- iOS, Android, PC/Mac
While I’ve been on a bit of a Through the Ages hiatus for the past few months (mainly because I realized I would never, ever beat JS619 again), it still reigns as the greatest board game port I’ve ever played. Not only is the base game Vlaada Chvatil’s magnum opus and nearly perfect, but CGE managed to add enough polish and shine to the app that, digitally, it’s even better.
The base game has been around since 2006 in cardboard form and there’s never been an expansion. It really doesn’t need it. That said, today we get an expansion and I couldn’t be more excited.
What do we actually get in the expansion? Well, L&W will double the current amount of Leaders and Wonders present in the game as well as add several new Military cards to really change things up. Which leaders and wonders made the cut? I’ll tell you when the expansion unlocks on iOS.
Yes, that’s right. While the Leaders and Wonders expansion for Through the Ages is out today for Android and PC/Mac, it won’t arrive on iOS until the chuckleheads in Cupertino deem it worthy of their garbage-filled App Store. That could be later today or tomorrow at the latest, but there are days I rue being so deep in the Apple ecosystem and today is one of them.
In a very cool move, CGE has made this expansion ‘buy once-play everywhere’. As long as you’re logged into your CGE account when you purchase the IAP, it will unlock across all platforms, meaning you don’t have to pay twice if you like to switch games between your laptop and your phone.
The expansion will run you $5 and can be nabbed via DLC right now on Google Play or Steam. You can also grab the expansion for free if you go and pre-order the cardboard expansion at your local FLGS. The expansion won’t hit the tabletop until October 24, but they’ll give you a code for the digital expansion today. On top of all that, CGE is also selling the base game for 40% off so now’s the time to grab it on that second platform if you haven’t done so already. The sale only lasts through the 19th, so don’t dawdle.
If you haven’t purchased TtA on any platform at all yet, then you’re truly missing out. Go buy it and not just because it’s awesome, but also because CGE is the only publisher to put Stately Play right in their trailer. I mean, how cool is that?
- Through the Ages for Android, $6
- Through the Ages for PC/Mac via Steam, $9.50
- Through the Ages for PC/Mac via GoG, $9.50
- Through the Ages for iOS, $6
Warning for Apple users: the game won’t let you play online until you update, but you can’t update until Apple releases it.
Good thing I’m not in any games right now!
Oh, ffs
Who’s up for a game once it’s live on the AppStore?
Apple screwed something up again? Oh well, at least there are 5,000,000 crappy Flappy Bird clones that flew right through the approval process for me to kill the time with…
Update is live on iOS.
I’m up!
@SleepingGiant
@Mirefox
@whovian223
I created a game with all of you!
@Hardco
I hope this doesn’t sound too lame, but some real life friends and I agreed to not spoil the cards in any way and to discover the new set in-game with each other.
I appreciate the invite but I’m going to stay out of this one. Sorry.
No worries! Game has been recreated for 3! @SleepingGiant, you’ll have to rejoin.
@whovian223 @Neumannium invites sent!
I accidentally started my 3p with just whovian223, so I created a 4p adding you!
I thought you meant a 3-player game. LOL
Pick me for games! Downloading and getting the expac tonight
Anyone else getting a “connection to server failed” message?
I was having some spotty server connection earlier and all of my friends and I got a “test” notification, so perhaps they are working through something.
This is a good read on all the various card changes
Interesting.
Steam still only gives me the option of buying the expansion (not “restore purchases”), but it does let me play my online games that are using the expansion cards.
Game anyone?
Always!
I’m in
I’ll play!
For those who have played the expansion - what’s the verdict?
Amazing.
In addition to the new cards simply being fun to play with, they add exactly what the game needed, which is just a little bit of variety from game to game.
It’s awesome. A bit overwhelming because it feels like you have to completely relearn the strategy w the influx of new cards. That’s a good thing though for those that love the game.
Haha, yeah, I can say I don’t have a clue what I’m doing strategy-wise. That’s a compliment to the expansion, though!
We have encountered a game-stalling bug where I proposed a treaty but every time my opponent tries to respond the game crashes. We’ve submitted a report, but beware that there might be some bugs that need to be squashed.
Aaaaand you made me buy it, finally. And it’s excellent (apart from a few little tiny buggy UI thingies which will doubtless be sorted soon). And the genius of being able to play with a random deck made up of the base and expansion? Inspired.
I was playing Carcassone on the iPad the other day, thinking how flawless it is, how beautiful it is, and marvelling at how long ago it was released. Same goes for Agricola. Fast forward 10 years, and I reckon TtA will easily be standing head and shoulders above a lot of the rest.
I’m curious what bidding rules everyone prefers? If only ever played with the digital rules but recently tried an AI challenge and kind of liked the traditional bidding method. I’m starting up a new game with my buddies with the tabletop rules just to see how it goes.
I’ve usually played with the digital rules in the interest of keeping the game moving - would be curious to hear how bogged down it gets using the tabletop ones.
I’ll let you know. My friends and I play asynchronous but at a decent pace, so I at least won’t have to wait days for a single bid. Whether or not it bogs down the game is yet to be seen.
I can’t imagine it affecting the game enough to be worth the time (unless your group is full of the type they like to overspend for fear of losing the auction. Otherwise it would just come down to whoever is first to get to the winning number rather than the first in play order to get to it.