The Pursuit of Happiness: Nostalgia

Mechanically and thematically clever, this is a good addition to the game. Somewhat more ambitious and complex than Community, so definitely I would recommend Community first. It also doesn’t do anything to change the multiplayer solitaire issue of the base game (Community does that). It does succeed better than the previous expansions at injecting theme into the game in a more convincing way (though still not what I would call “great theme”…. It’s still mostly chasing icons and managing resources for victory points)

[size=16]❦ [/size] [b]Solo Mode[/b] // Included in the Base Game [size=16]❦ [/size] [b]Required Play Space[/b] // 50" x 34" [size=16]❦ [/size] [b]Setup Time[/b] // 10 Minutes [size=16]❦ [/size] [b]Play Time[/b] // 1 Hour & 15 Minutes

✅ Bringing in a childhood phase without playing it makes this expansion clever, both thematically and mechanically. ✅ The way nostalgia cards flip with different artwork later in life is a lovely way to see an old memory preserved. ✅ Although storytelling remains the focus, it’s a challenge to complete the life goals and reach the victory threshold. ✅ Even though some parts of the nostalgia cards may feature sad moments, they all tie into overall happy memories. ✅ It’s wonderful to be able to tie together all of the different cards to create a full life for the character in play. ✅ Projects, items, and activities are enhanced with the nostalgia cards and the way they create fun stories.

❌ Nostalgia cards add a level of complexity that can be a nice challenge, but also increase the decision space a lot. ❌ Whereas it’s possible to focus more on community or experience aspects, it’s difficult to focus on nostalgia cards. ❌ The play area is quite large and requires a lot of reaching, even when consolidating a little space on the play mat. ❌ A random assortment of nostalgia cards can mean that some basic actions have too much overlap in options.

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