Heart of Crown (2011) Board Game

Heart of Crown is a deck-building card game that was released in 2011 by the publisher FLIPFLOPs. The game was designed by ginkgo and features artwork by Haniwa, Yuji Himukai, medilore, and Chosuke O-ide. It is categorized as a fantasy card game and is suitable for players aged 12 and up.

Game Components of Heart of Crown

Deck of cards, including Action cards, Market cards, and Victory Point (VP) cards

Princess cards, each with unique abilities

Domain cards representing cities

Currency cards

Dividers and a compact box design to organize and store the cards, including space for expansions

How To Setup Heart of Crown

To set up Heart of Crown, players begin by shuffling the Market deck and drawing a set number of cards to form the market. Each player starts with a basic deck of currency and VP cards. The princess cards are also shuffled and placed within reach of all players. The game includes 10 recommended alternative combinations of cards for the market and a set of ‘randomiser’ cards to generate unique setups.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Deck Building: Players build their decks by acquiring cards from the market.

Action, Buy, Clean-up: The game follows a familiar A-B-C structure similar to Dominion.

Domain Management: Players can back a princess to the throne and set up a domain with 2-3 cities, using this domain to store unplayed Action cards for the next turn.

Objective: The goal is to support a princess and set up her domain while accumulating Victory Points. The game ends when a player reaches 20 VP.

Player Experience

Playing Heart of Crown feels familiar for those who have played other deck-building games, particularly Dominion. However, it introduces unique elements such as the princess’s domain, where players can store cards for future turns, and the need to balance buying market cards with setting up the domain. The game is generally quicker than Dominion, with less emphasis on long-term deck trudgery.

Pros

Quicker Gameplay: Heart of Crown games are typically shorter than Dominion.

Visual Appeal: The game features well-drawn manga-style art.

Compact Box Design: The box is designed to store all cards, including expansions, efficiently.

Domain Mechanics: The ability to store cards in the domain adds a new layer of strategy.

Cons

Similar Mechanics: The game closely follows the mechanics of Dominion, which may feel too familiar.

Scripted Feel: The necessity to buy a domain can lead to a ‘big money’ strategy, making the game feel somewhat scripted.

Limited Variety: Compared to Dominion, Heart of Crown has fewer card options, which might reduce replay value.

Personal Thoughts on Heart of Crown

Heart of Crown is a great option for those who enjoy deck-building games but are looking for something with a fresh twist. While it doesn’t revolutionize the genre, the addition of the princess’s domain and the compact box design make it an appealing alternative to Dominion. It’s particularly suitable for players who appreciate manga-style artwork and are seeking a quicker, more streamlined deck-building experience. However, for those deeply invested in the vast card variety of Dominion, Heart of Crown might not offer enough new content to justify owning both games.

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