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Kap Hoornoriginal German Edition
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This is an imported item.
Game components are language-independent.
An English translation of the rules is provided.
  
from 4 customer reviews
Product Awards:
Games Magazine Awards
Best Family Game Runner-Up, 2000
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This is a terrific game! I'm not going to talk about the rules since they've been explained by others. This game is all about planning ahead. Even if your tiles are not useable by yourself, they can be used as devious misdirections for others. The sailing points are crucial to your strategy: they can help you avoid tiles by sailing in another direction, buy tiles and move your vessel again. If your gamers take too long to lay down their tiles, I suggest a timer. I didn't mind waiting for my turn because this game forces you to constantly rethink where you want to go. My friends and I have put this in our regular game rotation, along with [page scan/se=0482/sf=category/fi=stockall.asc/ml=20]Wizard, Settlers of Catan and [page scan/se=0949/sf=category/fi=stockall.asc/ml=20]Cafe International to name a few. If you like strategy games, this is the one!
The concept of this game is rather intriguing, but the gameplay with 3 players seemed a bit, well... bland. Perhaps this game would be ideal for 4 or 5 players, but when I played a 3 player game with friends, the play, like the waves around the Cape Horn was rather 'choppy'. We decided that the game concept was a cross between Mississippi Queen and Streetcar. M.Q. in that you manipulate the speed and/or coal burning points much like you manipulate sailpoints, and Street Car in the abstract tile laying to reach pre-set 'destinations'. I would rate this game on the lines of M.Q. It's moderately fun, but nothing to write home about. There are interesting differences from both of these games like the diagonal tile play options and the winning conditions. Maybe my thoughts will change with more players but for the 3 player game I'd give this game a so-so on my 'top games' list.
I have always wanted to design a game. I have ideas, but cannot piece together a completed project that works, so I envy Thorsten Gimmler's 'Cape Horn', as it is his first published game. 'Cape Horn' is an interesting game, but not without its faults. First is the 'racing' marketing of the game. This is NOT 'Formula De' on the high seas. 'Cape Horn' plays much more like 'Steetcar' as a tile laying game with sailing ships.
Players navigate around Cape Horn using tiles with wind/distance directions printed on them. You must place tiles adjacent to exsisting tiles (an excellent way to get rid of unwanted tiles) belonging to any player. The tiles are neutral, so you may play/move on anyone's tile, even replace an exsisting tile within certain conditions. The true decision making of 'Cape Horn' is saving and using your 'sail points' at the right time to pounce ahead of your opponents.
The second flaw in the game is the ending. Players may win by collecting two different colored navigational points and crossing the finish line, or collect three different naviational points and end the game. The latter victory condition left my players feeling like the race never ended. There was no big 'finale' of sailing across the finish line. I highly recommend playing the game to the finish line after collecting two nav. points, and for advanced players, collect three nav. points AND continue to the finish line.
'Cape Horn' overall is a good game with nice, easy to read tiles, wooden pieces, and easy to learn rules. Just remember to play to the 'finish line' or you may have a mutiny on your hands!
