Formula D

First up this review is from the perspective of someone who has only ever played this version. So I won't be able to do any comparisons to the previous editions.

So far my gaming group have played 3 games and all have been brilliant.

The main thing we discovered is the rules are quick enough to learn so it's an easy game to dig out and quickly get people into (even non-hardcore gamers). There are actually 2 sets of rules to the game, a beginners set which simplifies the wear and tear on the cars and some of the other dice rolls and manoeuvres and then a more advanced version which also includes extra optional rules as well as the rules for using the street racing cars and track.

We piled straight in and used the advanced rules from the start with no issue but my usual group all play games on a regular basis. But I could see where the beginner's rules would be handy when playing with more "occasional" gamers or younger players.

The rules themselves are deceptively straight forward (I won't cover the mechanics of the rules here as these are well covered on places like the Board Game Geek website). It's mastering them that seems to be the trick. In our first game most players hardly used any of their wear points and so the race was largely down to who started on pole position (determined by roll off on a D20) and the luck of the dice.

The later races we have played has seen people trying out new tactics and much hilarity as people have spun off and crashed or wrecked their gearbox meaning they have to limp round the track to finish.

What I would say though for those trying it out is the more cars on the track the better. Even if that means every player takes 2. It dramatically changes how the game plays as early on the corners become a total jam up and thus limits options and creates more nervous moments as you roll to see if you've potentially collided.

My only real gripe I think comes from the higher gear dice rolls. These come in the form of a D20 (that has numbers 11 to 20) and a D30 (numbers 21 to30) these have such a high variance in what can be rolled that it really makes it difficult to decide when to use these. Plus the 6th gear (D30) very rarely seems to make an appearance.

In all though an excellent game, fun, verging on the addictive side. I already have the first expansion and will definitely buying any more that come out.

Formula D is a fairly simple "roll and move" game, easy enough for all the family in it's simple form, but competitive enough for more seasoned gamers when using the included advanced rules.

The object, of course, is to complete a circuit (or multiple laps, if you have the time) of the track before everyone else. 2 tracks are included, and expansions are available which each include 2 more tracks. You move around the track by rolling dice of differing denominations, depending on the gear you are in. Rules for the corners ensure that you must slow down at some point, or face crashing out.

A remake of a much older game (Formula De), this version includes updated graphics and some extra rules for "street races". The game is essentially the same, though, and is backwards compatible with the older tracks, should you have any lying around.

The most fun is to be had with groups of four or more (the track is a little bare otherwise), though I have played it using multiple cars for each player to spice things up a bit!

I like the fact the game can be as complicated or as simple as required. It's fun playing the simple version with non-gamers, and games always seems tight between those who shoot off quickly (but then have to nurse their cars through the last corners) and those who go steady.