Pioneer Days

Pioneer Days is a dice drafting game that really captures the spirit of the Oregon Trail, and I’ve been having a blast with it! It's simple to learn, but has enough depth to keep it interesting for experienced gamers as well.

The core mechanic is really engaging. You draft dice to gain resources like wood, medicine, and cattle, or you can choose to collect coins or recruit townsfolk. These townsfolk are like little power-ups that give you special abilities, and they really help you focus on a specific strategy.

I especially love the disaster track. It adds a layer of tension to every round, as you never know when a famine, disease, storm, or raid is going to hit. It’s a great way to keep everyone involved and constantly adapting their strategy.

What’s really cool is that the disasters affect everyone, so even though you’re competing against other players, you’ll need to work together a little bit to avoid triggering a disaster at a crucial time. Of course, if a disaster wouldn’t hurt you much, you might even want to trigger it to inflict chaos on your opponents!

The artwork is also fantastic, with a fun and cartoony style that fits the theme perfectly. The components are high quality, and the game is well-made overall.

If you’re looking for a light, easy-to-learn game with a lot of strategic depth, I highly recommend Pioneer Days. It’s quickly become one of my favorites!