Image Courtesy of Dewit_Ankama
This review continues my series of detailed reviews that attempt to be part review, part resource for anyone not totally familiar with the game. For this reason I expect readers to skip to the sections that are of most interest.
If you liked the review please thumb the top of the article so others have a better chance of seeing it and I know you stopped by. If you thumb the bottom as well, I consider that a bonus. Thanks for reading.
Summary
Game Type – Family (Gateway) Game
Play Time: 10-20 minutes
Number of Players: 2-5 (Best 3+)
Mechanics – Drafting, Dice Rolling, Set Collection, Simultaneous Action Selection
Difficulty – Pick-Up & Play (Can be learned in under 10 minutes)
Components – Excellent +
Release – 2019
Designers –Antoine Bauza –(All things 7 Wonders, Arkeis, Conan, Ghost Stories, Hanabi, Last Bastion, Mystery Express, Namiji, Oceanos, Samurai Spirit, Takenoko, The Little Prince: Make Me a Planet, Tokaido, Victorian Masterminds, Welcome Back to the Dungeon)
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<PERSON> –( Arkeis, Flyin' Goblin, Takenoko: Chibis)
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( Arkeis, , , <PERSON>, All things , , , , , , , )
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( Arkeis, Flyin' Goblin, , ,
Overview and Theme
Draftosaurus is a light game to be sure and its simple rule-set, flow and play length put it into the 'Gateway' and 'Filler' categories as well. That doesn't mean that it might not interest gamers, but the design team behind this one does know their primary target audience and as such they keep any thematic backdrop and pretence to a minimum.
Essentially dinosaur DNA has successfully been cloned and that has led to a raft of Dino Zoos opening up around the world. As someone in charge of one of these zoos, we must do our best to fill our pens with the trendiest dinosaurs and in doing so lure in the crowds.
What that translates to is a game that uses drafting at its core as the players seek to acquire dinosaurs of various types in order to comply with the rules of each pen. In doing so they are hoping to earn the most points and claim the win. Throw in a dice to mix up the player decisions each turn and we have a very accessible game on our hands.
Two points of note. In the acknowledgements on the back of the rule book I notice the name of one <PERSON>. 470
I wonder if that is a pure (and cheeky) courtesy\nod to the Jurassic Park franchise or if the movie maker himself (or his team) was contacted to get official approval for the thematic concept to be used?
Secondly, it does seem odd for four designers to work on a game with such a light skeleton. The four names outlined above are also using the design name of Team Kaedama. Draftosaurus is certainly the most visible game to come out from them at this point but Arkeiswas a Kickstarter in 2019 with some interesting ideas and yet to be delivered...(I have that one on the way and look really forward to it.) The Team Kaedama Website states -
"We design board games on order based on your constraints (target audience, material, theme, etc.)"
This is an interesting approach to take as they are actually pitching to Publishers. A Design Team approach also gives the four individuals the benefits of collaboration, four minds can probably design something faster than a designer on their own and it probably gives them more clout in negotiations with Publishers. It may well be another means to ensure that work keeps coming in and food is put on the table. The reasoning behind this formation is one I would like to explore further and it will be interesting to see if it catches on as an industry development, but that is fodder for an article in another format. I also have no connection with Team Kaedama, in the interests of transparency.
Oh and Kaedama means 'extra noodles please' at a ramen restaurant. That's your useless fact for the day at no extra charge.
Anyway despite never having taken a 'selfie', pass me that selfie-stick will you...I have photos to take in front of enraged dinosaurs!
The Components
The company that made use of the Team Kaedama think-tank is a name relatively unknown to me in . They may be unfamiliar to you too as they started out in the video game world and have branched into other gaming fields. That said, they are behind and the upcoming Kickstarter Project, Arkeis, that I mentioned above. 304