Last modified April 8, 2025 by jarjar
The Svensso brothers, known for their creations Revive et Come Together, we present Spectacular, a game that follows in the footsteps of Cascadia et HarmoniesThe stunning box art showcases a nature and animal theme, a popular trend these days. This approach is reminiscent of Ark Nova, as both games share a common interest in animal conservation.
This placement game combines tiles and dice (and lots of dice here!) in a rather colorful universe. The practical organization in small boxes greatly facilitates the setup, allowing to start the games quickly.
The main mechanism of the game is based on the circulation of a board of reserves (which I call a boat, because its use reminds me of that :)). Each turn, you must make a single and crucial choice among the available elements (die or tile), an often difficult decision that requires some thought. Then, you must pass this boat to your neighbor. This mechanic offers an interesting tactical side: you must not only plan your own actions, but also take into account the needs of your opponents in order to try to block them (don't think you'll succeed in your first games, your focus will certainly be on optimizing your own board).
Although an advanced variant with end-game goals is suggested for more experienced players, there is no problem adding this variant in your first games if you are used to board games.
I had a hard time getting into my first game, especially because of the point system which seemed unintuitive to me (I even threatened to send it to Marketplace 😊). I gave it a second chance, and it went better with a better feel. It's the counting method which is still peculiar and definitely lacks ergonomics, it could be reworked because it's not a bad game.
Suggestion for counting points at the end of the game (Thanks to Charles and/or Louis): finish by calculating the different animals by stacking your tiles of identical animals.
GAME FACT
“We wanted to come up with a name that was different from the classic animal parks. The word “Spectacular” comes from the Latin (spectaculum), which means “to watch”. Given that there are observation towers in the game and the animals are spectacular in their own right, we found this title to be appropriate. It’s easier to make sequels/expansions when a title is more “general”😀.”
– Eilif Svensson
SOLO MODE
A very simple solo mode to operate, you turn a tile which removes a piece randomly on the boat (it does not move in this mode). You have to succeed at least 2 objectives out of 3 and make more than 200 points and you try to simply beat your best score.
TECHNICAL SHEET
Number of games played: 4
Best player configuration: 2-4
Level: family +
My best score: 176
MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS
I loved :
>> This boat that wanders between the players, the choices are often heartbreaking.
>> I love dice, so I'm thrilled with the material.
>> Excellent storage in the separate small boxes.
>> The games are quick, easy and even tempting to play again immediately after.
I liked less:
>> Counting the different animals is not easy and it is easy to make mistakes.
>> 2 different scoring phases, more difficult to get to grips with for those who are new to the game but which brings a very interesting twist to the planning!
>> Why the hell do you have to have 3 dice around the observation towers?
RULES POINTS
>> Before the very first round:
1) It is possible to exchange a starting tile with a tile from his inventory.
2) It is possible to re-roll the dice in your inventory.
>> Healer tiles: only one use per game.
>> Calculation of observatories, 3 dice must be present around, otherwise it is 0.
>> On reproduction tiles, you need a die to activate the heart.
>> When counting different animals, empty tiles (without dice) also count. Also remember to count your star animal (pre-printed on your board).
A colorful, visually appealing game with lots of dice offering us a not-so-easy puzzle to optimize, with a pleasant tile and dice combination mechanic.
FUN FACTOR 🙂 🙂 🙂