[Card Game]: The Simpsons Trading Card Game, reviewed by Daron (4/3)

http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/10/10322.phtml

Daron's Summary:

The Simpsons TCG is a fun little card game. The game has high quality production and decent rules. Unfortunately, in my opinion its marketing format is too expensive for the casual player and the subject matter/competition opportunites are too casual for the competitive gamer. If you can pick it up on clearance, I highly recommend it.

Go to the full review for more information.

Post originally by Scottenkainen at 2004-05-19 12:05:10
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...Or is there more to it you can elaborate on? I don't collect CCG's, so I'm not sure what normal prices are. Are you factoring in the licensing costs for using the Simpsons likenesses? That always bumps up a price tag.

~Scott C.

Post originally by Daron at 2004-05-19 12:40:44
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I'm thinking a couple of factors played into the price being high. First, I'm the cheapest guy I know. Second, as you pointed out the Simpsons license probably cost a couple of dollars. Third, the way this was marketed.

I'm not into CCGs really either but the ones I've seen typically have a starter set that allows 2 people to play for $10-15. This is kind of a loss leader, I guess, to get folks interested, let's 'em learn the rules, etc.

Not doing a two-player starter means that players had to drop at least $20 on a CCG just to see if they liked it. It was fairly obvious that WOTC wasn't pushing a competition angle much---so that probably lessened interest from the hard core CCGers who are trying to win prizes, awards and all that.

The price and lack of starter sets probably lessened casual gamer interest. I'm not a marketing wiz, but this is the feeling I'm getting from the reception this game has had. To me, it feels like WOTC missed both markets through deck pricing, lack of pushing tournament play and not marketing a one-stop shop starter kit.

If you can find it for a decent price, I really do recommend picking this game up. It's a lot of fun (I've noted it's not as strategically complex or rules heavy as many CCGs) and easy to play.

Post originally by Cyn at 2004-05-19 21:56:36
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This sounds almost <B>EXACTLY</B> like the old Looney Tunes CCG designed by James Ernest and also produced by WOTC.

The main difference seems to be the use of keywords instead of "suits" on the cards, so it actually makes sense what characters complete or trash a scene (in Looney Tunes it seemed kind of random).

Mind you, I don't really object to fixing and re-releasing a game (although, to my knowledge, the only other time it's happened was when <I>X-Files</I> turned into <I>Scooby-Doo</I>). Looney Tunes was a really colorless, boring game, though, and didn't seem to have anything to do with its source material. Does playing Simpsons actually feel like you're participating in an episode, or is it just a collectible trick-taking game like its (possible) predecessor?

Post originally by Daron at 2004-05-20 05:43:05
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I wouldn't say it feels like taking part in an episode. That might come later after we're more familiar with the mechanics.

I could see a really neat character game being worked around it. In order to play a card where you want it, you'd have to say something like the character or make an appropriate sound effect.

Wouldn't probably go over well as a CCG if that were a rule though Mag Blast by Fantasy Flight Games is called screaming space battles. You have to make sound effects for certain cards from the reviews I've read. MB is non-collectible, I believe.