I might be able to shed some light on why the coal is brown. The game originates from Germany, and the majority of their coal power plants utilize 'Braunkohle', which translates to 'brown coal' or 'lignite'.
The fugly board and resource parts had me laughing. This game really needs a remake, and I'd love to see Roxley do it. After what they were able to do with Brass, I'd love to see them remake Power Grid.
There is a "deluxe" version which is superior to this one (better cheerful cartoonish art and shaped resources) but it is not on the same level with Brass remakes for sure.
I love it. However I agree it could do with some streamlining in places, especially that time consuming trying to count out the cities, work out costs, see if you've left enough money for resources. Can take silly time, with rest just sat about. And yeah, looks like same version we have, some improvements and stuff for rulebook and icons etc.
I describe PowerGrid as Math the game, or as excel. If that doesn't sound fun then this game probably isn't for you. But I think its amazing. Recharged edition does fix issues of remembering when phase 2 starts, when the game ends, the resource's you need to refill, and the stale opening.
The "bad rulebook" and "fussy" criticisms are spot on. My gaming group brought Power Grid to the table, and we didn't even manage to play it because of arguing over which order the players should do one of the steps (as in, whether the currently first-place or the last-place player should begin doing the step first). I checked the rulebook and the text for Step 3 began with "players do this step in reverse order", and since Step 4's text did not begin with this clarification, I figured Step 4 was to played in regular order and told my friend as much. He disagreed , we spent minutes arguing and he actually phone-called his more experienced friend right then and there to confirm. Long story short: it turns out the text for Step 4 also mentioned it was to be played in reverse order... three sentences further down from the first sentence. Shortly after that we decided to bench Power Grid and played a different game. That night there were a couple people that were playing with us for the first time. I hope they eventually come back one day, but after what happened, I doubt it. Thanks Power Grid!
I owe the game, I like the game, I strongly disagree with you on this one. Math is almost non existing here (I am talking about the latest edition, perhaps it was a problem before), rules are fussy but only for a player that prepares deck of cards and quite frankly - I like the artwork of the map. Still - another fun review!
PG is an acquired taste, I think. If you like tension, uncertainty and ambiguity in your engine building game, then YES! If you want no variables and dead certain results in your engine building, stay away. PG is all about twists and turns and being $1 short. It may seem mathy if you don't play other economic games but there are others out now that make the number crunching here just plain simplistic. I love the smell of Power Grid in the morning....
Power Grid is still very much a great game for me. For all of its fiddliness, I still think that it's unique and squeezes a ton of fun and strategy into a relatively simple package by today's standards. I definitely disagree with your final rating, but your criticisms are absolutely fair. Great video.
Fair points; I agree that the rules are confusing and that paper money is terrible (we just use poker chips). However, I love the art style and think that overall, Power Grid is a wonderful game--it has been my favourite board game for over ten years. So, I would encourage your audience to try it. Maybe it's a love it or hate it game. If so, people should give it a chance just in case they find it electrifying.
Agreed on all counts, but especially buying poker chips. When I was taught, the player who owned PG had replaced the paper money with poker chips, hence I've never played with paper money. Poker chips should be one of the first things any board-gamer should buy. So versatile. I love PG. Top 3 for me (PG and PR are pretty much tied for me). I find PG very thematic (!) in the sense that the mechanics make perfect sense with the theme. The mechanics and phases work because they are logical and coherent with the theme. Like the earlier Euros, it contains a lot of player interaction - every phase presents an opportunity for screwage - and is a million miles away from a multiplayer solitaire game ("Gah! We 'ates 'em, don't we my preshus"). It is a pity that PG doesn't appear to be widely available. Would love a reprint to buy without secondary prices. A wonderful game. Update: Zatu Games (UK) expect stock of PG Recharged (replaces standard edition) end of the year! It will be appearing in my Christmas stocking
I still enjoy the game. Just played it yesterday and while it is confusing with the rules and what to do for the steps, it was pretty fun time. We had an opportunity to really screw the lead player in the last turn, but I didn't think about it in time for the player before me to buy up enough resources to make it impossible for them to power everything. But we forgot the rule that allows a player to build in a city that's far by paying the connection cost.
By the way Power gris recharged version has new rules, It is a Little bit different also they solved many problem about the phase of replacement of the recources. Also the two player game has new rules adding a "automatic" third player. Graphic looks old, I agree but that make the game original...vintage. Btw congrats for the video
@@NightsAroundaTable arkham horror, letters from whitechapel, ticket to ride, modern rules risk....im all over the place lol. We'll be playing our annual "Turkey Grid" championship tonight 😁
My buddy orders little turkey trophies lol. We always plan to play 2 separate games, then a championship game with the top players, but we always run out of time and end up ordering 2 trophies for the 2 winners instead 😂
You are doing awesome videos! I love power grid, but I agree it has a lot working against it. I always have to look up the rules on other sources, wether is TH-cam, bgg or my own printed guides lol. I guess it just has a lot of things I like, auction, different player orders and a very realistic market system. For being a 2004 game, it really is a shiny little guy. Is just perhaps outdated by today standards. I’m still a proud owner, will keep playing it for years to come.
You know you made a great and fair video when even though you are, dare I say, overwhelmingly negative about the game, this video still kinda makes me wanna play it, and prod at it, and see what it does. Great channel, great content. Thanks! (Also your Trickerion rules video is a work of art)
So kind! i feel okay taking shots at games that lots of people really enjoy, because i know i’m not going to have much of an impact on its chances to find an audience of players who’ll love it.
I've played Power Grid once. It was one of the first "proper" board games I played but luckily I didn't let it put me off 😂 A friend described it as "Excel - the board game". I disagree, pivot tables are much more fun!
Power Grid is one of the best games ever made. The art style is actually good, fitting with the theme. Using fossil fuels, garbage and uranium is realistic because it’s affordable. There are “green power” options that are available, but just like real life, they don’t give the same economic advantages as black gold.
Your final thoughts are based on a hypothetical player with dyscalculia trying to play the game. I’ve never heard such a far fetched angle. Do you play board games at all?
I quite like Power Grid, but it's not for everyone. For an auction game I would prefer Modern Art or Irish Gauge, for network and route building with a neat market/economy, I prefer Brass!
It depends on which mechanics turn your crank. If you’re into auctions, i really like the auction system in Keyflower. Lots of games have route building... like i mentioned, Ticket to Ride feels similar in that regard. i can’t think of a game with a similar push/pull economy thing going on, except maybe Terra Mystica, but in that game, it takes place on an individual level rather than among all players.
+1 for keyflower, the best auction game I have ever played! Brass is the best network building game I have tried. Clans of Caledonia has an even more interesting resource market which fully depends on players' choices (no auto replenish each turn). Power grid is good, but in my opinion these 3 are superior and have some similarities with it.
There is no better route building auction game so long as you are fine with 2-3 digit math, period. The question, for me, when determining whether Power Grid is a good fit is only whether you want to be doing 2-3 digit math for two hours. Most games get away from the 2-3 digit math by just having several different types of resources which are are easier or harder to get and I prefer the simplicity of a single currency.
Excellent video! My rule book doesn't have the language problems you demonstrated; maybe I have a second printing or something? I hear others complain about the rules too, so I'm sure you're not wrong-but I'm guessing people will have a better experience if they buy the game today. I also evaluate the game differently: I _love_ Power Grid. I'm maybe weird among Power Grid lovers in that I really love the game 2p-in fact I find it to be the best player count. In 2p there's one step of _really_ tedious math: once every city has been built in, the remaining network building is solvable and you can-and strategically should-calculate the exact (optimal) costs of network completion for each player. That calculation is awful, though: you add too many numbers that are too irregular to fit them all in your head. Oh well, break out your calculator app that round. The round-by-round calculations of operating costs and value deltas don't daunt me, but I'm a math person so my experience is perhaps not representative. I've played with a pair of biologists who didn't find the math daunting either; I can't tell how much math they did in the privacy of their own minds, though. The paper money in the game is great for marking off the parts of the board you're not playing on. It's a bit flimsy and slides easily, so maybe you can hold the paper money in place with a few poker chips on top. If your poker chips approximately match the paper money in color but don't have denominations on them, putting a stack of chips on top of the paper money creates a helpful little information display of denomination by chip color. If your poker chips are too heavy for your airplane luggage, the paper money also enables PG as a travel game. Did I remember to mention poker chips? Use those. Newer Power Grid items (e.g. expansion maps) come with cards per player count which show the resource restocking rate. I agree with you that the rule book is a bad reference, especially since the table is visually busy. I put dice next to one unit of each resource type, pip count indicating the restocking rate. I guess putting one coal/oil/... on top of a small stack of poker chips could also indicate restocking rates reasonably well. Then you only have to look at the rule book on every phase change. I find a card to be the best solution, but substitutes are reasonable. I like the visual aesthetics. It fits a blue collar heavy industry: grimy, a bit dark, it suggests your clothes might get dirty if you get too close. Very fitting, very clear and just the right amount of color. You have a good point about the black and white coal vs. oil icons; I had forgotten all about it, so I guess the problem goes away after a few plays. Living close to Germany, I found the power plug on the back of the cards perfectly understandable. I hadn't considered that it could be confusing to people from faraway places. I'm happy that you've shown me that angle. I guess we have different tastes. Enjoy the games you like. I'll keep enjoying Power Grid :)
I've played it a couple times and thought it was interesting and fun. But I'm curious to know what newer games would be a replacement? I've got my eyes on smartphones Inc
I love this format but so much of the first ones just felt like padding so you would end up with more not fun than fun. IDK who you hand around with, but I'd be just as understanding with someone who had trouble with numbers as reading. Might be because I grew up in a fairly uneducated community.
i mean, i did have two “fun” slots that were essentially blank! The game’s not unfun. It’s very gamey, if that makes sense? A very gamer’s game. It feels a little too much like coding “to the metal,” to borrow a programming term. Like, when the theme disappears and all i can see are the numbers. Coimbra felt like that too. i just prefer a game that obfuscates its math modelling and immerses me in its theme and world and art and non-mathematical purpose.
Disagree on some "not fun" things. Different power socket cards back based on country? Understood, but then? Higher production cost, difficulties in replacements, different expansions too....not very practical.
They manage to produce the game and its expansions with localized boxes, rulebooks, boards, and reference cards, but a different piece of artwork on the deck is somehow a bridge too far?
I couldn’t agree with you more. Played this game once and that was enough. Overly long rules teach, fiddle rules, terrible rulebook. The only aspect I enjoyed was the market and that wasn’t enough to save it. I’ll be happy to not play this one again.
It’s funny, because i remember that waxing and waning market was the one thing i thought was really neat the first time i ever played, and it came off as pretty clever again in my recent refresh game. But it’s not enough to warrant spending my time away from far better games.
I really enjoy your videos. I must say that the “ugliness” of this game doesn’t bother me-the busted pipes and grime are thematic for me. It’s really ok. But I also think Castles of Burgundy and Dominion are just fine too. So maybe it’s just me.
I saw powergrid have come to iphone now so thinking of trying that , and it shud help out with alout if the calculation right (i suspect)? can it be more fun that way ?
Yes, very possible! A lot of virtual implementations of board games make them more enjoyable, by taking care of the setup, tear down, cleanup, and mathin’.
@@NightsAroundaTable agree, already have a couple raiders of the north sea, wingspan, ticket to ride, roll for the galaxy and thrue the ages and al works great and alot faster :)
I suspect the math mockery is because math is so universally reviled that the actual disabilities related to it get buried in that. I’ve heard that, even in math-based industries, they have this mentality of, “If you’re not struggling with it and hating it, you’re working beneath your skill level.”
It comes out at the game table quite a bit, where one player who is faster at arithmetic will move score markers in one jump, while sometimes i have to sit there and move them space by space, counting by 1's, while the one-jump crowd gets impatient and ornery about it. i think that's where math anxiety crashes into daily life most keenly for me.
Do Pipeline next! I'd be interested to see what you think of it compared to Power Grid... not that they're in any way similar mechanically, but Pipeline can be really mathy as well... and tho I hate mathy games, I really enjoy Pipeline (even though I never win because... who has time for math?!). Power Grid, on the other hand, I always found too intimidating to try...
It’s only as intimidating as third grade minute math. But i’m sure if everyone knows the game and the deck and the board really well, it can get into 4D chess territory.
@@NightsAroundaTable It's more the fiddliness and inconsistencies than the math that kept me away from PowerGrid. I have a smooth brain, jagged rules bounce right off. Pipeline, on the other hand, is pretty elegant. Thematically they're similar, but mechanically and visually, Pipeline is the polar opposite of Power Grid.
@@BenS1002 It is a little fiddly but the rules are super simple and the player aid is really good. I don't know what you mean by "inconsistencies" though--they rules are drop dead simple. I would give it a try--it flows well, never requires a rule lookup, makes intuitive sense (always penalize the leader), and is cheap. IF you can't remember the phases it's because you're not remembering that the leader is just always penalized--there is nothing else complicated about the phases. Most of his complaints about components and fugly and iconography are fixed in the Deluxe version anyways.
Ryan doesn’t like auctions, or area control, or dynamic markets, or thematic art? I don’t buy it. Basically Ryan is salty because his child beats him, and he has shitty friends that mock people who are bad at math. I wouldn’t even say this game has any “math”. More like counting. Cut those friends from your life and go play PowerGrid Recharged with your daughter. It’s okay to have her do the math. Also, try Modern Art and Container with your daughter. She will love them. First criticism is incorrect. You cannot block off the board; you can always connect through others. Most of the criticism were fixed many years ago. Recharged is three years old already. There is a reason it’s still being played two decades later; not many games have such a balanced puzzle combining a social game, area control, auction, and dynamic markets.
Yes... it's pretty tedious to get through, especially deep into the game with large numbers for cash transactions and trying to figure out how to allocate it all efficiently. It's even worse when it's my board game night so I'm the "banker" and have to dispense all that nonsense every turn. Also takes obnoxiously long with 5 or 6 players. The polluted art though, I think that's a valid and whimsical theme they're going for... environmentalist commentary about reckless capitalistic expansionism with disregard for environmental impact. As the power plants on the cards get bigger, the sky gets darker and uglier. Then you finally reach the ecological age and the art suddenly becomes bright and happy with clean skies as wind turbines pop up to replace the polluters. But sometimes I just want to play games with friends, stuff my face with junk food, and win the points... you know, without having to ponder the blindspots of human greed and the tragedy of the commons.
That’s it exactly. i get what you’re saying, and i think “wry” might be a more apt description than “whimsical.” But i don’t need my board games to remind me of societal ills while i play. Scythe is a bit borderline for me on that front.
Not yet! i tend to shy away from reviews. Not sure why. But you can see a list of the games i enjoyed from last year here: th-cam.com/video/60sWeo5oKFA/w-d-xo.html
I liked power grid fine enough for a few turns, however we found that a runaway leader problem was significant in the game. And it usually came down to everyone watching two players fight for the win for an hour. So I sold it years ago and haven't looked back.
Think this was an inexperience problem. The game compensates for a leader through giving the leader bad resource pricing, bad access to power plants, bad access to the map. The runaway two leader problem you're describing seems to be about two people being better at the game, which is exactly how we want the leaders of a game to work (do we want to reward bad decisions??).
Sorry to be blunt but you had a rule wrong somewhere. Leading in Power Grid is a huge disadvantage. You do not want to lead until your last turn. If someone jumps out in front, it is pretty easy to pull them back. The game punishes you hard for an early lead.
Complaining about math in board games ( where most of them are based around math) is lame.... Complaining about resources ( coal, trash and oil) its a big LoL .... I guess go hide under your rock and play Monopoly , ahhh sorry even that dumb game has math in it, nevermind....
I might be able to shed some light on why the coal is brown.
The game originates from Germany, and the majority of their coal power plants utilize 'Braunkohle', which translates to 'brown coal' or 'lignite'.
Aha! Duolingo has failed me once again.
Braunkohle: Brennt wie Wasser - Brown Coal, burns like water. A joke about just how dirty and ineffective it actually is as a power source.
I've played Power Grid three times and really enjoyed it every time. It's been a while, I should bust this out again. Good video though!
Thanks wenchwogg! For sure - those who like it, like it a lot!
The fugly board and resource parts had me laughing.
This game really needs a remake, and I'd love to see Roxley do it. After what they were able to do with Brass, I'd love to see them remake Power Grid.
Step 1: soot!
There is a "deluxe" version which is superior to this one (better cheerful cartoonish art and shaped resources) but it is not on the same level with Brass remakes for sure.
Yeah - those Brass remakes. i had to give me head a shake and check that it was, indeed, the same series.
I like the look of it.
Would you guys recommend this over Brass: Birmingham? Im conflicted between the two.
I love it. However I agree it could do with some streamlining in places, especially that time consuming trying to count out the cities, work out costs, see if you've left enough money for resources. Can take silly time, with rest just sat about. And yeah, looks like same version we have, some improvements and stuff for rulebook and icons etc.
i love that you love it!
I describe PowerGrid as Math the game, or as excel. If that doesn't sound fun then this game probably isn't for you. But I think its amazing. Recharged edition does fix issues of remembering when phase 2 starts, when the game ends, the resource's you need to refill, and the stale opening.
i mean, Excel certainly has its fans! Do you know about the competitive Excel circuit? (No joke!)
The "bad rulebook" and "fussy" criticisms are spot on. My gaming group brought Power Grid to the table, and we didn't even manage to play it because of arguing over which order the players should do one of the steps (as in, whether the currently first-place or the last-place player should begin doing the step first). I checked the rulebook and the text for Step 3 began with "players do this step in reverse order", and since Step 4's text did not begin with this clarification, I figured Step 4 was to played in regular order and told my friend as much. He disagreed , we spent minutes arguing and he actually phone-called his more experienced friend right then and there to confirm. Long story short: it turns out the text for Step 4 also mentioned it was to be played in reverse order... three sentences further down from the first sentence. Shortly after that we decided to bench Power Grid and played a different game.
That night there were a couple people that were playing with us for the first time. I hope they eventually come back one day, but after what happened, I doubt it. Thanks Power Grid!
Absolutely amazing seeing someone actually not just drooling over a board game community darling.
I owe the game, I like the game, I strongly disagree with you on this one. Math is almost non existing here (I am talking about the latest edition, perhaps it was a problem before), rules are fussy but only for a player that prepares deck of cards and quite frankly - I like the artwork of the map. Still - another fun review!
It's a well-liked game, for sure - just not by me!
PG is an acquired taste, I think. If you like tension, uncertainty and ambiguity in your engine building game, then YES! If you want no variables and dead certain results in your engine building, stay away. PG is all about twists and turns and being $1 short. It may seem mathy if you don't play other economic games but there are others out now that make the number crunching here just plain simplistic. I love the smell of Power Grid in the morning....
Well put!
Power Grid is still very much a great game for me. For all of its fiddliness, I still think that it's unique and squeezes a ton of fun and strategy into a relatively simple package by today's standards. I definitely disagree with your final rating, but your criticisms are absolutely fair. Great video.
Well said. I came to say pretty much the exact same thing.
I enjoyed the game, but your criticisms are all on point 👍 this was fun to watch!
Glad board games have improved since then! 😊
Fair points; I agree that the rules are confusing and that paper money is terrible (we just use poker chips). However, I love the art style and think that overall, Power Grid is a wonderful game--it has been my favourite board game for over ten years. So, I would encourage your audience to try it. Maybe it's a love it or hate it game. If so, people should give it a chance just in case they find it electrifying.
i SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE!
Agreed on all counts, but especially buying poker chips. When I was taught, the player who owned PG had replaced the paper money with poker chips, hence I've never played with paper money.
Poker chips should be one of the first things any board-gamer should buy. So versatile.
I love PG. Top 3 for me (PG and PR are pretty much tied for me). I find PG very thematic (!) in the sense that the mechanics make perfect sense with the theme. The mechanics and phases work because they are logical and coherent with the theme.
Like the earlier Euros, it contains a lot of player interaction - every phase presents an opportunity for screwage - and is a million miles away from a multiplayer solitaire game ("Gah! We 'ates 'em, don't we my preshus").
It is a pity that PG doesn't appear to be widely available. Would love a reprint to buy without secondary prices.
A wonderful game.
Update: Zatu Games (UK) expect stock of PG Recharged (replaces standard edition) end of the year! It will be appearing in my Christmas stocking
I still enjoy the game. Just played it yesterday and while it is confusing with the rules and what to do for the steps, it was pretty fun time. We had an opportunity to really screw the lead player in the last turn, but I didn't think about it in time for the player before me to buy up enough resources to make it impossible for them to power everything. But we forgot the rule that allows a player to build in a city that's far by paying the connection cost.
i, too, conveniently forget rules that require me to math.
By the way Power gris recharged version has new rules, It is a Little bit different also they solved many problem about the phase of replacement of the recources.
Also the two player game has new rules adding a "automatic" third player.
Graphic looks old, I agree but that make the game original...vintage.
Btw congrats for the video
This is my fav board game and it's not even close
Fascinating! What's in your Top 5?
@@NightsAroundaTable arkham horror, letters from whitechapel, ticket to ride, modern rules risk....im all over the place lol.
We'll be playing our annual "Turkey Grid" championship tonight 😁
@@deezdgbt Oooh! How many games in the tourney? What does the winner get? Glory? (MORE turkey??)
My buddy orders little turkey trophies lol. We always plan to play 2 separate games, then a championship game with the top players, but we always run out of time and end up ordering 2 trophies for the 2 winners instead 😂
@@deezdgbt Sounds GRAND. Thanks for sharing!
You are doing awesome videos! I love power grid, but I agree it has a lot working against it. I always have to look up the rules on other sources, wether is TH-cam, bgg or my own printed guides lol. I guess it just has a lot of things I like, auction, different player orders and a very realistic market system. For being a 2004 game, it really is a shiny little guy. Is just perhaps outdated by today standards. I’m still a proud owner, will keep playing it for years to come.
So true. i looked up other 2004 games, and i can see why it got the attention it did.
You know you made a great and fair video when even though you are, dare I say, overwhelmingly negative about the game, this video still kinda makes me wanna play it, and prod at it, and see what it does. Great channel, great content. Thanks!
(Also your Trickerion rules video is a work of art)
So kind! i feel okay taking shots at games that lots of people really enjoy, because i know i’m not going to have much of an impact on its chances to find an audience of players who’ll love it.
I've played Power Grid once. It was one of the first "proper" board games I played but luckily I didn't let it put me off 😂
A friend described it as "Excel - the board game". I disagree, pivot tables are much more fun!
Ha! Love it!
Power Grid is one of the best games ever made. The art style is actually good, fitting with the theme. Using fossil fuels, garbage and uranium is realistic because it’s affordable. There are “green power” options that are available, but just like real life, they don’t give the same economic advantages as black gold.
Your final thoughts are based on a hypothetical player with dyscalculia trying to play the game.
I’ve never heard such a far fetched angle.
Do you play board games at all?
No. i’ve never played a board games.
@@NightsAroundaTable that explains it then.
Finally!! Another “find the fun” video!
i’m committing to one a month, so buckle up!
I quite like Power Grid, but it's not for everyone. For an auction game I would prefer Modern Art or Irish Gauge, for network and route building with a neat market/economy, I prefer Brass!
i've never played any of those, but i quite like the auction system in Keyflower - particularly since you can re-allocate your out-bid meeples!
@@NightsAroundaTable LOVE keyflower, but the auction feels different than in power grid
@@DMExplains It's unique, for sure.
@@NightsAroundaTable that wholly unique experience is why Keyflower is in my top 10. it's so good
So, what's a better option with the same mechanics?
It depends on which mechanics turn your crank. If you’re into auctions, i really like the auction system in Keyflower. Lots of games have route building... like i mentioned, Ticket to Ride feels similar in that regard. i can’t think of a game with a similar push/pull economy thing going on, except maybe Terra Mystica, but in that game, it takes place on an individual level rather than among all players.
Concordia has network building, auction I'm not sure, I'm not really into those.
+1 for keyflower, the best auction game I have ever played!
Brass is the best network building game I have tried.
Clans of Caledonia has an even more interesting resource market which fully depends on players' choices (no auto replenish each turn).
Power grid is good, but in my opinion these 3 are superior and have some similarities with it.
Barrage
There is no better route building auction game so long as you are fine with 2-3 digit math, period. The question, for me, when determining whether Power Grid is a good fit is only whether you want to be doing 2-3 digit math for two hours. Most games get away from the 2-3 digit math by just having several different types of resources which are are easier or harder to get and I prefer the simplicity of a single currency.
Excellent video!
My rule book doesn't have the language problems you demonstrated; maybe I have a second printing or something? I hear others complain about the rules too, so I'm sure you're not wrong-but I'm guessing people will have a better experience if they buy the game today.
I also evaluate the game differently: I _love_ Power Grid. I'm maybe weird among Power Grid lovers in that I really love the game 2p-in fact I find it to be the best player count.
In 2p there's one step of _really_ tedious math: once every city has been built in, the remaining network building is solvable and you can-and strategically should-calculate the exact (optimal) costs of network completion for each player. That calculation is awful, though: you add too many numbers that are too irregular to fit them all in your head. Oh well, break out your calculator app that round. The round-by-round calculations of operating costs and value deltas don't daunt me, but I'm a math person so my experience is perhaps not representative. I've played with a pair of biologists who didn't find the math daunting either; I can't tell how much math they did in the privacy of their own minds, though.
The paper money in the game is great for marking off the parts of the board you're not playing on. It's a bit flimsy and slides easily, so maybe you can hold the paper money in place with a few poker chips on top. If your poker chips approximately match the paper money in color but don't have denominations on them, putting a stack of chips on top of the paper money creates a helpful little information display of denomination by chip color. If your poker chips are too heavy for your airplane luggage, the paper money also enables PG as a travel game. Did I remember to mention poker chips? Use those.
Newer Power Grid items (e.g. expansion maps) come with cards per player count which show the resource restocking rate. I agree with you that the rule book is a bad reference, especially since the table is visually busy. I put dice next to one unit of each resource type, pip count indicating the restocking rate. I guess putting one coal/oil/... on top of a small stack of poker chips could also indicate restocking rates reasonably well. Then you only have to look at the rule book on every phase change. I find a card to be the best solution, but substitutes are reasonable.
I like the visual aesthetics. It fits a blue collar heavy industry: grimy, a bit dark, it suggests your clothes might get dirty if you get too close. Very fitting, very clear and just the right amount of color. You have a good point about the black and white coal vs. oil icons; I had forgotten all about it, so I guess the problem goes away after a few plays.
Living close to Germany, I found the power plug on the back of the cards perfectly understandable. I hadn't considered that it could be confusing to people from faraway places. I'm happy that you've shown me that angle.
I guess we have different tastes. Enjoy the games you like. I'll keep enjoying Power Grid :)
I've played it a couple times and thought it was interesting and fun. But I'm curious to know what newer games would be a replacement? I've got my eyes on smartphones Inc
Check c.k. lester’s comment further down the thread - some good suggestions are piling up in there.
I love this format but so much of the first ones just felt like padding so you would end up with more not fun than fun.
IDK who you hand around with, but I'd be just as understanding with someone who had trouble with numbers as reading. Might be because I grew up in a fairly uneducated community.
Should point out I've never played and don't want to play it.
i mean, i did have two “fun” slots that were essentially blank!
The game’s not unfun. It’s very gamey, if that makes sense? A very gamer’s game. It feels a little too much like coding “to the metal,” to borrow a programming term. Like, when the theme disappears and all i can see are the numbers. Coimbra felt like that too. i just prefer a game that obfuscates its math modelling and immerses me in its theme and world and art and non-mathematical purpose.
10:03 Why did this have to be such a cute review. 😊❤
agreed 100% with this analysis! Great video
Love your channel brother, well done. Stay rested and well, best to you and yours
Thanks, Music Bobo!
Disagree on some "not fun" things.
Different power socket cards back based on country? Understood, but then? Higher production cost, difficulties in replacements, different expansions too....not very practical.
They manage to produce the game and its expansions with localized boxes, rulebooks, boards, and reference cards, but a different piece of artwork on the deck is somehow a bridge too far?
@@NightsAroundaTable probably
Seems like the Deluxe version fixed most of these issues
I couldn’t agree with you more. Played this game once and that was enough. Overly long rules teach, fiddle rules, terrible rulebook. The only aspect I enjoyed was the market and that wasn’t enough to save it. I’ll be happy to not play this one again.
It’s funny, because i remember that waxing and waning market was the one thing i thought was really neat the first time i ever played, and it came off as pretty clever again in my recent refresh game. But it’s not enough to warrant spending my time away from far better games.
I'm terrible at math, but each time I play this I have fun. My wife, who is a math whiz - calculates in her head, etc. - loathes this game. Who knew?
It’s Backwards Day!
I really enjoy your videos. I must say that the “ugliness” of this game doesn’t bother me-the busted pipes and grime are thematic for me. It’s really ok. But I also think Castles of Burgundy and Dominion are just fine too. So maybe it’s just me.
You value INNER beauty!
I have the deluxe version and I wish I had money paper, because the Sad plastic chips are even worse
Paper money is cheap to buy! Monopoly refill packs abound.
I saw powergrid have come to iphone now so thinking of trying that , and it shud help out with alout if the calculation right (i suspect)?
can it be more fun that way ?
Yes, very possible! A lot of virtual implementations of board games make them more enjoyable, by taking care of the setup, tear down, cleanup, and mathin’.
@@NightsAroundaTable agree, already have a couple
raiders of the north sea, wingspan, ticket to ride, roll for the galaxy and thrue the ages and al works great and alot faster :)
I so agree with you about the movies :D
I suspect the math mockery is because math is so universally reviled that the actual disabilities related to it get buried in that. I’ve heard that, even in math-based industries, they have this mentality of, “If you’re not struggling with it and hating it, you’re working beneath your skill level.”
It comes out at the game table quite a bit, where one player who is faster at arithmetic will move score markers in one jump, while sometimes i have to sit there and move them space by space, counting by 1's, while the one-jump crowd gets impatient and ornery about it. i think that's where math anxiety crashes into daily life most keenly for me.
Do Pipeline next! I'd be interested to see what you think of it compared to Power Grid... not that they're in any way similar mechanically, but Pipeline can be really mathy as well... and tho I hate mathy games, I really enjoy Pipeline (even though I never win because... who has time for math?!). Power Grid, on the other hand, I always found too intimidating to try...
It’s only as intimidating as third grade minute math. But i’m sure if everyone knows the game and the deck and the board really well, it can get into 4D chess territory.
@@NightsAroundaTable It's more the fiddliness and inconsistencies than the math that kept me away from PowerGrid. I have a smooth brain, jagged rules bounce right off. Pipeline, on the other hand, is pretty elegant. Thematically they're similar, but mechanically and visually, Pipeline is the polar opposite of Power Grid.
@@BenS1002 It is a little fiddly but the rules are super simple and the player aid is really good. I don't know what you mean by "inconsistencies" though--they rules are drop dead simple. I would give it a try--it flows well, never requires a rule lookup, makes intuitive sense (always penalize the leader), and is cheap. IF you can't remember the phases it's because you're not remembering that the leader is just always penalized--there is nothing else complicated about the phases. Most of his complaints about components and fugly and iconography are fixed in the Deluxe version anyways.
Ryan doesn’t like auctions, or area control, or dynamic markets, or thematic art? I don’t buy it. Basically Ryan is salty because his child beats him, and he has shitty friends that mock people who are bad at math. I wouldn’t even say this game has any “math”. More like counting.
Cut those friends from your life and go play PowerGrid Recharged with your daughter. It’s okay to have her do the math. Also, try Modern Art and Container with your daughter. She will love them.
First criticism is incorrect. You cannot block off the board; you can always connect through others.
Most of the criticism were fixed many years ago. Recharged is three years old already. There is a reason it’s still being played two decades later; not many games have such a balanced puzzle combining a social game, area control, auction, and dynamic markets.
100% agree. Don't let the haters hate
Lovers of Power Grid are free to express their passion here! Reviews are always just the opinion of some dumb stooge like me, and what do i know?
Yes... it's pretty tedious to get through, especially deep into the game with large numbers for cash transactions and trying to figure out how to allocate it all efficiently. It's even worse when it's my board game night so I'm the "banker" and have to dispense all that nonsense every turn. Also takes obnoxiously long with 5 or 6 players.
The polluted art though, I think that's a valid and whimsical theme they're going for... environmentalist commentary about reckless capitalistic expansionism with disregard for environmental impact. As the power plants on the cards get bigger, the sky gets darker and uglier. Then you finally reach the ecological age and the art suddenly becomes bright and happy with clean skies as wind turbines pop up to replace the polluters. But sometimes I just want to play games with friends, stuff my face with junk food, and win the points... you know, without having to ponder the blindspots of human greed and the tragedy of the commons.
That’s it exactly. i get what you’re saying, and i think “wry” might be a more apt description than “whimsical.” But i don’t need my board games to remind me of societal ills while i play. Scythe is a bit borderline for me on that front.
I HATE Power Grid.
And there's a dude in our gaming meetup who will play nothing else.
He will be "dealt with".
Like… read the room, That Guy!
Good arguments. Do you have a suggested list on bgg?
Not yet! i tend to shy away from reviews. Not sure why. But you can see a list of the games i enjoyed from last year here:
th-cam.com/video/60sWeo5oKFA/w-d-xo.html
My only memories of this game are the math. And how much we didn't like doing the math.
Hey, Ry! Been thinking about you lately. Hope all is well.
What a whiner.
so the game is great. design sucks..
It definitely has its fans!
I liked power grid fine enough for a few turns, however we found that a runaway leader problem was significant in the game. And it usually came down to everyone watching two players fight for the win for an hour. So I sold it years ago and haven't looked back.
Think this was an inexperience problem. The game compensates for a leader through giving the leader bad resource pricing, bad access to power plants, bad access to the map. The runaway two leader problem you're describing seems to be about two people being better at the game, which is exactly how we want the leaders of a game to work (do we want to reward bad decisions??).
Sorry to be blunt but you had a rule wrong somewhere. Leading in Power Grid is a huge disadvantage. You do not want to lead until your last turn. If someone jumps out in front, it is pretty easy to pull them back. The game punishes you hard for an early lead.
Complaining about math in board games ( where most of them are based around math) is lame.... Complaining about resources ( coal, trash and oil) its a big LoL .... I guess go hide under your rock and play Monopoly , ahhh sorry even that dumb game has math in it, nevermind....
Keep keepin’ that gate, gatekeeper!
Cult of the new??
Nah, man. i got Power Grid a few years after it was released, and i didn’t like it then, either. But i adore lots of older games.
Dear Ryan, I love you a lot. So I forgive you this BLASPHEMY!! Happy New Year to y´all!
i speak the truth! :P HNY