Port Royal Big Box Review

boardgamequest.com:

We review the Port Royal Big Box from Pegasus Spiel. This new edition of Port Royal not only gives the art a fresh update, but adds in all of the expansions that have been released.

It’s hard to believe it was 7 years ago that I reviewed the push-your-luck card game from Alexander Pfister called Port Royal. While my tastes and gaming preferences have definitely changed over time, I still love this little card game… probably more than I did back in 2015.

Today Port Royal has not only gotten a new version, but a much-appreciated facelift. Dubbed the Port Royal: Big Box, this new version not only refreshes the art, but includes every expansion released for the game. So hoist the sails as we take a look at this new edition.

If you want the full ins and outs of the base game, check out my original review here. But for a quick summary, Port Royal is a push-your-luck card game that has players racing to 12 victory points. Each turn, the active player will draw cards from the deck until they decide to stop, or bust out by drawing 2 identically colored ships.

Assuming they don’t bust, they can then choose one of the cards to take or buy. Ships can be freely taken and will give the player coins. People cards will cost money, but give the players special abilities and/or victory points. The key thing to note is that each other player can, in turn order, also purchase a card at this time, by paying the active player one coin (and the cost of the card bought to the bank).

Turns will go by in this manner until one player reaches 12 victory points. The round is finished and the player with the most points wins.

I love Port Royal. I’m usually mocked by the rest of the BGQ staff because I consider it to be Alexander Pfister’s best game.