Even if I don't agree with Tom on his opinion for everything, I appreciate that I can pretty much search for any board game and find a review of his. Makes investigating new games a breeze.
Finally a descent review of a great game, our group is an elgrande addict. And I disagree with you about the expansions. As for us now we never play the base game anymore, the expansions added a lot of challenge a re-play time
have this game since four years. it was my first biggger game and it is still the best! this is so much my type of games. this game will stay in my collection for ever!
I've had this game so long now that my copy of the rules lists an AOL address to contract Rio Grande even though they have their own URL listed for their website!! :) And I have the decennial edition so I think it must have been at least 2005 when I picked it up.
I find it odd that people complain that you can count how many go in the castillo. Just... don't count? When I play Bohnanza, I can easily count cards for the beans with 4/6/8/10 cards. I can count the rest too, but that's significantly more difficult. I just DON'T do it. Sometimes it's really hard not to count the cocoa beans (4), but as long as I'm not trying to count, the rest are easy to forget.
"It is how you play the rounds that matters." And than goes "Each round is played the same way". Hahahahahahahaha I know what he meant but it just sounds "terrific" hahahaha
