Stamp Swap Review

boardgamequest.com:

I have been playing board games for a long time. I have played, or at least collected, my fair share of fantasy dungeon crawlers, zombie games, and even Mediterranean trading game. At this point, a unique theme will catch my eye more easily than the 72nd Cthulhu-themed game.

I also enjoy most games published by Stonemaier Games. Wingspan and Rolling Realms are in my “most likely never to be sold” pile.

When a uniquely themed game is released Stonemaier Games, it is a no-brainer that I need to at least check out the game. Well, I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of Stamp Swap. Yes, it is a game about the cutthroat world of… stamp collecting.

So, did Stamp Swap deliver, or should it be canceled (… like a canceled stamp, not THAT kind of canceled)?

Stamp Swap is a competitive “I split/you choose” tile placement game for one to five stamp collectors (players). Games last between 20 and 75 minutes, depending on player count.

Games consist of three rounds. Each round is divided into three phases:

There is a Final Show after the third round is completed where end game scoring is completed. The player with the most points is crowned world champion of board game Stamp Collecting ™!

What made me feel like when a crowdfunded game is delivered early:

This is the best use of the “I split/you choose” mechanic in board gaming. First, some of the items that you draft are face down. You cannot look at them (unless you have an ability that allows you to) before you select the item. Once you pick it, you can look. This creates an additional layer when creating your offer piles. For example, do you put all your face-down stamps in one pile, and all your face-up stamps in the other? Do you mix them together, hoping to show a face-up tile that is valuable, but grouped with two negative valued face-down stamps? On top of that, the specialist and exhibitor cards can be offered, as well as the first player token. The number of different ways to build your offer is fantastic. The