Image Courtesy of GabryBeThis 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 appreciate the time and depth of analysis, please consider thumbing the bottom as it tells me I've helped you in some way. Thanks for reading.
Summary
Game Type - Racing Game
Play Time: 30-60 minutes
Number of Players: 2 – 5 (Best 4+)
Mechanics - Hand Management, Modular Boards
Difficulty - Pick-up & Play (Can be learned in 10 minutes and only takes 2-3 plays to get a handle on the thinking required)
Components - Excellent
Release - 2008
Designer(s) - <PERSON> -( Antics!, Antler Island, Dragonscroll, Poseidon's Kingdom, Savannah Tails, Shear Panic, Spellbound)
<PERSON> -( Antics!, Antler Island, Dragonscroll, Poseidon's Kingdom, Savannah Tails, Shear Panic, Spellbound)
Overview and Theme
Snow Tails is a racing game that uses the unique and quite fun theme of husky sled racing. It comes to us from the Lamont Brothers who have brought us other uniquely themed titles such as Antics, Antler Islandand Shear Panicto name but a few (all of which feature animals interestingly enough).
I actually began writing this review (all but finished it rather) back in 2011 and for whatever reason it was lost amongst my files. Having found and returned to it in 2015, the benefit of time allows me to state that the Scottish brothers have gone in a different direction since this release...preferring to design lavish and limited productions as opposed to larger scale ones like Snow Tails.
Snow Tails is largely about hand management skills as each player aims to control their sled through various obstacles and around corners by playing cards. Some of the mechanics used are similar to those found in other racers but as a package Snow Tails does manage to deliver a unique and enjoyable gaming experience.
It should also be noted that Snow Tails has been released by and , with both versions featuring a different box. Whether the components differ in any great way I am unsure but the images on offer would seem to suggest not.
Then in 2013 a new edition was released called. This release fell in line with the limited edition releases that the <PERSON> Brothers now seem to prefer and as such is very difficult to find. 470
The key difference in this release appears to be the inclusion of 3D components such as chapels, lighthouses and the like.
Images Courtesy of farchamb, JayB and <PERSON>
This review will be looking at the 2008 labelled release and seeing what the game has to offer in the Racing Game sub-genre.
The Components
The <PERSON> Brothers (<PERSON> and <PERSON>), who are Scottish, have really created a game that looks wonderful, even when the components are relatively simple (compared to their recent releases).
Track Tiles – In all there are a total of 16 double sided track tiles with which to build the tracks featured in the rulebook or to create your own custom designs. The tiles are of a lovely thickness and the artwork really evokes that sense of snow and ice and all things Northern Hemisphere.
Each tile is adorned with lines to help identify who is leading in close situations and then there are more subtle additions such as flags, little buds and some numbers, that all play a role in regards to one mechanic or another. You really get the sense that Snow Tails was designed with passion and not just rushed out to market to make a quick quid. As a game lover I appreciate that.
Image Courtesy of <PERSON> Templates – The next most important component are the Sled Templates, which are actually quite sizeable. But they need to be because they allow space for Dog Cards to be played onto your sled and Brake Markers to be placed their also.
Image Courtesy of cnidius
Dog and Dent Cards – Driving the play are the Dog cards. These come in decks of 20 and each deck is coloured to match the sled of each player. Each card depicts a top down view of a Husky doing their thing and each card features a value. In a nice artistic touch the top of each card features the eyes of a Husky looking at you…which kind of piles on the pressure to look after them.
The Dent Cards (see image in middle of review) simply feature a banged up sled with some just visible fir trees in the distance. Artistically they are simply designed to remind you of how much you suck at this sled racing thing. 581