Hotshots (2017) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Hotshots is a cooperative board game that was released in in 2017. It is designed by Víctor Pérez Corbella and Chris Quilliams, and published by Fireside Games. The game is known for its dice rolling mechanics and modular board design, where players work together to put out wildfires in a national park.

Game Components of Hotshots

Game board made up of 18 randomly placed tiles, each with a specific scorch limit

Six dice for rolling

Fire tokens

Flame break tokens

Reward tokens

Fire cards

Special ability cards for each firefighter (Crew Boss, Spotter, Swamper, and Sawyer)

3D fire tokens

Thematic art and components

How To Setup Hotshots

To set up Hotshots, players first assemble the game board by randomly placing the 18 tiles. Each player selects a firefighter with a unique special ability. The fire tokens, flame break tokens, and reward tokens are placed within reach. The fire deck is shuffled and prepared for drawing. The wind marker is set to indicate the direction of the fire’s spread.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Move: Players can move up to 2 tiles on their turn.

Fight the Fire: Roll the six dice to match symbols on the current tile. Matched dice are set aside, and remaining dice can be rerolled. Failing to match any symbols after a roll adds a flame token to the tile.

Draw a Fire Card: The fire card determines how the fire spreads, potentially adding fire tokens to tiles or causing adjacent tiles to catch fire.

Objective: Players win by putting out all the fires before 8 tiles (or the Fire Camp tile) are scorched.

Player Experience

Hotshots offers a highly accessible and thematic experience, drawing players into the urgent task of firefighting. The game mixes cooperative gameplay with a significant luck component from dice rolling and the fire deck. Players must make tactical decisions to manage the fires effectively, and the game includes various tiles with special abilities that add variety to each playthrough. The game’s randomness can be daunting, but it remains enjoyable as long as players are comfortable with the luck-based mechanics.

Pros

Easy to Learn: Very accessible gameplay

Great Artwork and Components: Thematic art and 3D fire tokens enhance the gaming experience

Variety: Special abilities for each player and unique tile effects add replay value

Cooperative: Encourages teamwork and strategy

Cons

Heavy Luck Component: Dice rolling and fire deck draws introduce significant randomness

Limited Risk Mitigation: Minimal ways to mitigate bad rolls or unfavorable fire card draws

Personal Thoughts on Hotshots

Hotshots is ideal for fans of cooperative games and those who enjoy push-your-luck mechanics. It is a solid addition to the gaming collection for families and lighter gaming groups. If you’re okay with the randomness, Hotshots provides a fun and engaging experience, especially for those who liked the Forbidden Island series. Future expansions could further enhance the game’s replay value with additional tiles and firefighter abilities.

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