AMIGO Games Saboteur: The Lost Mines - Thrilling Clan-Based Strategy Board Game for 3-9 Players, Ages 10+

A lot better than the original saboteur.Better with 5+ players.A great gameOnly one problem, one person can fix a card (rope, ax, boat,) and that path is the only way to a treasure. Than stand on it, till the end and move to get treasure (alone).Wish there was a card to troll such players. (Move them/ make spot a fire so if they stand there they burn a card (if they end there turn on that spot.) )Other than that its a fun sus game

Game was very fun to play with beginners!

I received this game specifically to write a review. That said, I try to be honest and open in all my reviews.Summary: Saboteur: The Lost Mines Game is produced by Amigo Games for 3-9 players, ages 10+. It is a team game (two teams) with multiple roles and is based on card placement and resource accumulation. The players divide into two teams, and then each player is randomly dealt one of three roles (cooperative, selfish, and traitor). The role is kept secret and is a core of the game play.This is a fun, easy to learn and play game that has its origins twenty plus years ago in two card games that my soldiers and I played until the cards were worn through. We loved the card game versions of the game, and this board game version does not disappoint.Each turn a player can do one of three things, play a tile to advance the tunnels the teams are building, play an action card, or discard cards to draw new ones.Each team starts at a base and is trying to tunnel to the mines scattered across the board. When a player reaches a mine, he or she can draw a corresponding type of treasure card. (There is one randomly drawn treasure card per player.)Some of the tunnel cards have obstacles that restrict movement or stop movement until an implement is played.The action cards can cause troubles for your opponents or overcome obstacles in the mines.The game is played in two rounds. The round ends when either all the treasure cards are collected, or the players run out of cards to play.The total points are tallied at the end of each of the two rounds. The cooperative players pool their resources and evenly divide them. The selfish players simply keep whatever individual points they accumulated, and the traitor players pool their points with the cooperative players on the other team.The next round starts with being assigned new roles and reseting the board with new mines and treasures.Players keep track of points from round to round with victory point chips.On to the Dr Games’ Criteria …GO/NO GO Criterion• Complexity: (GO) This is a moderately complex game. If you have never played before, it might be helpful to watch one of the many on-line videos that demonstrate game play. The mechanics (explained above) are easy enough to understand. A key part of the complexity is understanding when to hide and when to reveal your role through your actions. For the youngest players, it might be best to play several games without the role cards both to help the youngsters learn the basic mechanics as well as to prevent any hard feelings.• Balanced: (GO ) The game is completely balanced.• Chance (GO) There is just the right amount of chance in this game. Anyone can win based on lucky draws of cards and roles, but experience definitely pays off. Also, those players who have some role-playing chops will have an easier time playing a selfish or traitor role convincingly in this game.• Clarity: (GO) Amigo is one of the biggest game companies in Germany and has a well deserved reputation for well produced, fun, and easy to learn family games. The rules are easy to understand and full of great illustrations. (Please see the enclosed pictures.)• Reasonable Time: (GO) This game is consistently 25-45 minutes to play. There are no "quick" wins. It takes time to tunnel to the mines and collect the cards. On the other hand, you cannot play forever because within 45 minutes you are going to run out of cards. The fewer players you have, the longer the game takes.Bonus Criteria• Social: This game is great for social interaction. Once the traitor has revealed him or herself there are the cheers from the opposing team and jeers from their erstwhile companions.• Unique/Interesting Mechanics: The roles are what makes this game fun.• Informed: No, not really for this game.• Rewards Throughout: Yes, once you accumulate a treasure, it cannot be taken away.

Several years ago, I purchased the small card game by the same name. I played it casually with a few people and we pretty much enjoyed it. It was fun and easy to play and the whole "bluffing" aspect made the game interesting. It was light and provided a fun experience. For that, we all had a great time. But, I didn't like the fact that the cards were played to a table top. Something about it just seemed to be lacking.Fast forward to this new "board Game" of Saboteur - The Lost Mines. The sheer size of the box screams "upgrade" and the included board seems to compensate for my dislike of playing the cards to a blank tabletop. Now, the concept of playing as two Dwarf teams or clans adds to the party-like atmosphere of the game and makes things a little more interesting. The Saboteur now is disguised as a Dwarf who is out for himself and actually working with the opposing team. Again, a nice little twist to a proven concept.Many of the original mechanisms from the earlier card game are present in this one. The idea of slowing someone down and having to repair something first before being able to move past a particular card are reminiscent ideas. The idea of working one's way through the mine by playing cards that connect tunnels is another. I would have to say that my feelings about this game are slightly elevated from the original simply for the fact that some of the original weaknesses were fleshed out and made a little more tangible.Is it a game for hardcore gamers? Not really. But that doesn't mean that they won't have fun playing it. As long as everyone realizes that it's pretty much a filler game, there will be no surprises. I can't imagine this being nearly as much fun at a lower player count. It plays up to 9 and I feel that it makes more sense to be played at or near this number. I'm tempted to say that I might give away the old card game now that I have this, but I don't think so. The footprint of the game makes the original a little more portable. But in my opinion, this is a worth addition to the Saboteur family!