Sheriff of Nottingham Comparison - with Tom Vasel 

Wow, crazy how much better the original is here, imo. The card art especially.

When I saw the title I was all "oh yes!" And then I saw the art and I was all "aw no..."

Wooooow what were they thinking with that awful cluttered mess of graphic design and artwork???? Tom was insanely generous here...

Wow, the original is way better looking AND the box is smaller. Win-win.

Except for the larger bag the Original is better.

I'm surprised CMON could make a 2nd edition crappier... c'mon!

I generally tendo to "upgrade" the games in my collection to the latest edition but unless an expansion comes out with awesome new content, I am going to stick with the Arcane Wonders' version of the game. I like the artwork and cards layout sooooo much more.

its a downgrade if you ask me

They should have paid the original artist.

Im so glad i have the original

The original looks better than the new one, imo, however it's a shame that the original wasn't 6 players from the beginning!

Well... that is a bummer, usually the second version learns from the previous one and the end results has to be better. 7 wonders got it right; this one, look for the OG one, looks like the second version, and the second one looks like a prototype. Sad :(

I don't own this game, but I'm not getting 2nd edition now that I saw the original artwork.

Thanks for the comparison. Definitely sticking with the original. Its not even close

I actually played the original today, and would miss the different draw options. They add a level of interest that I feel would be missing without it. For instance, one player took a contraband from the pile when I was the sheriff and I had to work out if he'd played it, or bluffed and kept it in his hand. I really like playing that way. Also..... horrendous new graphics. Sorry CMON, but you totally dropped the ball on that artwork. I've never seen the theme of a game so brutally sucked out of the components before.

Thanks for the comparison! I love the original game a lot, but I do not see the reason for this new version! Glad to keep my first edition!

Thank you for the video, great to see the comparison explained.

Thank you for this, I shall keep the original.

WOW, just WOW. The original edition is clearly so so soooo much better!

Awesome comparison! Just the info that I was looking for! Thanks!!

the original is waaaay better!

Thanks for letting us know if we needed to upgrade to the 2nd edition.

Wow this is one of the worst reprints of a game I’ve ever seen. I liked nothing about this 2nd edition.

Original looks waaaaaay better!

the artwork is such a downgrade in my opinion

Glad this video was made, as the artwork of the box and graphic design of the player boards and cards definitely don't make me want to change. I'm not sure that even a new expansion could convince me to change to the new one. Besides, I have plenty of game with the Arcane Wonders version and its expansion.

I liked the original box size and the mean sheriff from the first edition.

Like 7 Wonders, I will stick with the old version.

The new rule that you always draw blind is interesting. It sounds like it's taking away a bit of the strategy but somehow I really like it.

Going to stick with first edition, because the cheese man is my favorite twiddly mustache man.

you don't play with the discard/draw piles? that adds so much additional strategy to the game. Sure, I bet it makes the game a little faster, but maybe like a couple minutes over the whole game.

I have the first edition, and the box came with an insert specifically for the coins (separated by value).

Useful comparison, in many ways I find these more important than standard reviews. In a standard review I'm debating a game I don't have and always, regardless of review although it helps, might like. For these I'm debating an upgrade for a game I do have and most importantly do know I like, so knowing how it might not change what I love previously, improve on it in some way or possibly take away from it is really good.

My wife has Haptodysphoria. Specifically a fear or disgust to touching velvet. This game looks awesome. Are the bags velvet?

The first edition looks like a 2nd edition compared to the 2nd edition.

I'm imagining that all of the original stuff was on the left, and the new version stuff was on the right. but for those of us (myself) that has never played and was interested in knowing what one to get, making it clear which is which would of been a good touch!

Interesting, I just got a "second edition", but it must be a new printing, the box insert is different again. One insert with three card-sized spaces; 2 for cards, 1 for sheriff/deputy standups, a second insert with coins together in a rectangle so all the player cards can slot in over them and keep them from shifting, and a space for the bags next to them.

Wow first time I'm glad I have the first addition

I really don't like the new art. Old one had charm and personality. This one is more generic and bland. If anything it makes me want to play Deponia. The character design is almost the same in those two.

The second edition look outdated. First edition is beautiful.

Went out and got a copy of the original along with Merry Men. I prefer it in almost every respect. But I'm glad it is still being published in any form.

Tom, didn’t realise you recommend playing that you just draw off the top of the draw pile. We’ll definitely give that a go next time we play! Think I’d choose getting original Merry Men expansion, which we don’t have yet, over getting this new edition.

I just want new pouches as half of mine are broken

Being able to draw off of the discard piles is one of the most important pieces of table information in the entire game. It allows you to both catch people with drawing cards and then them lying or, alternatively, it can allow you to take specific cards and then trick someone into thinking they see your strategy. It definitely is an important element of the experience. I wonder why they cut it (and why Tom wouldn't follow the rules there)

I am perfectly happy with my old version an I will be glad I have it with a bunch of promos I am even happier with it. What I did is immediately hunt down a copy of the expansion of the old version 😃

Smaller box will almost always win in my opinion.

Bigger box to take up more space and stand out on the shelf... but worse components that don't stand out.

1st edition of course..totally love the cards!!

Hi i got the 2nd edition version and in my copy it has the holder for the cards in it that you can take out like the first edition had. Do you know if the box has changed because the box seems to be the same size as the first edition now

I love wverything about the first one except the bags. The snaps on mine are hard to pull and one bag ripped the first time we played.

Mmm definitively like the art of the old one. But I have only recently started collecting these games, so 2nd edition it is.

Hmm I dunno, i mean 2nd edition art is fine but i find the original components much more appealing ! great video Tom ! oh damn that treasure chest though

I’ll never forgive them for removing Bobby Wasabi (From the show Kickin’ It) as the Sheriff! EDIT: I read the comments and thought people were being a little harsh, but after seeing the comparisons, the new edition artwork and design layout is ridiculously unclean. No way could you look at those player boards and cards and think that you are improving the design of the first edition.

Tom missed a point which I believe is very important: promo cards. There were several promo cards released over the years for the first edition. All of these are contraband cards and in my opinion make the game incredibly more fun. Sheriff of Nottingham has always been one of my favourite games and once I collected all of the promo cards and started playing with them, it felt like an entirely new game, as contraband becomes a much more reliable high risk/high reward strategy. In the past, during my games most players just avoided contraband cards in general. Now, there isn't a single game where every single player doesn't try to smuggle some every now and then. Now, these promo cards are not only expensive to buy on platforms such as ebay, but getting a full collection can be quite hard. But I still believe they should be taken into account and that they make the first version much, much better than the second one, as obviously they are not compatible with the latter.

Why are cmon reprints such a let down? First Blue Moon City, now this? I just don’t get it...

I got it for $15 during black Friday and love it definitely worth it

I prefer the original art and cards but it is great that it comes with the expansion for 6 players out of the box

I have been meaning to buy this for a while now, but it always gets pushed back due to other games that seem more interesting. Seems like now is a good time to finally get it. However, I have to agree with Tom in that most of the original components are cleaner and look better, especially the coins!

Are the bags any good on the original cause if they’re decent quality I’d definetly prefer the original; but I’ve heard they sometimes break

I don’t remember having the chest or that insert, do I have 1.5 or what? 0.75? Bad memory?

ive wanted this game for ages but decided to wait for this new edition. Was SO disappointed when I saw the art - its seriously ugly and soulless to the point that I frantically spent a week trying to find the original online. What on earth were they thinking?

That bottom right empty area in the insert of the new huge box is so frustrating.

I'm so glad I already own the original version.

Yup. only drawing off the draw pile is the way to go.... SOOOOOO much faster!!! (I like my original copy)

Well, I think I keep the old one then 😊

Uh oh. I haven't gotten 1st edition yet...

You didn't show us the standees!

It's hard to buy a product when you know a much better alternative exists, in this case the original, even if it costs a bit more and you have to settle for a used version. No way was I gonna be looking at those ugly goods cards when I knew for a few bucks more I could have the rich and glorious original.

Oh wow. I think the original has better looking art and has easier to read iconography

I think the sherrif on the second edition box cover looks like he is about to kidnap me and toss me into his van.

I usually think 2nd edition art is superior. I 100% prefer the old cards

I think I'll wait the third edition.

Old one is better hands down, it looks more clear in terms of rules too

I jumped the comments immediately and thought people were being too harsh and then I continued to finish the video and wow. That second edition looks horrible. Who approved any of this?

May i ask can you play promo pack in new edition?

Original looks miles better, has so much character

The orange cheese block says it all.

Yeah the art in the old is better but if I were to buy it my self, I would get the 2nd edition. 2nd coming with the expansion stuff included and nice insert and bag. But if I already owned the old one then I wouldn’t buy the 2nd edition.

Was dodging 1st edition because I'm a completionist, and finding old promos for games is often difficult. Starting from scratch here is at least one positive, I guess?

yeah i agree with the other comments, the art from cmon's version has the life sucked out of it (just my subjective opinion).. also the new item cards look more 'cheap/sterile' looking with the item being a shrunk down picture of 1 apple on white background, as opposed to the original that has the Full card detailed with nice artwork of apples in a basket. It has the natural lighting shining on the objects on all the cards while the 2nd edition just feels like sterile objects on a blank space. The original art pulled you into the theme with the artwork alone (including the player boards), the objects exist in some location relative to the item (chicken,bread,cheese) and that helps immerse you visually. The 2nd edition leaves you just aware of the item in your hand..but it doesn't exist in any location within the fiction world, it's just information for the player to refer to. The box size was perfect for the 1st edition... Some games need a Ticket to Ride size box....This game isn't one of them. But i'm glad the bags are still in good form with the buttons and my 1st edition bags are still working fine so must be some bad eggs out there that stung a few owners. I'm glad the games still in print though and i'm sure if you don't own the 1st edition, you're still going to have an awesome time opening up this edition and getting it to your table. Cheers for the review Tom

NO reason for that box to be that big.

Its not that the new artwork is bad, infact it is very well done if you look at it without considering first edition. But indeed, first edition was masterfully drawn.

I compared both editions last year. And Jesus Christ ... My first edition copy is from this point forward considered a relic. Those second edition cards: what were they thinking?

I prefer the original version I love smaller box too.

The new edition has a very "busy" look. I prefer the clean look of the first edition. But having the black market option in the base game will be appeling for those who don't own the game yet.

The first edition art is far... FAR superior! But not even close how much better it is. I assume it is an art licence issue else I cannot find a reason why they did not keep them.

amazing game, why is it not in stock anywhere just a few months after reprinting baffles me. It truly is amazing and acessible, but they keep treating it as if its some obscure wargame

Didn't the original had a sheriff marker? Does the new version not have one? The new artwork reminds of mobile games. And the card designs are so much worse.

disappointed they kept the snap bags as i find they tend to brake after multiple uses

The new one seems so bad in comparison

Looks like Tom's gonna have to Frankenstein it to add the fancy chest and get the bigger bag.

Oooh I did not know they changed that rule..............well to be honest, discard pile searching was too time consuming so yeah I'm no longer using that rule.

Well the sheriff is less mean looking in the new one, but at the same time he looks more creepy.

Best bluffing game? 2 boxes, 1 for each of the 2 players, one box has an item placed in by a third party. The winner is the person who has the object at the end of the game. 1 of the players gets to look inside and try to convince the other person to either keep ro swap their box. One of the easiest games to make up (you could do it with cups and a bottlecap or something)

I was really hoping to see the backsides of the characters for the new one, to see if they considered gender swapped colors. But with the rest of the production looking as drab as it does, not even that would save it for me. I'm happy with my old copy, tho i think i would love like 40 of the bags for replacements.

Original is better to me. Love the original artwork

Yes the cards lost the words on them and that's annoying. But they wanted to make it for all languages.

Damn shame, second edition looks a bit too 'mainstream' if that is the word, the art is forgetable while the first edition's art was, like Tom said, more Disney like which I think is a huge compliment. You'd think the second edition would be a improved version but it seems you are better off with the original + expansion

I like the original way way more than the 2nd edition in terms of art.

Rubbish... Drawing from the discards is a perfect way to taunt and bluff, for me It is a key part of the whole game... Plus the new graphic dessign is horrendous and the box brings more Air than a snack bag...