Power to the meeple!
POWER GRID: OUTPOST
Designer: Friedemann Friese | Publisher: 2F Spiele
WHAT’S IN THE BOX?
◗ Game board
◗ 52 Cards
◗ 6 Player boards
◗ 230 Wooden pieces
◗ 186 Cardboard pieces
When it was released in 2004, Power Grid became an instant classic, winning a slew of awards and a Spiel de Jahres nomination. Many expansions followed, alongside several successful spin-off games, so it was no surprise to see a release celebrating the game’s 20th anniversary. This time, respected designer Friedemann Friese has taken the franchise into space, using one of his favourite old games, 1991’s Outpost, as his inspiration.
For the uninitiated, both the original game and Power Grid: Outpost see players building a network of houses on a shared board, powering them with power plants accrued through auctions and then buying the resources that go with them. It’s a straight race to power a set number of houses, with the player being able to power the most when the end game is triggered taking the spoils. It’s a classic example of an unapologetically unthematic German euro that just works.