We are really happy to introduce today our personal favorite game from 2014: Colt Express, a game from Christophe Raimbault published by Ludonaute.

Some games are driven by a good theme, but have heavy mechanisms. Some games come with wonderful and innovative mechanisms, but with an artificial theme. The essence of Colt Express is the following: an excellent theme perfectly integrated with innovative, fluid and easy-to-learn mechanisms.

Recently Colt Express won the prestigious Spiel des Jahres, and also won the most prestigious French price As d'or. You should also be aware that a first expansion Horses & stagecoach is going to be released for Essen 2015. To learn more about the expansion, click here, and/or like the Ludonaute Facebook page.

In Colt Express, you are playing armed bandits robbing a train in the Far West. The game consists of 5 rounds of 2 phases:

_ During the first phase, on your turn you play 1 action card in a pile common to everyone (face up or sometimes face down). Depending on the round each player plays 2 to 5 cards this way.

_ During the second phase, the actions are resolved in the order they have been played. For example if you played a "go up or down" card, your meeple is going to the top of the train or to the bottom (depending on its current position). If you played a "shoot" card, your meeple can shoot an opponent's meeple. If you played a "Rob passengers" card, you can pick some interesting things at your meeple place: gems, bags of loot, suitcases...

Each players controls a character with a special ability. For example "Ghost" always plays his first card face down, so other players can never know what his first move will be. You'll also have to avoid the Marshall (yellow meeple) who protect this train.

At the end of the game, there is a special prize of $1000 for the best shooter(s), and then whoever bagged the richest haul wins!

You can learn all the rules with the video below.

Colt Express has so many qualities that I cannot make a list. The game is simple, intended for all audiences (note that "expert" gamers may use the "Expert" variant). The nicest thing with this game is the following: it has all the fun of an action programming game (especially the "all my plans are ruined by your unexpected move"), BUT contrary to most action programming game, you can make decisions DURING the resolution phase, and if you are smart enough this allows you to turn a bad programming into a good move!

I also have to mention that the members of the team who worked on this game are really among the nicest persons you can meet in the Board Games World: Anne-Cécile and Cédric from Ludonaute, and of course the game designer Christophe Raimbault. A big thank you to the three of you for this game, you totally deserve this success!

If you already played the BGA adaptation you noticed that there is this splendid 3D train model. This magnificent adaptation has been realized by Benjamin Wack (Quinarbe) using BGA Studio. Benjamin wanted to keep the spirit of the 3D train in this adaptation for BGA, and I think everyone will agree that this was a great idea! Thank you a lot Benjamin for this adaptation and for making it possible!

And now guys, let's rob this train!