Raccoon Tycoon Board Game Review

By: Forbidden Games    Players: 2-5     Ages: 8+     Time: 60-90 mins

Astoria is a land bustling with productivity and growth! New towns, factories, and railroads are springing up across the land. A few savvy business tycoons are determined to make their fortunes on the crest of this wave.

In Raccoon Tycoon Board Game, players try to produce the most valuable commodities in an ever-changing marketplace. These are used to build or sell towns at the best price and secure great profits that can be used to win auctions for the all-important railroads.

Owning the best towns and railroads determines victory. There can be only one “top dog” in Astoria. Is it you, with your superior economic strategy?

What Is Raccoon Tycoon: An Economic Game?

Raccoon Tycoon is a light economic game designed by Glenn Drover and released by Forbidden Games in 2018. Featuring Cats, Dogs, Skunks, Foxes, Bears…and of course Raccoons, players take on the role of anthropomorphic animal moguls as they try to build an empire by constructing buildings, towns, and railroads.

Gameplay revolves around carefully deciding when to build, when to sell, when to buy, and when to auction. Players can only take one action each turn so they’ll have to be tactful with their choices and plan ahead, whilst keeping an eye on their opponent’s wealth and resources. Through strategic investments and market manipulation, players can transform small gains into huge fortunes, dominating the marketplace during periods of rapid growth and development. Additionally, purchasing powerful buildings can provide players with power ups, offering bonuses or advantages in production. At the end of the game, whoever owns the buildings, railways, and towns with the most victory points will be declared the winner.

Game Set-Up 

Each player starts the game with three price and production cards with the rest being placed in a deck to the side of the game board. A commodity (resource) token is placed at the bottom of each of the commodity tracks, with the rest of the tokens being placed to one side in storage. The railroad cards are shuffled and two are placed face-up on the space on the board ready for auctioning. The town deck is created by placing the cards in victory point order from lowest to highest value. Four building tiles are placed face up on the board with the rest being shuffled and placed face down in a deck next to them. Each player is given $10 to start off with and the game can begin. 

Gameplay Mechanics

Raccoon Tycoon’s gameplay mechanics are designed to simulate the thrill of the Gilded Age, where players take on the role of savvy business tycoons competing to build the most valuable empire. The game features a unique blend of resource management, market manipulation, and strategic planning. Each turn, players must decide whether to produce goods, sell commodities, or bid in auctions, all while keeping an eye on the fluctuating market prices. The key to success lies in balancing your resources, managing your production efficiently, and making tactical decisions to outmaneuver your opponents. With each action having a ripple effect on the market and other players, every decision counts in this high-stakes economic game.

How To Play

Players take turns one after the other to buy, sell, or auction. There are five different actions players can perform, but they can only take one each turn based on market prices!

Production

Players can choose to play one of their price & production cards from their hands, which will have two effects. These cards are split down the middle and have a ‘price’ section at the top and production’ section at the bottom. Production indicates which resources the player may take from storage to add to their collection, price dictates which commodities will increase in price. Each time one of these cards is played, certain resources prices will increase by $1 each making them more valuable. Once played, players can draw a new card but can only have a hand of three cards at any time./

Sell Valuable Commodities

Players can choose one particular commodity they wish to sell, and can sell as many of that resource as they wish. They’ll receive an amount equal to the market value of that commodity, but the price will drop by one for every resource sold in this way. Eg. If wood is valued at $5 a piece and a player sells three, they’ll receive $15 but the price of wood will drop to $2 each afterwards.

Economic Strategy

In Raccoon Tycoon, economic strategy plays a crucial role in achieving victory. Players must carefully manage their resources, including paper money, to secure great profits and build their empire through strategic investments. The game’s economic system is designed to simulate the insatiable demand for valuable commodities, such as wheat, wood, iron, coal, manufactured goods, and luxuries. Players must corner the market for the most valuable commodities to create small fortunes and ultimately win the game. By strategically buying low and selling high, players can manipulate the market to their advantage, ensuring they have the funds needed to outbid their rivals in auctions and invest in key commodities that will drive their success.

Start a Railroad Auction

Players can choose to start an auction on one of the two railroad cards currently available. As with any auction, players will try and outbid each other until all but one person concedes and wins. The winning bidder must then pay the fee and can claim the railroad as their own. Assuming the player that started the auction wins, their turn ends at this point. If however, a different player wins, the active player can take another action, including start a new auction. Once the railroad is claimed, a new card from the deck replaces it. Bidding on railways is a crucial part of the game strategy.

Purchase Building Tiles

A player can purchase one of the four building tiles on offer, which act as players power ups by providing bonuses or advantages in production. Once they’ve paid the cost, they can claim it as their own and reap the benefits, similar to how building cards offer strategic advantages. This could be something as simple as gaining extra commodities upon purchase or being able to gain more cash when selling certain resources. After the building has been purchased, a new one replaces it so that there are always four to choose from.

Purchase a Town

A Town can be purchased by paying the commodity cost on the front of the card. This can be paid either with specific resources, or paying a set amount of one specific one. Once the town card has been purchased a new one replaces it, and players earn victory points.

Once the last town has been purchased or the last railroad card has been auctioned this signifies the end of the game. The current round plays out and after everyone has had their last turn the points are tallied up. Town and railroad cards all have a specific point value whilst each building is worth one. Whoever has managed to accumulate the most points by the end of the game is the winner.

Even though making one move each turn may seem restrictive, it actually compliments the flow of the game perfectly and adds to the strategic depth significantly. With the price of resources changing all the time, knowing which price & production cards to play and when can make a big difference in earning big bucks when it becomes time to sell. Players can only have ten of one resource at a time which helps prevent players from hoarding commodities (to an extent) so players need to be careful with how much they try and stockpile. Additionally, purchasing the right building cards can make a great impact in how much a player earns. Owning a card that lets you sell two commodities at once can lead to earning an awful lot of cash, which will then have a knock-on effect on how many buildings and towns a player can buy, as well as how much they can put towards bidding on railways.

Final Verdict

Raccoon Tycoon Board Game is a great game that almost anyone can play and enjoy. The rules are straightforward and simple but there is a surprising amount of strategy involved too. There’s plenty to consider when taking a turn but with the game simplifying things by allowing players to make only one move each turn it makes picking your next move easy enough. Even though the number of resources and the fact that money and economics play a large part in the game, Raccoon Tycoon keeps things as simple as possible so as to not intimidate players. A great game that everyone should try.

Winning Conditions

To emerge victorious in Raccoon Tycoon, players must skillfully accumulate the most Victory Points (VPs) by creating small fortunes, securing great profits, and cornering the market for the most valuable commodities. The game reaches its conclusion when either the deck of cards is exhausted or a player hits a predetermined number of VPs. At this point, the player with the highest VPs is crowned the ultimate Raccoon Tycoon.

The winning conditions are straightforward:

1. The player with the most VPs, earned through strategic investments and market manipulation, is declared the winner.

2. In the event of a tie, the player who owns the most railroads determines victory. These all-important railroads are crucial for securing great profits and accumulating VPs.

3. If there is still a tie, the player with the most valuable commodities, such as wheat, wood, iron, coal, manufactured goods, and luxuries, takes the win.

By meeting these winning conditions, players can demonstrate their prowess as savvy business tycoons in the bustling land of Astoria, proving their ability to dominate the economic landscape and claim the title of Raccoon Tycoon.

Components and Design

Raccoon Tycoon features a beautifully designed game board, complete with building tiles, railroad cards, and a market track. The game’s components are designed to evoke the spirit of the Gilded Age, with intricate illustrations and detailed artwork that bring the world of Astoria to life. Each element, from the charming animal moguls to the bustling towns and railroads, is crafted with care to enhance the gaming experience. The design is not only visually appealing but also functional, ensuring that players can easily navigate the game’s mechanics and enjoy a seamless gameplay experience. Whether you’re a seasoned board game enthusiast or a newcomer, Raccoon Tycoon’s stunning design makes it a standout addition to any collection.

Editions and Expansions

Raccoon Tycoon Board Game is available in several editions, including the Deluxe Kickstarter Edition, which includes the Fat Cat Expansion. The Fat Cat Expansion adds new gameplay mechanics and features to the game, including new railroad cards and building tiles, offering players even more strategic options and challenges. Forbidden Games, the publisher of Raccoon Tycoon, has also announced plans for future expansions and editions, which will add new challenges and opportunities for players to explore. These expansions promise to keep the game fresh and exciting, providing endless replayability for fans of this beloved board game.

Reviews and Reception

Raccoon Tycoon has received widespread critical acclaim for its engaging gameplay, beautiful design, and strategic depth. Reviewers have praised the game’s ability to balance complexity and accessibility, making it a great introduction to economic games for new players. The game’s unique blend of resource management and market manipulation has also been praised for its realism and challenge. Overall, Raccoon Tycoon is a must-play for fans of economic games and anyone looking for a challenging and rewarding board game experience. Its combination of strategic depth, charming design, and accessible rules makes it a standout title in the world of board games.

Summary

• Nice artwork and aesthetic

• Simple rules

• Strategic gameplay

• Accessible for most ages

• An engaging economic game that makes economics fun

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Raccoon Tycoon FAQ