turns and Finish of Recreation
After a participant’s flip, any empty areas within the card show are refilled by playing cards from the corresponding decks. Play then passes to the participant on their left.
As soon as a participant takes their 4th Tour (in a 4 or 5 participant recreation), or their fifth Tour (in a 2 or 3 participant recreation), the sport finish is triggered. Gamers full the present spherical of turns after which complete their factors.
Factors are awarded for:
- Tour playing cards taken
- Encounter playing cards granting end-game factors
- Accomplished columns of their suitcase
The participant with essentially the most factors wins!
Modifications to the 2nd Version
Simply pulling the parts out of the 2nd version field, I may instantly inform many issues had modified within the new version. Positive, there’s nonetheless a map board of the world, Trekker meeples, massive double-sided playing cards of every location on the map, coloured cubes, and suitcases. However among the parts of the first version are not within the recreation and new parts have been added – comparable to cash dials and Itinerary tokens.
Underdog Video games has listed 3 of the largest adjustments to the sport:
- 2nd Version is a drafting & racing recreation whereas 1st Version was a set-collection & racing recreation.
- 2nd Version options card powers that gamers get without cost by going to totally different locations.
- 2nd Version has a solo mode and 1st Version doesn’t.
However there are a lot of further adjustments that we fortunately endorse as properly.
Shifting and Paying
Probably the most noticeable to us proper out of the gate is how gamers transfer and gather issues all through the sport.
Within the 1st version, gamers gather coloured, quantity playing cards to their hand. They will use these playing cards to both transfer areas on their flip or spend them as matching icons to take Excursions. For instance, the first version vacation spot playing cards have icons on the underside that basically present their “price”. When at that location, gamers might flip in matching playing cards of these colours to take the Tour and get these factors.
With the 2nd version, gamers don’t have a hand of playing cards in any respect. As a substitute, they choose an Itinerary card on the desk which lets them transfer, gather cash, and probably gather cubes. And to take a Tour at a location, they merely spend from cash they’ve amassed.
We love this alteration!
With the first version, it’s a must to be very considered wherein playing cards you play to maneuver and which you retain to spend on Excursions. With the brand new addition of cash that you just get on each flip, it’s a lot less complicated to pay for taking a Tour whenever you get to a specific location. (Offered somebody hasn’t beat you to it but.) Now the alternatives are extra about which Itinerary playing cards you select as a result of they grant totally different quantities of cash.
You possibly can select to maneuver additional on a flip, however you’ll take much less cash. Or you possibly can go for extra money, however simply transfer a single house. It’s an important steadiness of selections whereas additionally simplifying turns.
Memento amassing
Associated to motion and Itinerary playing cards is the change to how Memento cubes are collected.
Within the 1st version, Memento cubes are randomly positioned on each location on the board. If a participant ends their activate a location that has a dice, they gather it. If the dice is already taken, too dangerous.
Within the 2nd version, it’s fairly easy to gather Souvenirs. For those who finish your motion on a continent displaying on the Itinerary card you selected, you get the indicated Memento cubes.
Not solely can we get to gather extra Souvenirs all through the sport, however we’re much less annoyed by getting caught out of amassing simply because somebody is a pair steps forward of us on the board. And fairly than having to plan our actions all over the world to land on particular places to snag a sure coloured dice, we have now extra management over which colours we are able to gather by selecting from the 5 Itinerary playing cards on show.
Which suggests the massive selections actually come all the way down to these Itinerary playing cards. There are 3 issues to think about with that choice (transfer, cash, cubes) and we find it irresistible. They aren’t powerful selections, however they do make a distinction in making an attempt to get what we’d like and to the place we’d like earlier than others get there.
Itinerary tokens
Talking of Souvenirs, when positioned in your suitcase, they might grant you particular talents.
We love this addition too!
Within the 1st version, amassing Souvenirs are value factors on the finish of the sport primarily based on accomplished columns in your suitcase. However that’s it.
Within the 2nd version, these factors nonetheless exist. So it’s good to gather a wide range of cubes so you possibly can full extra columns totally for extra factors. However along with that, whenever you cowl icons in your suitcase, you get to take the corresponding Itinerary token. And on future turns, you possibly can spend these tokens for added goodies (additional motion, free flight, extra money, extra cubes).
It’s another excuse why we like amassing souvenirs as we journey in Trekking the World 2nd version.
BONUS: The brand new version suitcases are additionally double-layerd cardboard with inserts for the cubes. So fairly than sliding round, they’re extra shielded from bumps. So good!
Encounters and particular talents
Within the 1st version, the vacation spot playing cards are solely used for taking Excursions and getting factors. The again aspect has fascinating details about the placement which is enjoyable to learn. Nevertheless it doesn’t serve a recreation play function.
Within the 2nd version, the double-sided vacation spot playing cards even have a profit on the again. Now, the again aspect of the cardboard is named the Encounter aspect. Every recreation, all these playing cards are break up in order that half might be used for Excursions and the opposite half might be used as Encounters.
When ending a flip at a location, if there’s an Encounter card on show that matches, the participant takes the Encounter. And on the backside of every card is a particular skill that the participant can use later.
The first version does have some particular talents. They’re referred to as Journey playing cards and a pair of are randomly arrange every recreation. Gamers have to spend two playing cards from their hand to make use of one of many talents. With these new Encounters, there’s much more talents gamers can use all through the sport with no need to pay with playing cards. Far more enjoyable and feels extra strategic.
Bonus factors eradicated
Normally bonus factors are an important factor.
Nevertheless, we’re pleased to see the bonus level choices within the unique Trekking the World are gone.
There are two methods to realize bonus factors within the 1st version.
The primary is thru Area Bonuses. If a participant collects the final dice from a location on a continent, they get the Bonus Token subsequent to that continent. These tokens are randomly arrange initially of the sport and really feel arbitrary. In case you are fortunate sufficient, you could possibly snag it. However similar to the randomness of amassing cubes from places to start with, this feels prefer it unfairly grants factors to a participant. Sure, it encourages gamers to maneuver to each location amassing cubes, however that feels ancillary to setting out for particular places to take Excursions.
The opposite method to acquire bonus factors within the 1st version is thru Souvenirs. The participant that features essentially the most of a specific memento is granted bonus factors for doing so. Totally different colours grant totally different factors for having essentially the most. For instance, yellow dice majority grants 12 factors and black majority grants 9 factors.
However once more this falls prey to the randomness of amassing cubes and for a first-player benefit – who can race out amassing cubes earlier than others.
As such, by eliminating these additional factors to arbitrarily chase, the 2nd version is extra streamlined and centered on the theme of the sport. We don’t miss these additional factors in any respect as the purpose unfold amongst gamers on the finish of the sport continues to be shut every time.
Simpler to maneuver round
Along with the simplified method motion is dealt with (by selecting an Itinerary card fairly than taking part in playing cards out of your hand), really transferring across the board is much more family-friendly within the 2nd version due to two main rule adjustments.
The primary large rule change is that participant’s Trekker meeples don’t block different gamers!
Within the 1st version, if one other participant’s Trekker is on a location, you can’t transfer on or by it. They block your route fully.
Within the 2nd version, you possibly can freely transfer to and thru areas occupied by different gamers. It is a welcome change for common household play. It’s additionally much more consistent with the journey theme of the sport. In any case, simply because another person is on the Eiffel Tower, doesn’t imply I can’t go to it as properly.
The opposite motion rule change that simplifies journey is using airports.
Within the 1st version, should you begin your activate an airport house, you might Fly to a different airport earlier than you start your motion that flip.
Within the 2nd version, you might fly from one airport to some other airport at any level through the your motion that flip for the price of $1. It nonetheless counts as considered one of your factors of motion, however it can price you some cash. Little or no cash, however nonetheless it prices one thing. But it grants you way more freedom in with the ability to traverse the board throughout your turns and not using a ton of pre-planning future turns.
One other method to fly is with using Frequent Flyer tokens. They’re the blue Itinerary tokens you possibly can acquire by putting blue memento cubes over the airplane icon in your suitcase. And every participant begins the sport with 1 of those tokens. Gamers can spend a token to Fly from wherever they’re to any airport location. It will possibly are available in very useful whenever you’re able to make a giant play within the recreation.
Solo mode
Over the previous a number of years, many recreation designers have added choices for enjoying board video games solo. And Trekking the World 2nd version has such a recreation mode.
When gamers are concerned about taking over the sport problem by themselves, it is a nice choice.
There are 4 totally different issue ranges to select from. The Problem card signifies what number of Excursions the participant should take and what number of souvenirs they have to gather to win. It additionally lists a Vacationer Tax which is an quantity that should be paid to take an Encounter at a location if a Vacationer Trekker can also be at that location.
The sport play alternates between the participant and the 4 different Trekkers.
The participant takes turns as within the regular recreation. Nevertheless, when it’s the Vacationer flip, the participant flips a card from the Vacationer card deck. It reveals a shade of Trekker to behave that flip. If that Trekker is already on the board, it can take the Encounter card matching its location. If that Trekker shouldn’t be on the board, it will get positioned on the placement matching the leftmost Encounter not occupied by one other Vacationer. Thus it basically takes one Trekker shade two turns to get on the board then declare an Encounter.
If the Vacationers collectively declare 7 Encounter playing cards or their draw deck runs out, the Vacationers win and the participant loses the solo recreation.
If the participant collects sufficient Excursions and Souvenirs as indicated on their Problem card, earlier than the Vacationers hit their mark, the participant wins.
I sometimes don’t play solo mode with board video games. However I did give it a go in Trekking the World 2nd version and fairly loved it.
It’s undoubtedly a race to assert Excursions whereas Vacationers preserve popping up all around the board and taking playing cards. Nevertheless it’s enjoyable to swipe Encounter playing cards out from underneath them when attainable, even when it requires paying the Vacationer Tax. Completely value it.
Our verdict on Trekking the World 2nd Version
Trekking the World 2nd version wins out for us palms down!
We love the streamlined play that’s extra becoming for the journey theme of the sport. There are nonetheless loads of selections to think about and tradeoffs to make as we race all over the world to maintain it fascinating. But, it’s way more approachable than the first version.
As you possibly can see, we actually just like the fluid motion, extra memento amassing, gaining and paying for Excursions with cash, the Encounter card talents, and the tradeoffs when selecting Itinerary playing cards for motion, cash, and cubes.
As such, our 1st version copy of the sport is now in search of a brand new residence as we dangle on tightly to our copy of Trekking the World 2nd version.
The Board Recreation Household want to thank Underdog Video games for a assessment copy of Trekking the World 2nd Version.
Don’t miss the following superior recreation for your loved ones! Subscribe to The Board Recreation Household critiques and articles.
SUBSCRIBE
As an Amazon Affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com hyperlinks.
