I’m already tired of racing on two tracks. I know every corner here. Although I have never won, I have no place to improve. Those turns do not fit right here and I would like to try my skills elsewhere. There, I’m sure, I can beat all the opponents and be the first one on the finish line!
For all race enthusiasts, it is a great news, that the expansion of the great Thunder Alley game is coming to the market, and you can already read the review of base game from Petr. But it’s fun to race, that we wanted to try the expansion ourselves. It was created by original game designers, Jeff and Carla Horger, who released it with the help of GMT Games.
This package contains only one sheet with the title under which five routes are twisted: Snug Harbor, Launis Raceway, Wellington Raceway, Reny Heckman Speedway and Fraley & Sons Dirt Oval. These are not real circuits. This brings a negative, because you do not know the circuits by heart and you do not have to collect them, because of their famous names. But at the same time it also means that the designers can prepare them directly for the game and its mechanics.
And here it really proves its qualities, because the authors managed to excellently support their gameplay. In Thunder Alley, players control the entire team of cars and use the set of cards to move them forward. Cars often move as a group, but players help not only machines of their own color. Overall, it’s just about the effects of cards, that every experienced Thunder Alley player knows and it can not surprise him the least. And a set of new maps is ready for these rules.
Cards are common to all tracks, so we’re really gonna need just the new big boards. These are of course folded and really monstrous. The biggest impact is, of course, the fact, that players can finally play a good real season. One race is suddenly not as important, you have to perform well on all tracks to win. And it finally shows, who is really the best.
For some routes, there are specific rules and changes to the experience. On one oval, players can not change bands in turns, which greatly reduces effective card playing. Elsewhere, a target line has only one route, which can cause serious problems. Players need to plan even better and be able to rank in time. Shorter tracks are really uncompromising, because they are only halfway in size. Sometimes players will even experience alternative variants.
Added variability is tremendous. A lot of new tracks mean, that players will always race a little differently. But if you do not like racing again, then the new tracks may still look similar. Changes are not significant and it’s mainly about having to race and change the environment a bit. Additionally, this set of tracks is compatible with Grand Prix game. These are exactly the things, that all Thunder Alley lovers want to hear, and that is why a set of expanding tracks is a clear recommendation for everyone with petrol in their veins.
| Designer | Carla Horger, Jeff Horger | |
| Publisher | GMT Games | |
| Year Published | 2015 | |
| # of Players | 2 - 7 | |
| User Suggested # of Players | Best with 7 players Recommended with 5, 7 players (2 voters) | |
| Playing Time | 90 | |
| Mfg Suggested Ages | 10 and up | |
| Language Dependence | Some necessary text - easily memorized or small crib sheet (2 voters) | |
| Category | Expansion for Base-game, Racing | |
| Mechanic | Hand Management | |
| Expansion | Grand Prix, Thunder Alley | |
| Family | Sports: Auto Racing | |
| Primary Name | Thunder Alley: Expansion Tracks |
Infos courtesy of boardgamegeek.com. More Infos.
