1960 : The Making of A President

Customer Reviews

A brilliant 2-player experience Review by G

Price
Value
Quality

Being a political junky, 1960 is right up my alley. The theme is rewarding for those who are interested in politics, and the various mechanics are nothing short of brilliant.

The game is card-driven, but there are several different mechanics that make the game more than just reading cards and resolving events. The issues track is especially interesting and provides invaluable resources throughout the game. The other mechanics include resolving events and playing cards for points. The events mirror those throughout the election, and change the dynamic and momentum of the game. The points allow players to campaign, go for media support, or play to the issues.

As this is a z-man game, the components are of high quality. While the cubes may be a bit abstract for some, they fit the game well.

As someone who enjoys complex games, I found this game to be excellent. The rule book, while thick, is not difficult to understand. Plenty of examples are provided, and, after playing a game or two, the game flows nicely. I disagree that the game does not provide good re-play value - each game is different depending on which side you play and what cards you get. While the strategies are not diverse, it still has excellent re-play value.

For gamers who are looking for a solid and complex 2 player experience, I would recommend this game. For those who are into games that are a bit simpler and for more people, you may want to let a friend buy this one. (Posted on 11/4/09)

A brilliant 2-player experience Review by G

Price
Value
Quality

Being a political junky, 1960 is right up my alley. The theme is rewarding for those who are interested in politics, and the various mechanics are nothing short of brilliant.

The game is card-driven, but there are several different mechanics that make the game more than just reading cards and resolving events. The issues track is especially interesting and provides invaluable resources throughout the game. The other mechanics include resolving events and playing cards for points. The events mirror those throughout the election, and change the dynamic and momentum of the game. The points allow players to campaign, go for media support, or play to the issues.

As this is a z-man game, the components are of high quality. While the cubes may be a bit abstract for some, they fit the game well.

As someone who enjoys complex games, I found this game to be excellent. The rule book, while thick, is not difficult to understand. Plenty of examples are provided, and, after playing a game or two, the game flows nicely. I disagree that the game does not provide good re-play value - each game is different depending on which side you play and what cards you get. While the strategies are not diverse, it still has excellent re-play value.

For gamers who are looking for a solid and complex 2 player experience, I would recommend this game. For those who are into games that are a bit simpler and for more people, you may want to let a friend buy this one. (Posted on 11/4/09)

Complicated but Rewarding Review by David

Price
Value
Quality

I played 1960 for the first time with a friend this week. I had downloaded all 24 pages of rules earlier in the week and read through them several times to ensure that I had an idea of what was happening.

1960 is a fairly complex card-driven game - easily the most complex that I have played so far (but that has more to do with my limited experience with this genre of game, than because it is too complex).

The theme is extremely interesting and each card has an impact on the election events based on a real life event. Being interested in history and politics, it is extremely interesting to learn about some of the events that happened during the campaign.

Because it was my first game, I wasn't really sure of the strategy that would work best for me, and I ended up rewriting history and having JFK lose in historic proportions. It wasn't the most fun I've ever had playing a game - but I think that with more plays it will be more enjoyable. I was a little too worried about trying to figure out what I was doing, rather than how to go about winning. That said, I don't imagine I'll be buying this, as I'm not convinced that the replayability would be incredibly high. (Posted on 10/9/09)