Cascadia was my #3 new game of 2021 thanks to a combination of easy-to-learn rules and variable scoring methods, making it a solid family game that is meaty enough to satisfy more experienced gamers as well. It’s a game that not only rewards replaying, but makes you want to do so immediately because you realize all the other strategies you didn’t get to try the last time around.

Winning in “Cascadia” requires a balance of tile placement, habitat completion, and strategic use of Animal Tokens. Here are some winning strategies to help you maximize your score: As long as the turns keep coming fast enough there’s a certain pleasure in wondering what you’ll get to select from during your turn. Maybe it’ll be that last salmon you need for a big score, maybe it won’t. While the tactical focus means you can’t plan ahead, it does keep everyone constantly on their toes. You’ll often be rewarded for keeping your map flexible enough to pivot to different scoring chances if the ones you’re chasing don’t come off. It results in a surprising amount of excitement for such a low interaction game. The goals are spatial and seem in keeping with each of the animals represented. So, for example, salmon score higher the more you have in an adjacent run, and Elks like to be with their buddies so score better in groups. They’re fussy though, and have to be in the precise positions shown on the card. Bears are less particular, but they do like a bit of social distancing between their sleuths!Simple to learn, but hard to master – Cascadia is a dual-layer puzzle. There are a variety of goals that you can mix and match, creating a brand-new experience every time you play. Explore hundreds of unique puzzles and build beautiful terrain maps in competitive, solo, and family modes. Diversify Your Strategy: In games with multiple players, consider diversifying your strategy to avoid direct competition for specific terrain or animal types. This can make it easier to complete habitats without interference. So far, I have been focussing on the standard game. But, when you feel like you have got your Cascadia wings, you can launch into campaign mode which takes you on a hike through the Cascadian landscape. In a similar vein to Calico, you will play the same game, but with progressively more difficult scoring criteria:

Place all of the wildlife tokens into the bag and mix well. Then deal out 4 face up habitat tiles and pair each of them with a face up wildlife token. Set the nature tokens to the side (more on that later). Finally, select the A, B, or C wildlife cards and place them to the side where all players can see them. When you’re done, your setup should look something like this. Preisträger – SPIEL Messe". Spiel. Archived from the original on 2020-11-03 . Retrieved 2022-12-17.If you are playing with children, or you wish to simplify the gameplay for yourself or other players, the game includes variant scoring. There are two extra options, presented as an easy mode and an intermediate mode. The easy mode makes each animal score in a similar way, reducing the number of scoring conditions the player must learn. Intermediate mode increases the challenge of the spatial puzzle, without adding complex scoring conditions. The game’s simple yet strategic tile-laying mechanics make it accessible to players of all skill levels, while its intricate puzzle-like nature provides a gratifying challenge. As a family, we really enjoy animal themed tabletop games, so Cascadia was right up our street! It is the game equivalent of curling up in front of the fire with a hot chocolate- one of the cozy games you can go to after a long day and relax with. Gameplay Players can also complete habitats by placing the required Animal Tokens adjacent to the terrain tiles.

Point City late pledges are open here HERE: https://gamefound.com/projects/flatout-games/2023-releases Balance Expansion and Optimization: While expanding your wilderness grid is important, ensure that you’re optimizing your existing habitats as well. Completing additional habitats often yields more points than simply adding terrain tiles. Over the course of a game of Cascadia, players will build up their own ecosystem by placing habitat tiles and wildlife tokens. On your turn you’ll select one of the habitat tile and animal token pairs and place them in your environment. Cascadia is a tile-laying board game where players create their own beautiful wilderness landscapes by matching different terrain types and habitats to score points. Here’s a detailed guide on how to play: Setup Rules are simple - take two adjacent cards from the dynamic city grid and add them to your expanding city. Use your resource cards and bonuses to construct building cards that require specific combinations. Build special civic structures to multiply your city’s points and be the top urban planner!What makes Cascadia’s components pop is the art by well-known game artist Beth Sobel. The animal art on the box and cards is first rate stuff, evoking the splendor of the natural wilderness. Even the small animal art on the counters and the tiny terrain on the hexes manages to stir the heartstrings a little. Rules and How to Play Cascadia runs very smoothly with little conflict as playing competitively will prevent you from scoring big. If you play only to stop someone else from getting a scoring group, you are more likely to lose as you will likely place hexes that do not add value to your own board. Replayability