Get Ready for a Wild Ride: My Colt Express Review

Imagine a dusty savannah on the Wild West. A train is chugging along the endless desert plains, carrying wealthy passengers and valuable cargo to their destination. You hop on the train, and your main goal is to get richer. But you're not the only one - some outlaws have also spotted this train. And to make matters worse, there's a Sheriff on board, whose acquaintance you'd rather avoid.

The Wild West spirit of Colt Express is all about immersing yourself in a tabletop game.

Game boxWhen you first meet the game, you need to assemble it first. Specifically, the train cars, locomotive, and part of the environment. This little task gets you excited for the adventure ahead.Before the game starts, you'll need to set up the train cars on the table, with the number of cars matching the number of players. The locomotive goes at the front of the train, setting the tone for the action-packed game to come.

Next, we move on to choosing a bandit to play as. There can be 2 to 6 players in total. Each bandit has a unique visual appearance and special abilities, as well as their own deck of cards. I love how each character brings their own twist to the game.

You can find out more about each character's abilities in the rules. Some of them might draw the first card face-down, while others increase the number of cards in their hand or allow them to change certain rules during a shootout.

Player decksThen it's time to choose the number of rounds. This will vary from game to game, depending on the number of players. To determine the number of rounds, you'll need to draw 5 cards from a pool of 7. This adds some unpredictability to the game.We're getting close to starting the game. You'll need to place the bags of money on the train cars with the special symbols, put the Sheriff's token in the locomotive, set up the bandits' tokens according to the rules, and put aside the neutral cards. Finally, you're ready to start playing and see who will emerge victorious.

Characters in the gameObjective - become the richest outlaw on the Wild West, all while taking as few bullets as possible from other outlaws. And, of course, the most accurate shooter gets an extra $1000. It's a thrilling goal to strive for.Rounds in the game are divided into 2 phases.

planning phaseaction phaseDuring the planning phase, the top card of the round is revealed, showing the rules for playing cards in that round. Some cards are face-up, while others are face-down. Sometimes, two cards are played right off the bat. It's all indicated on the card itself with special symbols. You need to pay close attention to these rules to plan your next move effectively.

Components of the gamePlayers draw 6 action cards from their individual deck. And during the planning phase, they can either play a card from their hand or draw 3 new cards from the deck. This balance between strategy and luck is what makes the game so engaging.The order in which cards are played is crucial. It's the order in which they'll be played out during the action phase. So, it's essential to pay attention not only to your own actions but also to those of your opponents. And, of course, the order in which those actions are played matters a lot.

Actions can be: moving between cars, climbing onto or off the roof, punching, shooting, moving the sheriff, robbing, or picking up a bag of gold. The possibilities are endless, and the game is full of surprises.

Cars in the gameAfter all players have played the necessary number of cards, the action phase begins. One card from the deck is drawn at a time, and the player interacts with the action on the card. Someone shoots someone else, someone picks up cash, someone moves the sheriff, and so on. Once all the action cards have been played, a new round starts, and the process repeats. This back-and-forth action is what makes the game so thrilling.After completing all 5 rounds, the money and additional rewards are tallied up. The player with the most cash wins. This simple yet effective way to determine the winner keeps the game exciting until the very end.

I've gotta say, the gameplay mechanics are seriously addictive. You've got to think through every move and anticipate what your opponents might do. And when you draw cards face down, it's like the game takes on a whole new level of complexity. You've got to start piecing together what your opponents might be planning.

The back of the boxThe rules are straightforward, but the prep work can be a bit of a slog. However, once you're in the game, things move pretty quickly. Even new players can jump in with experienced gamers and focus on strategy rather than prep. This makes it easy to get started.This game is perfect for a family game night or a gathering with friends at a board game cafe. It's a real crowd-pleaser, and the replay value is high thanks to the different characters and rounds. You'll want to play it again and again.

So, what do you think of Colt Express? Let me know in the comments. For more board game reviews, check out my profile.