Summer Camp (2021) Board Game

Summer Camp is a card game released in 2021 by designer Phil Walker-Harding and published by Buffalo Games. The game is designed for 2 to 4 players, with a recommended age of 10 and up. The gameplay revolves around deck construction, deck, bag, and pool building, open drafting, race, track movement, and variable set-up mechanics.

Game Components of Summer Camp

7 Activity Packs (196 activity cards, 34 merit badges)

64 Base Cards

1 Lake Game Board

9 Path Boards

24 Snack Bar Tokens

1 Starting Camper Patch

4 Player Boards

12 Pawns (3 of each color)

Instructions.

How To Setup Summer Camp

To set up the game, start by placing the lake board in the middle of the table and the nine path boards in a 3×3 grid below it. These path boards can be arranged randomly for varied gameplay. Next, place the Participation and All-Star merit badges on the lake board according to the number of players. Choose three of the seven available activities and place their corresponding merit badges at the end of the paths. Each player selects a color, takes three pawns and a player board, and places one pawn on each path based on the player count. Each player also receives a snack bar token and a starting deck consisting of seven Lights Out cards and one Move 1 Space card from each chosen activity.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Deck Building: Players build their decks by adding cards from the activity packs.

Card Actions: Players can play cards to move their pawns, draw more cards, or buy new cards.

Energy Management: Cards and snack bar tokens are used to manage energy for buying new cards.

Merit Badges: Players aim to collect merit badges by reaching the end of each activity path.

Game Objective: The goal is to earn the most experience points by collecting merit badges and advancing on the paths. The game ends when one player has collected all three merit badges for the chosen activities.

Player Experience

**Summer Camp** offers a fun and semi-strategic experience, making it a great introduction to the deck-building genre. The game is accessible for families and new players, with meaningful decisions to be made in constructing the deck. Each game can feel different due to the random setup of the path boards and the choice of activities. However, some players might find it a bit simplistic compared to other deck-building games, and there is a noticeable reliance on luck.

Pros

Variety in Gameplay: Random path board setup and choice of activities ensure varied gameplay.

Accessible: Great introduction to the deck-building genre for families and new players.

Quick Playtime: Games last between 30-45 minutes.

Fun Theme: Relives memories of summer camp activities.

Meaningful Decisions: Players have to strategize when building their decks.

Cons

Simplicity: Some players may find it too simplistic compared to other deck-building games.

Luck: There is a significant reliance on luck in the game.

Material Quality: Some players have noted that the materials feel a bit cheap.

Tedious Scoring: Scoring points at the end of the game can be a bit tedious.

Personal Thoughts on Summer Camp

**Summer Camp** is ideal for families and those new to the deck-building genre. It provides a light-hearted and fun experience, perfect for casual game nights. While it may not appeal to experienced gamers looking for complex strategies, it is a great choice for those seeking a quick, enjoyable game that still offers some depth. If you’re looking for a game to play with your kids or as a introduction to deck-building, **Summer Camp** is a solid option.

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