Category: Cards

Puerto Rico (Special 3D Edition by Awaken Realms)

Puerto Rico was the #1 Game for SIX YEARS (according to BoardGameGeek)

I purchased BOTH the base/core standard game AND the all in Grande Pledge from Awaken  Realms.  Here are my thoughts on what I will actually use when playing the game:

I think my choice of what I will use when playing the game is: Acrylic building & role tiles, 3D plantation/estate tiles, 3D Trading House (and maybe the building where the workers are recruited), 3D crates of produce (ie, bananas, corn, etc), metal coins … I think I will try playing with the 3D miniatures for the workers (though the tan circular discs are just fine too – and both will fit in the indented circle in the 3D plantation/estate tiles … I like the neoprene mat but it doesn’t fit in the box… the 3D ships are nice but perhaps easier to play with the cardboard ships. First player marker is kind of irrelevant so I may use the 3D version or the cardbard (not sure). Wooden victory point tokens are the same. I packed everything that I am going to use into the Special Edition box and there is 2 inches lid lift.

=> BoardGameGeek
=> Gamefound

=> Final Special Edition Rulebook // from=> Awaken Realms download section
=> Len’s 1pg Rule Summary (v3) for 3-5 players
=> Lens 1pg 2player Puerto Rico 1897 SE Rule Summary (v5) for 2 players

SEE ALSO=> Deluxe Edition (before the Special Edition was way way more deluxe)
=> 3D printable WAY BETTER round Resource Tray(s)

=> Video playlist Special Edition // Original Edition

This is MY unboxing of the Grande Pledge (with EVERYTHING) comparing it to the base/core game and also comparing with the original game:

Review (I think she called it a “perfect game”) PLUS she called it her #1 game of 2025 – see bottom of page:

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Tedoku (flip N roll N write)

1-12+ players // 10 mins // Easy

Easy to learn, setup and play. One person rolls one die and flips one card that everyone uses (so no claiming that you got the bad cards:) Everyone draws the shape shown on the die in the row, column or grid area specified by the card.

=> BoardGameGeek
=> Official Website
=> Rulebook AND Player Sheets
=> Len’s half page Rule Summary

=> Large Player Sheet (print your own)
=> 4 player sheets page (print your own)

=> Video Playlist

Official Quick Overview:

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A Nice Cuppa (Button Shy Solo card game)

1 player Solo // 15 mins // Easy

OK … when considering games that are easy to play in a Coffee Shop, it seems appropriate to include a couple COFFEE / TEA games, like this. The game fits in your pocket (literally) and needs very little table space. Plus you can play a full game in 15 minutes – about the time to drink your coffee or tea.

=> BoardGameGeek
=> Official Webpage
=> Rulebook

=> Video playlist

Overview:

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Coffee Rush

2-4 players (best with 3) // 30-45 mins // Easy

When I found out that the coffee shop that I go to (Java Abilities) allows people to play games, I not only created a group of games that would be perfect to play in a coffee shop (quick and easy on a small table), but I included a couple coffee / tea themed games as well.

=> BoardGameGeek
=> Solo Variant
=> Rules
=> Len’s 1 page Coffee Rush v3 Rule Summary (2 players or 3-4 players)

=> Video Playlist

Overview (from Ryan and Bethany)

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Cosmic Encounter

=> BoardGameGeek PLUS 7 Expansions (in order of release – first three add a player):
=> Incursion // Conflict // Alliance // Storm // Dominion // Eons // Odyssey
=> 2pg Rules Summary (not Len’s though) with Added Reference Card
=> Quick Start Guide (Official Comic Style)
=> Core Game Rulebook (Official) 2018
=> Rulebook (official) 2008 (some say it’s better)

=> Master Alien Selector v7 Spreadsheet (make a copy for yourself) / or BGG Master Aliens Selector v7 Color Coded – List PDF (Helps Choose Aliens)
=> Alien Database (figures someone would do this:)
=> Alien Sheets / Alien Tips (Fandom Wiki)
=> 3D printing planets for the game (an article about doing it – VERY time consuming) / video of them

=> Len’s Alien List v5 Color coded (2 columns per page color coded by alert AND expansion)

=> Play Online (web based)

=> Select an Alien by number (1-238) [repeat if needed]
=> Alien Combos (suggested aliens that go well together for up to 8 players)

How to play each Alien (for and against):

=> Base Game
=> Cosmic Incursion
=> Cosmic Alliance
=> Cosmic Conflict
=> Cosmic Dominion
=> Cosmic Storm
=> Cosmic Eons
=> Cosmic Odyssey

=> Video playlist

Great Overview plus How To Play:

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Vantage

=> BoardGameGeek
=> Annotated Rulebook v20
=> Official Player Aid Reference Card
=> Lens 1 page Rules Summary Vantage v2
=> Errata (mistakes on the cards) – see end of this article)

=> RulePop (includes the errata and easy to use storybook entries)

=> Vantage Locations Checklist (v2 with room for journal notes)
=> Log Your Journey (location by location) Thin Columns
=> Vantage Travel Journal (lots of room for journaling along with location number space plus print single sided so spiral bound has alternating blank pages)

=> Video playlist
=> Several videos about things we may be playing wrong (officially recommended)
=> Background Music for Vantage

From the designer: Vantage is primarily designed to reward curiosity, observation, and shared knowledge (either with other players or with yourself from previous plays). It is a rewarding, abundant game, not a punishing game; if you pay attention, use your eyes, and discuss what you see and have seen, the game will reward you. [ie, you ALWAYS succeed when you try something … it’s just that the COST to have done it can be minor or MAJOR:) ]

Tip: Games may be harder with fewer players. However, with 4, 5 or 6 players there is quite a bit of lag before you get your turn again!

It is possible to add in or drop players to a game in progress. To add in . . . just like another escape pod landed on the planet, treat them like additional player in start up, and have them land on the planet and add 2 more black dice to the game.

Overview (queued to summing up the game – if you like it, go back to the beginning for his overview of playing the game)

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