by tabletop_worldwide

REVIEW: “Welcome to Wayback Tours” - sending you on a 3-day excursion to witness some of the most famous moments of the past from around the world. Move through time in chronological order, and be on time returning each day as you go Trekking Through History!

🕰️Players: 1-4
⏳Playtime: 30-60mins
⚖️Rec. Ages: 10+
🌍Publisher: @underdog.games

Review copy but all thoughts are my own.

GAMEPLAY:
Trekking Through History is another easy to learn and play game from Underdog Games that has an educational aspect. History cards with various dates and events are laid out, and players take turns drafting these cards, attempting to create a chronological trek through time.

Cards cost various hours of time and you only have 12 hours allotted for each of the 3 days. Cards also provide benefit tokens which you track on your player board for things like bonus points and time crystals. If you return on time there is a bonus, and time crystals can decrease the cost in hours of a trip.

The more cards added to a chronological trek, the more bonus points. After 3 rounds (days) tally the points from treks, player boards, and unused time crystals - highest total wins!

THOUGHTS:
We’re fans of the Trekking series from Underdog Games, but felt this one doesn’t quite reach its potential. It’s a nice game, but a little too simple versus other games in the series and versus expectations based on its excellent production value.

We love the art, the token tray that can be used in the game, and the nice neoprene mat. But the game is just drafting cards in chronological order and trying to spend exactly 12 hours doing so. Events aren’t grouped by type, geographical location or anything that could introduce additional mechanics. The backs of the cards have fascinating historical facts, but they never really get seen unless you’re setting up or putting away.

“Time Warp” cards can be added in, mostly with conditions to gain/trade benefit tokens or cards that do help to a point.

We would still recommend giving it a try. It could hit with history lovers who would enjoy reading the backs of the cards, or brand new gamers/younger players who enjoy simple game mechanics.

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