The Castles of Burgundy: Special Edition

Heretical opinion: The Castles of Burgundy does not really do it for me. The Special Edition, however, knows exactly how to win me over through sight and touch. Its bling is spectacular, and even when the game itself does not thrill me, I am happy to see it and play it on the table. It is one of those editions that makes the whole occasion feel a little more special.

At its core, the game now gives me the feeling of bingo stretched a little too far. I look at what is available, try to make the most of it for myself, and the flow is so easygoing and feelgood that I completely understand why it works as a beloved, repeat-play choice for so many people.

The interaction I felt most clearly in the latest session came from the vineyards variant. Vineyards are limited, and buying them from the shop for two coins becomes a crucial point: with four players, one player can easily be left without access and fall far behind on score. On top of that, the variant speeds the game up quite a bit and allows snowballs to emerge more easily than I would like.

Although a few years ago I thought the original had more to say, today its age shows. I would gladly play it in most circumstances—it is far too pleasant to refuse—but I would not seek it out often. A more modern related title, such as Wild Tiled West, appeals to me much more. Still, if I am going to play Burgundy, this is definitely the edition I want to admire on the table.

Updated session

The later session did not fundamentally change my reservations about the base game, but it confirmed how loved it is by the group and how often it reaches the table. What changed was the experience with vineyards: we tried them, they did not convince us at four because of the faster pace and uneven competition for vineyards, and we can calmly say that “we saw that too.” Best ice cream is vanilla.