Game Review: iOS Agricola

| Introduction |

Twenty-one days ago Playdek's iOS Agricola was released to the world!  This universal app made its debut at the low price of $6.99 (compared to the +$40 price of the actual board game). 

As I stated with my previous post about the Uwe Rosenberg games, Agricola was not my favorite game (http://bit.ly/1cVAteX). Now that I have had twenty-one days of practice, I can now officially say I don't complete hate Agricola!  I even beat my BF once in an Online game! Woot!

| Graphics |

iOS Agricola's graphics are amazing. There are a lot of moving parts going on in the background. Examples include: The Start Player rooster moves; wood chopping on the Build a Room Square; when you pick up an animal, its legs move about, etc. All of these little touches really enhance the game play. 

| Sound & Music |

I use to not play with sound or music only because I sometimes play in public. When I got my iPad that all changed. I have played with the music and sound many times, and neither is too overpowering. 

| Tutorials |

iOS Agricola features 7 tutorials: Intro: New Players; Animals; Cooking; Renovation; Scoring; Basic Game; and, Intro: Advanced Players. Being a poor Agricola player, I complete all of these tutorials twice (once on my iPhone and once on my iPad).  While all of these tutorials were helpful, an additional strategy one would have also been useful, especially for people like me. 

| Game Play |

True to the original game. I have yet to notice any cheating on the part of the game and/or AIs. 

| AIs |

There are 3 AIs levels: Apprentice; Journeyman; and, Master. When I first started playing (mostly to not suck so badly) I would play 2 player games against the Apprentice AI, which I easily beat. I have since moved on to playing against the Journeyman regularly, and against the Master occasionally. I am still not confidante enough to play more than two player games at this point. 

| Play Options | 

iOS Agricola features several options. Offline play can be against AIs and/or Pass-N-Play. Online play though a Playdek system is also available, as oppose to Game Center.  Both Offline and Online play features a choice of a Family Game or the Basic Game (E-Deck). Solo Series play is also an game option. 

One major compliant is that the original game comes with the E-Deck, I-Deck, and K-Deck, yet the iOS game only comes with the E-Deck. I understand making the other decks in-app purchases will make money, but it does seem really greedy, given what decks were originally included in the board games.  

| Bottom Line |

Agricola lovers and board game enthusiasts both love and rave about the Playdek's iOS Agricola. If you have never played the board game, you should still check out the iOS version since it's a great game. Plus it might even convert you too into a board game enthusiast! 

| Stats | 

36-7 Offline; 1-0 Online.*

* I didn't release online profile could transfer to offline play at first, so I had to do some math.