I find calico subpar to Cascadia, yes looks cuter but it's restrictive... 🤷🏻♂️ I don't mind the tokens. Not everything has to be "2024". And after 50 (maybe more) plays getting shuffled in the bag, there is no wear on them. Don't burn it 😢🤣
Glad to hear they're at least durable! The restrictive aspect is what puts the simple drafting and placement above Cascadia for me, but that's def personal taste and fair. 😊
This format of talking about games you wanted to love but didn't and why, is a wonderful format -- especially when you then recommend similar games that worked. Great stuff. -jesse
If Cascadia isn't your bag, a good alternative (but a little heavier) is Life of the Amazonia. Looks gorgeous, still has pattern building, but now has bag building instead of drafting like Cascadia. The way they add player powers with the unique animals is really clever and fun. Very good game and way better than Cascadia IMO.
The initial talk of reprinting Prêt-à-Porter was that it was going to be rethemed into being about the business of building a video game. I was really excited about that idea as a theme that really hasn't been explored, but then the plans shifted to just doing a reprint of the original theme. 14 years after it first came out, we have PLENTY of fashion related games and still not ONE about making video games. *sigh*
I would recommend Life of the Amazonia as an alternative to Cascadia. The game has different mechanics (Bag building is the main mechanic in LotA compared to Cascadia’s Open Drafting) but it scratches the same itches that Cascadia does, and feels like a deeper and crunchier game. It also looks more impressive on a table, LotA has detailed animal figures as opposed to simple tokens, along with trees and aquatic flowers that you put on your board.
This sounds really awesome! I saw it at a local convention last month, but didn't have time to try it out. Hoping to be able to find a copy/try it sometime soon though! Thanks for the rec!!! :D
This format is wonderful and has helped me find so many great games! Thanks for that. I remember when Pret originally came out, and honestly, back then the divide between "thinky Euros with bland themes about nothing and/or medieval Europe" and "games dripping with any theme you could ask for, but with broken mechanisms and an impenetrable rulebook that is almost definitely DESIGNED to cause fights" was still pretty stark - and sometimes acrimonious! As a result, the games coming out then were a little all over the place; everyone *outside* of Germany (and maybe South Korea/Japan?) was still trying to figure out how to combine interesting themes with interesting game decisions. There were heated debates on BGG about whether those explorations were a good thing or the end of gaming as we know it, lol. Anyway, my point is some of the love for Pret is probably straight up nostalgia - for its time, it was pretty groundbreaking, not so much for its fashion theme in particular - though that too! - but mostly because it was a solid game with a theme we hadn't seen BEFORE. That's no longer true, and with better competitors for our time, Pret's just objectively not as good (anymore!) as we remember it. Arguably that's a good thing... it means we have more games to play! And Pret can join Caylus in the pantheon of "an important step along the way in the history of gaming, but most people will only need/want to play it once." No shame in that. Now, who wants a game of Die Macher? 🤣
Ahhh yes, great context! I guess my big upset was hoping that the new edition would have addressed & cleaned up some of the mechanics/balancing as well as the art, but nope. 😞 On the other hand, I do think Caylus 1303 did a decent job of streamlining the game and making it a bit more fresh. I only played the OG once (in like 2018. mind you) and after playing 1303 more recenty, it's one I ended up buying. 🤗 And glad to hear the format is helpful! Happy gaming!! 😁
Great format, would enjoy more vids like this [maybe go by themes, or popularity, or genre, etc] I completely disagree with you about Cascadia, I think it's gorgeous and also enjoyable. Had to struggle to not downvote you, lol
Absolutely! Definitely have a few more planned and love the idea of having a cohesive thread for all 5 games. Thanks for the recommendation! :D And very fair-- there are certainly games I love too that others don't enjoy or even despise, but I suppose variety is one of the awesome things about the hobby! There's always a little something for everyone~~~ ^^
I personally prefer cascadia over calico. Calico felt overly restrictive to me and my group. We are struggling not to lose points every turn in calico. Where else in cascadia, we are striving to gain more points. One gave me hope. One makes me depressed
That's very fair! Cascadia definitely has a more relaxed feel. Curious if you've tried Harmonies, since that sounds like it'd be be a closer match to what you already liked about Cascadia. 🤗
This video started out rough for me with two games I love but I'm in total agreement with the last 3. Harmonies is a great alternative for Cascadia, I would also suggest Verdant as it has the same drafting mechanism but I find it to be a much more interesting puzzle overall than Cascadia.
I've heard good things about Verdant, but it didn't grab me from an overview… now thinking it might "grow" on me of I give it a shot. Thanks for the rec!!! 🤭🌱
Absolutely agree about Roll Player! That is an amazing game. Endless of variety, gorgeous art, high quality components - just a super solid game! Played it so much solo lately, plus also attended the montly challenges published on BGG! 😊
Harmonies is still growing on me. I may love it love it love it. Still trying to decide how much I love it love it love it. I wish it came with legit cards that are not warped.
This video is what finally convinced me when I watched it this morning - I drove an hour to my closest FLGS right after work to grab a copy of Harmonies, played it once, LOVED it, and can’t wait to squeeze in more gameplay tomorrow!! 🤩🙌 I’ll have to look up Cat Rescue, because I understand a lot of the thoughts you have in this vid! I love SO MANY of the games you recommended, too!! Thanks for the recommendations!! ☺️
@@tabletoptokki right?!? It wasn’t showing as available or even searchable on their website, but it was somehow also listed as in stock? So I called, and they said that they did have it! They apparently don’t post new releases on their online store right away to give priority to locals. I had NO idea!!! 🤯
I appreciate your taste in mechanics, which is similar to mine, so thanks for these reviews. Between Cascadia and Calico is a pretty good compromise - Verdant, which I prefer over both, and teaches you a little bit on how to take care of houseplants - bonus.
Of course & glad to hear it! I'll definitely have to check out Verdant. Sounds fun & I could definitely use the tutorial on plant care, haha. Thanks for the rec!! ^^
I don't like Calico. Way too restrictive. I think I've only ever played it 2 player, but every turn it's like, "Okay, I don't need any of these striped tiles so which one can I take and maybe make something happen later with." In contrast, Cascadia simply gives you more options to choose from and no walls, allowing for a deeper long-term strategy. The wooden tiles are great IMO, and the land tiles don't look bad to me. That said, Cascadia isn't like a Top 100 game, but I think it's a fine game for what it is. I can see why people like Calico, and the presentation is very nice but it's a downer of a game for me. I will actively not play that game where I could be convinced to play Cascadia.
Very fair! I think it's great that both options exist for people who want something more relaxed & open versus tense & high-risk high-reward. Hopefully offering both ends of the spectrum with Calico & Harmonies will give most people at least one game to look into/consider as an alternative (or in addition to) Cascadia. :)
Cascadia looks like something I'd get from the dollar store. The amount of time I REALLY want a particular animal and then that animal comes out after my turn is done and is gone by the time it's my turn again is so frustrating. Also, NO ONE wants fox and it's all fox all the time. I feel like I'm alone in my dislike of this game.
You've come to the right place!!! haha Calico can def have a similar issue with needing a certain tile, but that's a "shoot the moon, go for ALL your goals" kind of push-your-luck aspect of the game that I feel differs from Cascadia a bit. Harmonies is definitely a bit better with getting three landscape tokens each draft and you can tailor your future animal selections for scoring, so you always at least have some options. 🤗
Not gonna lie, to offer Couture as an alternative to Pret a Porter is kinda strange. Also, you admit with Cascadia that before you played it you were already cringing, and then you only played it once. 🙄 I own both Calico and Cascadia. They are the same game but Calico is simply luckier, but that luck does produce more tension. Because Cascadia allows for more bad luck mitigation, it’s less tense. I like both. I just looked up Harmonies on BGG and it does look amazing though.
Couture and Pret-a-Porter are definitely not similar mechanically, as prefaced, but some people may be still interested in the theme without having a lot of complexity/weight, which is why I felt it was worth mentioning. :) Definitely hope you get to try Harmonies soon! If you're a fan of both Cascadia and Calico, I think it'll be right up your alley!
Super video. I Love Ragemore so very much. I cannot get my hands on a copy of Harmonies and it’s making me so sad. Another fashion game alternative is The Battle of Versailles.
Cascadia >>>>>> Calico Cascadia is amazing with incredible replayability and a perfect solo mode. Calico has way less luck mitigation and is too restrictive. Like TTR, just draw a tile/card amd hope it's the one you need. Much less satisfying strategically.
Calico is definitely more restrictive, which some people prefer vs how open Cascadia is. Hopefully between that and Harmonies (which is also more open) most everyone will be able to find a game that may work as an alternative or in addition to Cascadia. :)
Have to disagree about Cat Lady. The challenge of getting the cards you want from the grid while dealing with cards you were forced to take is interesting. Totally agree that Couture is a nice game. Have always wanted to try Rococco.
Hope you get to try Rococo soon! I think I've played too much Targi to find that part of Cat Lady satisfying, but that's def personal preference and a fair point! 🤗
Hmmm Cascadia is kind of a 6.5/10 for me but the art didn’t really offend me. I thought it was good consider how much the game costs I can’t complain too much. Harmonies though…when I saw the hype I went to check out the teach how you play video and my god I couldn’t even finish watching it. It is so remarkable similar to the game that is before it…morally i told myself to stop watching that video this doesn’t seem right. This should not be encouraged in the industry. Now you clearly love it for reasons Cascadia couldn’t give you. And I can totally be wrong, but to me I just couldn’t even look at harmonies.
Because it's similar to… Cascadia? TBH from my experience, they're similar in theme and yeah both have drafting and tile-laying as the primary mechanics, but they are /vastly/ different when it comes to the dual drafting, vertical & horizontal tile placement, scoring, etc. 😊
@@tabletoptokki Ok! Will give the credit it being a different game then! I just felt those conditions in laying tiles etc just too too too similar. But I haven't played it, so I will always give my benefit of doubts.
Pret ah portay (looked it up) sounds “pretty pretentious”. I’d have to spill my beer all over it. Funny thing. I have a factory sealed copy of Cascadia and Patchwork, both you gave the thumbs down. I’m trying to free up space in my collection (Knoble Knight). And btw, taking a pass on “Sand”. The Dune nerd in me was piqued, but with just a little research, not for me.
Awwww I really like Ugly Gryphon Inn. It is I think the best example of the issues with Scott Almes and his solo games, because the dude is clearly too good at solo games. The way I think of it is that to play ugly Gryphon Inn well you have to have all of the cards completely memorized and make a plan immediately that you can work with the unknowns of the order of the deck. And then still he adds an expansion that makes it harder to the point that I doubt it's reliably winnable Almes is absolutely insane depth and complexity hidden in simple starting rules
Yeah, while that is a cool puzzle, it's unfortunately a LOT of info. I think The Royal Limited is similar, but more digestible and the VIPs make each play a bit more varied than just deck order, which is nice. ^^
I find calico subpar to Cascadia, yes looks cuter but it's restrictive... 🤷🏻♂️ I don't mind the tokens. Not everything has to be "2024". And after 50 (maybe more) plays getting shuffled in the bag, there is no wear on them. Don't burn it 😢🤣
Glad to hear they're at least durable! The restrictive aspect is what puts the simple drafting and placement above Cascadia for me, but that's def personal taste and fair. 😊
This format of talking about games you wanted to love but didn't and why, is a wonderful format -- especially when you then recommend similar games that worked. Great stuff. -jesse
Thanks Jesse! And yeah, hopefully it's helpful in some way to most folks, even with varied tastes. 🤗
If Cascadia isn't your bag, a good alternative (but a little heavier) is Life of the Amazonia. Looks gorgeous, still has pattern building, but now has bag building instead of drafting like Cascadia. The way they add player powers with the unique animals is really clever and fun. Very good game and way better than Cascadia IMO.
I will def put this on my list of games to check out; love bag building! Thanks gor the rec!! 😁
The initial talk of reprinting Prêt-à-Porter was that it was going to be rethemed into being about the business of building a video game. I was really excited about that idea as a theme that really hasn't been explored, but then the plans shifted to just doing a reprint of the original theme. 14 years after it first came out, we have PLENTY of fashion related games and still not ONE about making video games. *sigh*
Dang, that actually sounds like a really cool premise for a game. I'd def be on board. 🙇🏻♀️
I love knowing what the recommendation will be while listening to the description of the disappointment
🥳👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Great format. And I really appreciate how now I can stop feeling guilty about not trying Cascadia.
Ahahahhaa, here to help! 🤗
I would recommend Life of the Amazonia as an alternative to Cascadia. The game has different mechanics (Bag building is the main mechanic in LotA compared to Cascadia’s Open Drafting) but it scratches the same itches that Cascadia does, and feels like a deeper and crunchier game. It also looks more impressive on a table, LotA has detailed animal figures as opposed to simple tokens, along with trees and aquatic flowers that you put on your board.
This sounds really awesome! I saw it at a local convention last month, but didn't have time to try it out. Hoping to be able to find a copy/try it sometime soon though! Thanks for the rec!!! :D
This format is wonderful and has helped me find so many great games! Thanks for that.
I remember when Pret originally came out, and honestly, back then the divide between "thinky Euros with bland themes about nothing and/or medieval Europe" and "games dripping with any theme you could ask for, but with broken mechanisms and an impenetrable rulebook that is almost definitely DESIGNED to cause fights" was still pretty stark - and sometimes acrimonious!
As a result, the games coming out then were a little all over the place; everyone *outside* of Germany (and maybe South Korea/Japan?) was still trying to figure out how to combine interesting themes with interesting game decisions. There were heated debates on BGG about whether those explorations were a good thing or the end of gaming as we know it, lol. Anyway, my point is some of the love for Pret is probably straight up nostalgia - for its time, it was pretty groundbreaking, not so much for its fashion theme in particular - though that too! - but mostly because it was a solid game with a theme we hadn't seen BEFORE. That's no longer true, and with better competitors for our time, Pret's just objectively not as good (anymore!) as we remember it. Arguably that's a good thing... it means we have more games to play! And Pret can join Caylus in the pantheon of "an important step along the way in the history of gaming, but most people will only need/want to play it once." No shame in that.
Now, who wants a game of Die Macher? 🤣
Ahhh yes, great context! I guess my big upset was hoping that the new edition would have addressed & cleaned up some of the mechanics/balancing as well as the art, but nope. 😞
On the other hand, I do think Caylus 1303 did a decent job of streamlining the game and making it a bit more fresh. I only played the OG once (in like 2018. mind you) and after playing 1303 more recenty, it's one I ended up buying. 🤗
And glad to hear the format is helpful! Happy gaming!! 😁
Great format, would enjoy more vids like this [maybe go by themes, or popularity, or genre, etc]
I completely disagree with you about Cascadia, I think it's gorgeous and also enjoyable. Had to struggle to not downvote you, lol
Absolutely! Definitely have a few more planned and love the idea of having a cohesive thread for all 5 games. Thanks for the recommendation! :D
And very fair-- there are certainly games I love too that others don't enjoy or even despise, but I suppose variety is one of the awesome things about the hobby! There's always a little something for everyone~~~ ^^
I personally prefer cascadia over calico. Calico felt overly restrictive to me and my group. We are struggling not to lose points every turn in calico. Where else in cascadia, we are striving to gain more points. One gave me hope. One makes me depressed
That's very fair! Cascadia definitely has a more relaxed feel. Curious if you've tried Harmonies, since that sounds like it'd be be a closer match to what you already liked about Cascadia. 🤗
@@tabletoptokki yet to try it. But does looks like a emerson matsuuchi's game , reef.
Yeah, as I mentioned it kind of took all the things I wanted out of both games and made something super cool with i all! ^^
This video started out rough for me with two games I love but I'm in total agreement with the last 3. Harmonies is a great alternative for Cascadia, I would also suggest Verdant as it has the same drafting mechanism but I find it to be a much more interesting puzzle overall than Cascadia.
I've heard good things about Verdant, but it didn't grab me from an overview… now thinking it might "grow" on me of I give it a shot. Thanks for the rec!!! 🤭🌱
Absolutely agree about Roll Player! That is an amazing game. Endless of variety, gorgeous art, high quality components - just a super solid game! Played it so much solo lately, plus also attended the montly challenges published on BGG! 😊
I had no idea about the monthly challeneges! I'll have to check those out!!! 😄
@@tabletoptokki You'll find them in Roll Player's forum. Great fun! Cartographers also has solo challenges in their forums. 😊
OMG AND CARTOGRAPHERS?!?!?! 😳😳😳
@@tabletoptokki I have played so many solo games of Cartographers. Fantastic game! 😊
@@77mats I agree! I'll have to check to see if you can solo it on BGA too... I know there's an app, but BGA would be great for on-the-go playing. :x
Harmonies is still growing on me. I may love it love it love it. Still trying to decide how much I love it love it love it. I wish it came with legit cards that are not warped.
Yeah, those green tabs did NOT do their job in preventing warping. 🥴
But yeah, the gameplay is pretty fantastic for that weight of game! ^^
This video is what finally convinced me when I watched it this morning - I drove an hour to my closest FLGS right after work to grab a copy of Harmonies, played it once, LOVED it, and can’t wait to squeeze in more gameplay tomorrow!! 🤩🙌
I’ll have to look up Cat Rescue, because I understand a lot of the thoughts you have in this vid!
I love SO MANY of the games you recommended, too!!
Thanks for the recommendations!! ☺️
Ahhhh, that's awesome!!!! Super glad your FLGS had a copy because they are IMPOSSIBLE to find most places right now. 😅
Happy gaming!! 🥳
@@tabletoptokki right?!?
It wasn’t showing as available or even searchable on their website, but it was somehow also listed as in stock? So I called, and they said that they did have it! They apparently don’t post new releases on their online store right away to give priority to locals. I had NO idea!!! 🤯
@@SunnydaleSeven Whoaaaa MVP of FLGSs right there!!! Congrats! :D
I appreciate your taste in mechanics, which is similar to mine, so thanks for these reviews.
Between Cascadia and Calico is a pretty good compromise - Verdant, which I prefer over both, and teaches you a little bit on how to take care of houseplants - bonus.
Of course & glad to hear it! I'll definitely have to check out Verdant. Sounds fun & I could definitely use the tutorial on plant care, haha. Thanks for the rec!! ^^
I don't like Calico. Way too restrictive. I think I've only ever played it 2 player, but every turn it's like, "Okay, I don't need any of these striped tiles so which one can I take and maybe make something happen later with." In contrast, Cascadia simply gives you more options to choose from and no walls, allowing for a deeper long-term strategy. The wooden tiles are great IMO, and the land tiles don't look bad to me.
That said, Cascadia isn't like a Top 100 game, but I think it's a fine game for what it is. I can see why people like Calico, and the presentation is very nice but it's a downer of a game for me. I will actively not play that game where I could be convinced to play Cascadia.
Very fair! I think it's great that both options exist for people who want something more relaxed & open versus tense & high-risk high-reward. Hopefully offering both ends of the spectrum with Calico & Harmonies will give most people at least one game to look into/consider as an alternative (or in addition to) Cascadia. :)
Cascadia looks like something I'd get from the dollar store. The amount of time I REALLY want a particular animal and then that animal comes out after my turn is done and is gone by the time it's my turn again is so frustrating. Also, NO ONE wants fox and it's all fox all the time. I feel like I'm alone in my dislike of this game.
You've come to the right place!!! haha
Calico can def have a similar issue with needing a certain tile, but that's a "shoot the moon, go for ALL your goals" kind of push-your-luck aspect of the game that I feel differs from Cascadia a bit. Harmonies is definitely a bit better with getting three landscape tokens each draft and you can tailor your future animal selections for scoring, so you always at least have some options. 🤗
Not gonna lie, to offer Couture as an alternative to Pret a Porter is kinda strange.
Also, you admit with Cascadia that before you played it you were already cringing, and then you only played it once. 🙄
I own both Calico and Cascadia. They are the same game but Calico is simply luckier, but that luck does produce more tension. Because Cascadia allows for more bad luck mitigation, it’s less tense. I like both.
I just looked up Harmonies on BGG and it does look amazing though.
Couture and Pret-a-Porter are definitely not similar mechanically, as prefaced, but some people may be still interested in the theme without having a lot of complexity/weight, which is why I felt it was worth mentioning. :)
Definitely hope you get to try Harmonies soon! If you're a fan of both Cascadia and Calico, I think it'll be right up your alley!
Super video. I Love Ragemore so very much. I cannot get my hands on a copy of Harmonies and it’s making me so sad. Another fashion game alternative is The Battle of Versailles.
Here's to hoping they get a reprint/restock soon! Will def check out Versailles. Thanks for the rec! 😊
Cascadia >>>>>> Calico
Cascadia is amazing with incredible replayability and a perfect solo mode.
Calico has way less luck mitigation and is too restrictive. Like TTR, just draw a tile/card amd hope it's the one you need. Much less satisfying strategically.
Calico is definitely more restrictive, which some people prefer vs how open Cascadia is. Hopefully between that and Harmonies (which is also more open) most everyone will be able to find a game that may work as an alternative or in addition to Cascadia. :)
Have to disagree about Cat Lady. The challenge of getting the cards you want from the grid while dealing with cards you were forced to take is interesting. Totally agree that Couture is a nice game. Have always wanted to try Rococco.
Hope you get to try Rococo soon! I think I've played too much Targi to find that part of Cat Lady satisfying, but that's def personal preference and a fair point! 🤗
Calico, I even got a friend who never plays board games to play that!
Eyyyyy, that's awesome! I love how accessible it is. 😁
Hmmm Cascadia is kind of a 6.5/10 for me but the art didn’t really offend me. I thought it was good consider how much the game costs I can’t complain too much.
Harmonies though…when I saw the hype I went to check out the teach how you play video and my god I couldn’t even finish watching it. It is so remarkable similar to the game that is before it…morally i told myself to stop watching that video this doesn’t seem right. This should not be encouraged in the industry.
Now you clearly love it for reasons Cascadia couldn’t give you. And I can totally be wrong, but to me I just couldn’t even look at harmonies.
Because it's similar to… Cascadia? TBH from my experience, they're similar in theme and yeah both have drafting and tile-laying as the primary mechanics, but they are /vastly/ different when it comes to the dual drafting, vertical & horizontal tile placement, scoring, etc. 😊
@@tabletoptokki Ok! Will give the credit it being a different game then! I just felt those conditions in laying tiles etc just too too too similar. But I haven't played it, so I will always give my benefit of doubts.
@@user-mf1cu3tn7s Yeah, I can see how they would look nearly identical at a first glance! ^^
Amazing thumbnail lol
Ahaha thanks! 😄🔥
Pret ah portay (looked it up) sounds “pretty pretentious”. I’d have to spill my beer all over it.
Funny thing. I have a factory sealed copy of Cascadia and Patchwork, both you gave the thumbs down. I’m trying to free up space in my collection (Knoble Knight).
And btw, taking a pass on “Sand”. The Dune nerd in me was piqued, but with just a little research, not for me.
Eyyy, you'll get more if they're still in shrink. You're welcome! 😂
And yeah, it's not my game, so it'll be fun to try with no pressure~~~
@@tabletoptokki Brand new, in the box, my thought$$$ exactly 👍. Highly value your opinion. Haven’t steered me wrong yet.
Night.
@@StKnightis64 Hope I can keep up that streak!!! 😅🫡
Awwww I really like Ugly Gryphon Inn. It is I think the best example of the issues with Scott Almes and his solo games, because the dude is clearly too good at solo games. The way I think of it is that to play ugly Gryphon Inn well you have to have all of the cards completely memorized and make a plan immediately that you can work with the unknowns of the order of the deck. And then still he adds an expansion that makes it harder to the point that I doubt it's reliably winnable
Almes is absolutely insane depth and complexity hidden in simple starting rules
These points are kind of also true for the Royale limited while I also think Royale Limited is just a better game
Yeah, while that is a cool puzzle, it's unfortunately a LOT of info. I think The Royal Limited is similar, but more digestible and the VIPs make each play a bit more varied than just deck order, which is nice. ^^
Calico is really good
Caldera park smokes cascadia also .
Oooooh yes!!! I played the Savanah version a while ago and quite liked it. I'll need to try Caldera! ^^
I am shocked you're zero interested in pret-a-porter 😂
I WAS interested… until it sucked. 😅😂
@@tabletoptokki was it the theme?
For the initial interest? It was more the updated art/I had heard the mechanics were really good. The theme for me was "take-it-or-leave-it." 🤗
Cascadia is terrible I agree
Glad I'm not the only one. 🤭
I don’t like cascading either . I was falling asleep playing it
Yeah, it definitely didn't have enough draw to keep me engaged. 😖