Petri Dish (2016) Board Game

Petri Dish is a board game released in 2016 by Looney Labs. The game is designed for 2 to 10 players and is recommended for ages 7 and up. It falls into the categories of dice and medical games, with gameplay revolving around area movement and dice rolling mechanics.

Game Components of Pandemic: In The Lab

Lab board: Includes petri dishes and sequencing cards.

Lab vials: Additional pieces for storing disease cubes.

New characters: Adds new roles and lab-based roles for existing characters.

Sequencing cards: Show the combination of cubes needed to cure diseases.

City cards: Used to investigate and cure diseases.

How To Setup Pandemic: In The Lab

To set up the game, players integrate the new lab board into the existing Pandemic game. This involves placing the lab board alongside the main board, setting up the petri dishes, and distributing the sequencing cards. Each player chooses their character, and the game starts with the standard Pandemic setup, with the additional lab components ready for use.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Cube Movement: Players move disease cubes through the petri dishes following specific rules and arrows.

Sequencing Cards: Reveal the required cube combinations to cure diseases.

City Card Usage: Players use city cards to investigate and cure diseases by filling the sequencing card slots.

Research Stations: Players must reach research stations to move cubes and test cures.

Objective: Work together to cure diseases by correctly sequencing the cubes and using city cards.

Player Experience

The addition of the lab component enhances the cooperative gameplay of Pandemic, introducing a new layer of strategy. Players must manage cube movement and sequencing to cure diseases efficiently. This expansion makes the game more challenging but also more engaging, as it requires careful planning and teamwork.

Pros

Enhanced Strategy: Adds a new layer of complexity and strategy to the game.

New Roles: Introduces new characters with unique abilities.

Improved Theme: Enhances the scientific theme with the lab component.

Convenient Storage: Lab vials provide a neat way to store disease cubes.

Cons

Chemical Inaccuracies: The chemical structures depicted are inaccurate, which can be distracting for chemistry enthusiasts.

Dependency on Other Expansions: Some modules require the “On The Brink” expansion to play.

Color Issues: Some character pawns have colors that are hard to distinguish.

Personal Thoughts on Pandemic: In The Lab

This expansion is ideal for fans of the Pandemic base game who are looking for a greater challenge and more depth in their gameplay experience. It appeals to those who enjoy cooperative games with a strong strategic element and a scientific theme. However, it may not be suitable for those who are particular about scientific accuracy or prefer simpler gameplay mechanics.

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