Robo Rally is a bona-fide board game classic. And while i can imagine groups who play this as a deadly serious battle of strategic mathematical might, i feel they might be missing out on a lot of the fun the game has to offer. As for the different versions, this one is by far the best entry point to the game, it looks good and has streamlined rules. The Original has a little more strategic depth to it with the timing system on the cards, but that system, especially with a bunch of players, is a bit of a faff because for every single card you need to compare numbers on the card to see who goes first.
Thanks for mentioning this. As I was watching your review, I thought, "Don't the cards have numbers that determine order of movement?" I like the priority numbers but see how removing them speeds up the game.
I remember playing the first edition and loving it, thought it was hilarious and we all had a chaotic good time. The friends we played it with bought us a copy , but it turned out to be the second edition, which we didn't like as much. I agree the newer editions are more optimized and cleaner, but I miss the shared action deck (instead of each robot having their own) of the original and the card power levels as I fell like those added to the chaos. Either way, great fun game
The old AH Robo Rally was a favorite of mine as a kid just getting into board games. It did a great job of teaching me to have fun when things go off the rails. I didn't know there was a new edition, hope they still have my boy Spinbot.
played this game at the local board game meet. you never know what games people will bring and this was amazing fun. I just wish there was a version in my language so my dad could read the upgrade/haywire cards because I'm sure he'd love the chaos
I haven't tried the "new" version, but I've played the older one a ton! One of my favourite games! Although Colt Express satisfies the chaotic urges with a slightly better gameplay.
I think my regular Sunday game cafe group would like this for the same reason we love Skull King. Total chaos bs. Thanks for letting me know theres a newer edition
I wish I hadn't sold my copy when I moved. One reason I love this game is unlike most games you tend to have more fun and get more interaction the more you lose. Winning is boring! I wish more games worked like that.
@3MBG I have to give that to the new version that the streamlined design helps making it an actual fun racing game. If I am not mistaken the new version comes with an optional timer which I would actually recommend for the new edition. But I like the old version more because it was so convoluted with all the upgrades and the crazy maps. Did you play the league of legends mechs vs minions robo rally like coop board game? It was better than I had expected, but in the end I only wanted to play the original Robo Rally again.
Garfield's "Treasure Hunter" is one of my most played games. It's good for 8 years old as for casual adults. Always a blast! As for Robot Rally - I haven't played but I have similar game: Volt. Also played a lot with my 8.. now 10yo. She even picked Volt today to play with her friends ^_^
I had the old Robo Rally but I got rid of it because it was just a little bit too random-on-random. I liked the newer version (2016) when I played it but the quality of the production was questionable, so I'm glad that there's a newer nicer version now. I'm considering rallying robots again.
We just found it moved so much faster without them, and we had played a ton of the AH set. But to each their own, all versions of the game are pretty good.
Gods I remember playing games of this in the 90s that lasted hours and hours. Great silly game but in the original flavour at least it was always a mistake to think an epic giant race would be more fun than a few short ones!
@@3MBG me personally i think 5 boards was the biggest? Madness. I saw but didn't participate in a game that used I think every board in the original box and the first expansion box. Took up an entire floor. Student days!
I really wanted to love this one, but I bounced off it hard. The chaos of each turn was great at first... before it became this sisyphean cycle that just would not end. Would have been great had it not lasted half an hour longer than any of us were prepared for. 🫤
Robo Rally is a bona-fide board game classic. And while i can imagine groups who play this as a deadly serious battle of strategic mathematical might, i feel they might be missing out on a lot of the fun the game has to offer. As for the different versions, this one is by far the best entry point to the game, it looks good and has streamlined rules. The Original has a little more strategic depth to it with the timing system on the cards, but that system, especially with a bunch of players, is a bit of a faff because for every single card you need to compare numbers on the card to see who goes first.
Thanks for mentioning this. As I was watching your review, I thought, "Don't the cards have numbers that determine order of movement?" I like the priority numbers but see how removing them speeds up the game.
I remember playing the first edition and loving it, thought it was hilarious and we all had a chaotic good time. The friends we played it with bought us a copy , but it turned out to be the second edition, which we didn't like as much.
I agree the newer editions are more optimized and cleaner, but I miss the shared action deck (instead of each robot having their own) of the original and the card power levels as I fell like those added to the chaos.
Either way, great fun game
The old AH Robo Rally was a favorite of mine as a kid just getting into board games. It did a great job of teaching me to have fun when things go off the rails. I didn't know there was a new edition, hope they still have my boy Spinbot.
Spin bot is back, along with twonky, Smash bot, Hammer bot, Tank and Zoom bot
Couldn’t agree more
Finally! Been waiting for a good update to this classic!
This is not a good update to the classic.
played this game at the local board game meet. you never know what games people will bring and this was amazing fun. I just wish there was a version in my language so my dad could read the upgrade/haywire cards because I'm sure he'd love the chaos
You can play without the upgrades, and i think the haywire cards mostly have symbols on them too.
“Obscure card game” 😂
Hard to believe that guy made that obscure game and Netrunner too!
Really, such a classic. I think this newest version is the best of the bunch.
Me too. I'll gladly play any iteration of it though, even if i do like all the changes here.
I have the second edition from the mid-2010s...and I bought it last year before finding out there was a new version from Avalon Hill.
I haven't tried the "new" version, but I've played the older one a ton! One of my favourite games! Although Colt Express satisfies the chaotic urges with a slightly better gameplay.
Yeah I prefer my old copy but a great chaotic game when you’re up for that vibe
I think my regular Sunday game cafe group would like this for the same reason we love Skull King. Total chaos bs. Thanks for letting me know theres a newer edition
Sounds ideal!
I wish I hadn't sold my copy when I moved. One reason I love this game is unlike most games you tend to have more fun and get more interaction the more you lose. Winning is boring! I wish more games worked like that.
We basically forgot about the rally and where just killing each other every time 😂
A totally valid course of action. Less useful in the new edition where you don't have limited lives though
@3MBG I have to give that to the new version that the streamlined design helps making it an actual fun racing game. If I am not mistaken the new version comes with an optional timer which I would actually recommend for the new edition.
But I like the old version more because it was so convoluted with all the upgrades and the crazy maps.
Did you play the league of legends mechs vs minions robo rally like coop board game? It was better than I had expected, but in the end I only wanted to play the original Robo Rally again.
No, that one I never saw come to NZ at all. Im sure someone out there has it but its a rarity for sure
Garfield's "Treasure Hunter" is one of my most played games. It's good for 8 years old as for casual adults. Always a blast! As for Robot Rally - I haven't played but I have similar game: Volt. Also played a lot with my 8.. now 10yo. She even picked Volt today to play with her friends ^_^
I had the old Robo Rally but I got rid of it because it was just a little bit too random-on-random. I liked the newer version (2016) when I played it but the quality of the production was questionable, so I'm glad that there's a newer nicer version now. I'm considering rallying robots again.
The rules in this set are quite similar tot he 2016 one. But that version looked like a cheapass game.
I still regularly pull out my old AH version of the game. I think I'd have to have the priority numbers, but everything else looks decent.
We just found it moved so much faster without them, and we had played a ton of the AH set. But to each their own, all versions of the game are pretty good.
Gods I remember playing games of this in the 90s that lasted hours and hours. Great silly game but in the original flavour at least it was always a mistake to think an epic giant race would be more fun than a few short ones!
How many board did you play on?
@@3MBG me personally i think 5 boards was the biggest? Madness. I saw but didn't participate in a game that used I think every board in the original box and the first expansion box. Took up an entire floor. Student days!
Alas this is probably one of those I'll struggle to get here in ZA, have been so intrigued since I heard of it!
I really wanted to love this one, but I bounced off it hard. The chaos of each turn was great at first... before it became this sisyphean cycle that just would not end. Would have been great had it not lasted half an hour longer than any of us were prepared for. 🫤
Hahahaha, that does sound pretty painful.