If Camel Up has taught me anything, it is that camels are the only exception to the ‘Red Goes Faster’ rule.
Time and time again the game’s bright red, stackable racing camel has lost me all my my hard-earned, poorly-spent cardboard coinage.
Every time Camel Up is brought to the table and unpacked I think to myself ‘this time, surely. It’s gotta be this time…’ But no. And there is only one other aspect to Camel Up as consistent as the stupid Red camel losing; the fact that I’ve never had more fun losing a bet.
The winner of the 2014 Spiel des Jahres (the equivalent of an Oscar in board-gaming), Steffen Bogen’s Camel Up is easily the most fun you can have stacking camels without endangering any live animals. The game sees 5 wooden camels of different colours racing around one of Egypt’s great pyramids, with the players placing both long and short term bets on the outcome, as well as strategically placing certain obstacles on the map. The race is divided into legs; a round where each camel moves once. The length of their gallop is determined by the coolest dice tower I’ve ever seen, as the Great Pyramid spews forth brightly coloured dice with a result that is sure to bring joy and utter dismay in equal measure. The dice determine how many spaces around the racetrack the humped speedsters will jump, sometimes taking any camels stacked on top of them along for the ride. This stacking mechanic means that there are no sure bets in Camel Up; it is just as possible for the camel on top of a stack to be swallowed back up by the pack as it is for one unlikely contender to shoot ahead. Especially once the possible effect of a player’s perfectly placed oasis/mirage tile is factored in. These tiles can send any lucky (or unlucky) camels one space forward or backward, and with some forward thinking on a player’s behalf can change the outcome of an entire race.
Speaking of outcomes, a bet on who will be the leader of the pack can be made as an action on a player’s turn. Bets are scored either at the end of a leg (once every camel has moved once) or at the very end of the entire game. It is first-in best-dressed in both cases, so much of the game boils down to asking yourself how lucky you’re feeling today (ideally not aloud, in a terrible attempt at a Clint Eastwood impression). Especially in the case of the long term bets, as getting in first with a bet for the overall winner or loser of the game can result in veritable bucket loads of coins showering your space on the table. But this naturally comes at a cost, as now it is VERY much in your interest to see that camel succeed without being too obvious. If your fellow racegoers catch on to your ploy then that poor camel is sure to have a ludicrously tough time navigating the desert sands. And as hard to read as expressionless wooden camels are, I swear that the twinge of guilt you feel as you watch that poor red mammal falling further and further away from victory is very, very real. I’m sorry Red Camel, it’s not your fault…
The Wrap-Up:
- Players: 2-8
- Ages: 8+
- Play Time: 30 minutes
- Mechanics: Wagering, Dice-rolling, Planning
- Experience Level: Gateway Game
Buy Camel Up online, or in our bricks and mortar store (phone ahead to reserve your copy now. Call the store on: 07 3367 3711)