I played Trek 12 recently on stream on Malts and Meeples. You can see that here. I messed up a rule in it, but then I had a chance to play a few non-solo games. So now after a handful of plays on the different maps, where do my thoughts lie. Because after my first few plays, I wasn’t so sure about it, especially as a solo game.

How To Play Trek 12

Trek 12 is a roll and write mountain climbing game. But really you are trying to get runs of numbers or groups of numbers to score points. Every round someone rolls the dice. Then all the players use the dice. The fist number placed can be placed anywhere. But every subsequent using of the dice it must be placed adjacent to another number.

So, with two dice being rolled, how do you determine what number to use? You have a few different options, but only a limited number of times that you can use them. Firstly you can take the higher or the lower number. Or you can do the added total or the difference between them. Or you can multiply the numbers. That gives you a lot of options but as you play you use up options making it harder to place in runs or groups.

In the end, it is about the size and number of groups that you get. And the scoring is nice and simple. If you get a run that goes 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 that’d be worth 13 points (7 for the highest number and then one for each other number). And it works the same for groups. So if you had 11 by an 11, that’s 12 points (11 for the number and 1 for the additional ones. So small groups aren’t bad, but you get a bonus for the largest number which grows quickly in how many points you get.

What Doesn’t Work?

The solo mode doesn’t work. Trek 12 is going to stay in my collection for now, but I don’t see it as a solo game. Mainly, there is just too much upkeep. I can play it solo and just try and beat my best score, and that’d work. They were trying to be clever so it’s not just a beat your best score. But it is too complicated. Yes, it’s simple to just place the highest number each time. But you’re trying to make the solo player score well but not too well, it’s basically playing the game twice.

I also think that they try and pack maybe too much into the box. There are things you can unlock, I haven’t looked into that yet. But it takes what could be a small roll and write box and makes it fairly big for the game it is. Yes, I do like the other maps, but I’m not sure I need envelopes to unlock as I play. That games isn’t a big enough or complex enough roll and write to warrant that.

What Works?

I do think the different maps work. They are give the game variety and really do feel different. The basic map doesn’t give you too much to worry about. But the one which splits up the map at a few key points with spots that can’t have as high a number, it makes it tricky. And all the maps don’t make the game feel different in what you are doing, but do offer their own good puzzle.

The numbers work really nicely as well. The dice are 1-6 and 0-5. So you can get a lot of different numbers. And you can use the dice in a lot of different ways. In fact, you want to shoot for those higher numbers, 12 is the highest you’re allowed to put down, and that’s 6 in some spots. A group of two 11’s is worth 12 points, but if you can’t connect that 11 to anything, then you lose points. But picking if you do addition or multiplication or the difference is fun. Especially when you have a group of 6’s and roll a 6 and a 0 and can do the difference of 0 to put in a 6 into that group.

And I think that is a fun part of the game as well, though, creating the groups. There is some push your luck with picking the high numbers. But it can be so worth it. At the same time, you want to get those big groups. A group of three numbers in a run as your biggest run only gives you a bonus 1 point. But if you can get up to 7, that’s 15 points. So there is a good balancing act.

Who Is It For?

This is a roll and write for people who want a bit of a thinky puzzle but don’t want the rules overhead. Trek 12 is extremely easy to learn and play. But as you roll all of a sudden you are thinking about and worried about the numbers that are coming up. What do you leave for yourself so that you can manipulate the dice the best?

I I think if you play with people who can handle something like Super Mega Lucky Box, Patchwork Doodle, or Qwixx, Trek 12 is definitely in their range to play. And it’s also such a fast game that it’ll work well with those groups because even if it gets a bit too much trying to get the right numbers at the end, the game will be over fast.

Final Thoughts on Trek 12

I’ve come around in the span of a week on Trek 12. I do think that the solo play sucks and I recommend that people do not use it. But the game itself is fun roll and write game. Yes, there is too much in the box to unlock and stuff like that, this game isn’t heavy enough to warrant it. But the game is a fun and fast game that can easily get knocked out when you have a few minutes.

I said I don’t think I’d play it solo again. Let me put this way, I won’t play with the AI again. The payoff for playing the game twice with special AI rules is not worth it. But I also think that Trek 12 is one that could hit the table often when I want a roll and write game that I can play in almost any group.

My Grade: B
Gamer Grade: C
Casual Grade: A

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