To add some variability to 2p game you could roll couple of pudding/maki dice (at the beginning of the game for pudding or at the beginning of the round for maki) to see how much dummy player scores and what you have to beat.
That's what I thought, too. Another idea: Roll a random die from the bag after every round to create a dummy player's maki roll- and pudding-score? Or make it 1 Maki-die, 1 Pudding-die and pick the rest of the dice randomly. edit: spelling..
Good call on the Gaia Project comparison for the score-to-beat for maki/pudding when playing two players. I'd like to see something like that in place here.
I got to try this at BGG Spring, and it was awesome. It feels a lot more interactive than Sushi Go. Gotta agree with you on the 2p caveat though, but I normally play with 3 to 5. If I ever play with 2, might try and find a way to house rule the system you said. Either way, great video!
As someone who mostly plays 2 player games I too agree that often that 2 player version of the game is subpar. I suppose they're usually designed for 3 or 4 players but they often ahoehorn 2 player rules in without putting true thought iand balancing nto it. Easy enough to house rule though and the designer could easily agree and make it official
2 player in Sushi Go/Sushi Go Party is very easily fixed by introducing a dummy player and having the players alternate drawing and playing for him (while also being able to use the drawn card for themselves). Unfortunately due to the gameplay mechanics of Sushi Roll I just don't see how that variant could be implemented here.
@@GusG_ This is not a "real" dummy player as much as it is a way to introduce uncertainty and an extra point container. You are still playing a 2-player game, it's just that you alternate in drawing and playing an extra card.
Indeed, Alhambra would have been my example too. It might be fiddly to create "Dirk"'s score and I often times almost forget to draw his tiles - but without it Alhambra would not really work at 2 players.
@@ShaneOMac085 It still doesn't really work as a 2 player game. It's an excellent 3 or 4 player game but the dummy player is just tedious. Dear designers, if your game doesn't work at 2 without a dummy player, just admit it is a 3+ player game! What's the big deal? Settlers of Catan is a 3-4 player game and it is doing great!
@@bp9762 That's your opinion and that is fine. I still respectfully disagree, though. Alhambra's "Dummy" only has three turns in the whole game and can be a fierce contender for majorities. I'm not the biggest fan of fiddly dummy players myself, but this one works pretty well, imo. Actually, for me, the biggest turn-off of 2-player Alhambra is removing 1/3 (or even 1/2?) of the money.
I think Yokohama also has that scoring system in 2 player games for certain tracts (eg, technology). Interesting point though. Have you reached out to designers to let them know your thoughts?
Sushi Go Party is my kids' favorite game. I was quite hyped for getting this too but I just see no reason - the cute art is all but unrecognizable, the gameplay is prolonged, the box is oversized, and the rest pretty much scratches the same itch as SGP, only with less variability. Ah well.
