Jeff Goris
Australia
Croydon
NSW
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This is my first review. Don't go easy on me. Feel free to let loose with any harsh comments and criticisms you have.
The Leap of Death track tile is a "Special Promo Track" for Snow Tails that has been given away for free with copies of the Asmodee edition, whilst stocks last. For those of you that want a review that is just as short as the rules for this tile, skip straight to the conclusion.
What do you get?
A straight track tile showing a crevasse on one side, and the rules in the same 5 languages as used in the base game on the back of the tile. The tile is made from sturdy cardboard that matches the same high quality track pieces from the base gaeme. There is no packaging. The bonus tile was simply chucked in the box along with all the other games I purchased from an online games store.
What does it do?
If you haven't played Snow Tails before, then to put it simply, it gives you an additional type of track with special rules that you don't have in the base game.
If you have played Snow Tails before, then you probably already know what it does. If not, click on the image above and you can quickly read the two paragraphs of rules for yourself.
The idea is that if you don't cross the crevasse at a speed of at least 5 you get dents. As it's a race game players are often going fast and it poses no threat whatsoever if placed poorly in your course. I think it works best placed directly between two special tracks (saplings, chasm, snow Drift) or corners that people typically maneuvre through slowly to make it tricky to reach the required minimum speed. Even then, it doesn't seem hard to cross, unless you place it towards the end of the course where people are likely to have more dents and therefore could struggle to cross the crevasse at speed.
What do I like about it?
- It's free
- High quality component.
- The rules are conventiently printed on the bonus tile itself. You don't have to hunt them down on the publisher's website and it doesn't add annoying clutter to the box.
- It gives you extra options when you build your tracks. I guess this could slightly extend replayability of the game for some people.
- Thematically, it fits sled dog racing very well.
What don't I like about it?
- Terrible packaging. Completely non-existent to be precise.
- If during play you need to refer to the rules it is an inconvenience to have to disturb the track to see the back of the tile. Especially when players' sleds are on the bonus tile itself.
- Someone in your group is bound to not be listening to the rules when you explain them and think that they need to go under the posted speed to pass over the crevasse line, as per corners.
- I don't think the Leap of Death lives up to it's name. In my opinion, it's the second worse tile of them all. The only tile it's better than is a regular straight.
Value for money
If value for money equals value divided by money, and you get it free then the value for money is undefined as you can't divide by zero. This is a shame, because it would be good to know whether you are getting value for money or not. However, maths aside, my gut feel tells me this special promo track is good value for money.
If you end up paying an extra $5 to buy Snow Tails from a store just because it includes the bonus tile then I reckon it's bad value for money.
Conclusion - should you get it?
- If you can get it free that's a no brainer and I'm surprised you are even reading this review.
- If you are a completionist then I'm surprised you are even reading this review. Get the Leap of Death track tile at all costs. The game is not complete without it.
- If you have to pay a few bucks for it, you might as well just mock up a copy for yourself.
PS, if you do end up paying a few bucks to get the bonus tile, that makes you a completionist.
Edit: Oops. Changed completionist to completist.
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Stew Woods
Australia
Wellard
Western Australia
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slith wrote:
PS, if you do end up paying a few bucks to get the bonus tile, that makes you a completionist.
Actually, it makes you a completist 
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Was George Orwell an Optimist?
United States
Corvallis
Oregon
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slith wrote: This is my first review. Don't go easy on me. Feel free to let loose with any harsh comments and criticisms you have.
I am soooo tired of those wimpy disclaimers we too often see, so this is an improvement. But taking you at your word, I'll note that I don't give a damn whether it's your first review or not. It's a review, and should be judged on its merits like any other. In this case, I'd say it's very clear and informative, so certainly deserves a thumb.
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Clay
United States
Alabama
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Edit: Actually, I should be wearing my glasses. It says "Completist", the second "I" is crossed out but it's hard to see... for me at least.
For the sake of not rewriting history I'll just spoiler my old comment.
Spoiler (mouseover to reveal): Actually, you changed it to "Completiist". Y'know, while we're all picking at that word and all...
Oh, and nice review.
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Was George Orwell an Optimist?
United States
Corvallis
Oregon
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The Message wrote: For the sake of not rewriting history I'll just spoiler my old comment.
Stealth completionist.
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Klaus Brune
United States
Torrance
California
HEY! That TICKLES!
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slith wrote: Feel free to let loose with any harsh comments and criticisms you have.
{snip}
- Thematically, it fits sled dog racing very well.
Well, since you DID invite nitpicking, here goes...
While I do enjoy the variety and twist that this can add, thematically I find that it doesn't fit at all. I can't picture anyone being able to convince their dogs to attempt that leap no matter what speed they're going, and I think if an actual dog sled course had such a feature, the animal rights people would be in an uproar.
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Patrick Riley
United States
San Jose
California
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You don't think they're already in an uproar?
Actually, the crevasse could have formed due to early thawing or some such natural event and wasn't there when they planned or even started the race.
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Jeff Goris
Australia
Croydon
NSW
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Sphere wrote: slith wrote: This is my first review. Don't go easy on me. Feel free to let loose with any harsh comments and criticisms you have. I am soooo tired of those wimpy disclaimers we too often see, so this is an improvement. But taking you at your word, I'll note that I don't give a damn whether it's your first review or not. It's a review, and should be judged on its merits like any other. In this case, I'd say it's very clear and informative, so certainly deserves a thumb.
That was my attempt at a slight dig at those wimpy disclaimers you are referring to.
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Daniël Muilwijk
Netherlands
Zeist
Utrecht
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slith wrote: Value for money
If value for money equals value divided by money, and you get it free then the value for money is undefined as you can't divide by zero. This is a shame, because it would be good to know whether you are getting value for money or not.
You made me laugh here  Good review, thanks!
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David Larkin
England
Brighton
Sussex
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Well I thought it worked well just before the trees
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\m/ Stoner Rock \m/ (Joe)
United States
Atlanta
Georgia
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slith wrote: Value for money
If value for money equals value divided by money, and you get it free then the value for money is undefined as you can't divide by zero. This is a shame, because it would be good to know whether you are getting value for money or not.
But as the divisor (money) approaches zero, the quotient (value for money) approaches infinity for positive values of the dividend (value). So it's pretty safe to say that as long as you find some value in the expansion, its value for the money is nearly infinite!
Also, inb4 "you divided by zero, oh shi-"..
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Jeff Goris
Australia
Croydon
NSW
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In hindsight, I probably had to pay a few cents extra shipping for the bonus track tile due to the extra weight. So it is completely safe to say that it was very good value for money.
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Andrew MacLeod
Canada
London
Ontario
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Gruumsh wrote: slith wrote: Feel free to let loose with any harsh comments and criticisms you have.
{snip}
- Thematically, it fits sled dog racing very well. Well, since you DID invite nitpicking, here goes... While I do enjoy the variety and twist that this can add, thematically I find that it doesn't fit at all. I can't picture anyone being able to convince their dogs to attempt that leap no matter what speed they're going, and I think if an actual dog sled course had such a feature, the animal rights people would be in an uproar.
To some extent the Leap of Death is thematically accurate. In the Iditarod , for example, there are some places on the trail where the mushers cross a river. If there has been a bit of a thaw, one would want to get across said river as quickly as possible, to avoid plunging through the soft ice (as has actually happened on occasion in the Iditarod). The Leap of Death is not a prefect match for a frozen river, but it's kinda close in terms of its effects.
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Matt Smith
United States
Orion
Michigan
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amacleod wrote: Gruumsh wrote: slith wrote: Feel free to let loose with any harsh comments and criticisms you have.
{snip}
- Thematically, it fits sled dog racing very well. Well, since you DID invite nitpicking, here goes... While I do enjoy the variety and twist that this can add, thematically I find that it doesn't fit at all. I can't picture anyone being able to convince their dogs to attempt that leap no matter what speed they're going, and I think if an actual dog sled course had such a feature, the animal rights people would be in an uproar. To some extent the Leap of Death is thematically accurate. In the Iditarod , for example, there are some places on the trail where the mushers cross a river. If there has been a bit of a thaw, one would want to get across said river as quickly as possible, to avoid plunging through the soft ice (as has actually happened on occasion in the Iditarod). The Leap of Death is not a prefect match for a frozen river, but it's kinda close in terms of its effects.
What does a prefect have to do with sled dog racing?
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Andrew MacLeod
Canada
London
Ontario
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In ancient Roman sled dog racing through the Apennines, prefects (for reasons of aristocratic pride) were frequently the only mushers who were daring enough to attempt to cross a frozen river. In my opinion, the Leap of Death is not a good simulation of this matchus prefectus, or "prefect match", that our Latin forebearers were so fond of. I hope this clears up the confusion, Matthew........
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Posted Thu Nov 12, 2009 12:56 am
