Sometimes, what gets reviewed when is dependent on little more than the whims of whatever group of players I’m with at the time. Sometimes the timing is exceedingly deliberate. The final review of each year’s holiday review series is always difficult. Because thematically the time to buy and play games like this is close to coming to an end for most people. So I try to end with games that can be easily found physically or digitally or games that can be played year-round in some way. Vinyl falls into both of those categories. You can play it digitally, or download and print it. More importantly, you can buy another six non-holiday games in the same line. They are each a little different, but if you’re a music lover they may all be up your alley.
Each player will semi-cooperatively decorate a Christmas tree to both their right (with the player to their right) and to their left (with the player to their left). On their turn, they will choose to decorate the tree on their left or right by playing a card from their hand into a vacant space in the tree tableau that is adjacent to a card already played. There are a few potential strategies for what they want to play.
First, each player starts the game with a unique Wish Card that they will score at the end of the game. This card shows what symbols that player wants to have in a specific space of the final tableau of one, and only one, of their trees. The second option is to play cards adjacent to cards with matching symbols on them. The more matches, the more points they get. When you place a card, a Christmas light shaped point token gets placed onto that card, along with a player-specific decoration token. So, at the end of the game, not only do you have a tree of cards but also a tree full of lights and decorations. The third way to score is by playing a Gift Card. The same Album Cards that are played into the trees also have a gift tag on the bottom. This tag shows four symbols, and when all four of those symbols are present in one of a player’s trees they may take the Gift Card action placing the card in the space in front of them and taking one of the vinyl record shaped point tokens. Unlike the Christmas lights, these are stacked in descending value.
Now after you play a card into one of your trees, you get to choose/draft a new card from a line of options. This gives you a greater amount of management over your strategic options. However, when you play a Gift Card, you won’t replace it. So on the one hand, a player is guaranteed more points by playing them sooner, but in doing so they risk getting stuck with fewer cards and fewer options later. There’s a fine line, and every player must decide where it is for themselves.
The game ends when all players have played three Gift Cards and depleted their supply of personal ornament tokens.
I appreciate the tree shape tableau(s) that get built as the game progresses. I appreciate that the player markers and points that are placed on the tree cards are also decorations on the tree. Really, I only have two complaints about the game. First, it’s a table hog. But it does need that space, to be the game that it is. Take that as more of a heads-up than a real complaint. The second complaint isn’t going to land anyone on Santa’s naughty list or anything like that, either. The backs of all the Album Cards, are completely fictional album covers for fictional performers. Those album covers are what make this a Vinyl game, not something else, and the covers felt like a missed opportunity to really emphasize that part of the theme. There are of course exceptions, but overall I don’t know that I’d look twice at 90% of these albums (regardless of format) with the cover art they have. Some of the symbols on the cards are meant to represent the decade that particular album would have been released, and again I don’t feel that was clear from the chosen covers. Talon Strikes Studios is a smaller publisher, and this is a seasonal release with lower revenue potential. I 100% understand the business choice that had to be made. I’m sorry, but to me it still seems like a missed opportunity. This game deserved more. [Editor’s Note: After this went live, Talon Strikes Studios was gratious enough to explain on Twitter that many of the album covers came from their crowdfunding backers and their families. -dc]
With those grievances aired, I feel like we can skip the feats of strength, and just enjoy our Festivus meatloaf. (This review goes live the day before Festivus which really should be mentioned for the rest of us.) When dinner is over, clear the table and set up a game of Vinyl: Holiday Edition. It could become a new family tradition.
You can find Talon Strikes Studios online at talonstrikes.games or on Facebook at facebook.com/TalonStrikes.
Don’t forget you can read all of our current and past holiday reviews at TheRatHole.ca/Christmas!
I hate spoilers but really wanted to include this song in this year’s playlist. Originally I had it planned for our next, and final, holiday review of the year to give everyone a chance to see The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special for themselves. But it just fits too well with Oh, What Fun and this version doesn’t include footage. So enjoy Old 97s (playing an alien rock band) performing I Don’t Know What Christmas Is.