Around the World in 15 Minutes
Your passport’s stamped. The bags are packed. And the adventure of a lifetime is about to begin!
You’re racing from one landmark to another, snapping photos, chasing thrills, and soaking in wonders before the moment slips away. And your friends are in on this too! But only one will claim the most unforgettable journey.
Now what if I tell you you could do it all in 15 minutes?
It’s been a while since my work schedule kept me from booking a much-needed trip, and I might just have been pushed to the very edge, thanks to this game!
Having recently played Shiny Pigeon Games’ Starfront Scouting Academy, I was delighted when Parker reached out to me with Around the World in 15 Minutes. Starfront Scouting Academy is a gem, so naturally my expectations went sky high with this one. After all, it’ll be my first-ever print-and-play vacation!
First Impressions
If you glance at the Map Sheets even once, you’ll know exactly what you’ve signed up for. And I liked that! It felt like a lightweight casual game that I could play multiple times in one sitting. I was provided with three maps (the USA, Europe, and the World), and each looked unique in its own way, especially the USA map. I was curious to try the game in both solo and 1v1 mode to see which one I would enjoy more.
A bit on the game
Around the World in 15 Minutes is a travel-themed strategy game where you explore countries and continents to enjoy the perfect vacation. In multiplayer mode, each round one player becomes the navigator and chooses whether everyone will travel, explore sites, or collect souvenirs. In solo mode, you use a Turn Tracker Sheet and explore for exactly 20 rounds or less. Tally your points at the end of the game and see if you’ve won or beaten your previous best score!
The first edition of the game was launched last year, the Kickstarter campaign of which breathed fire! With the second edition launching this September, it brings refined solo rules and a brand-new South America map.
All you need
Prepping for the game is pretty straightforward:
If you’re playing solo: print the Map Sheets, Turn Tracker Sheets, grab a pen, two D6 dice and a pawn/meeple.Â
If you’re playing in multiplayer mode: print one Map Sheet per player, and grab a pen. You may use a pawn/meeple to track who’s the navigator.
Lastly, you need your passport. Just kidding, you’re ready to play!
PS- laminate the Map Sheets if you want to reuse them, but the glare sort of compromises the game experience. Which is why I had them printed on state-of-the-art premium cardstock paper! Find the link at the end of the article.
Findings
Here I am, bringing tidings after a full week of circling the globe countless times, right from my gaming table:
Plan your trip well (like you should)
You start the game, explore new cities to bag some souvenirs and engage in some sightseeing. Sounds simple in words, but if it’s not planned well then you won’t be scoring much in the game.Â
A few reasons why:
– each route on the map can only be used once.
– the souvenirs and sites to explore are not the same for every location. So you need to assess the right time to bag them.
– the endgame triggers when a player returns to their starting city or when they are done with 20 turns (the latter is applicable only for solo mode). Meaning, you won’t have all the time in the world to score points. Choose your actions wisely!
– there are four ways to score points, and you have to put some thought into your moves to stand a chance. Try to understand which moves will give you more points.
The multiple ways to score points felt like a classic Shiny Pigeon Games touch. It took me right back to my cadet days at Starfront Scouting Academy!
Transitioning from luck to strategy
A game that first felt heavily reliant on luck started to feel different on my third play. I began to understand the strategic aspect in it. My moves became calculated, I made the most of the locations that came my way, and in no time I started outscoring my friends!
So if you feel the game is testing your luck that’s already cursed, give it a while. And now that I’ve said it, keep an eye on the strategic aspects from the get go!
Solo or 1v1?
I’m comparing solo and 1v1 since I’ve only played the game in these modes. And if I have to pick one, it has to be 1v1!
While I’m a sucker for solo games, the 1v1 experience brought an extra layer of strategy. In this mode, you become the navigator every other round and choose the action both players must take. That meant every other turn I wasn’t just picking actions that fit my plan; I was also studying my opponent’s Map Sheet to find ways to slow their progress. It’s fun!
The solo is also quite enjoyable, and can be an excellent warmup before you head on to challenge any of your friends for a duel. Losers book the tickets for the upcoming trip!
Replayable?
Let’s dish out what we’ve got: versatile Map Sheets, multiplayer mode with friends, a solo mode for when you’re on your own, countless ways to explore the cities, and all of it wrapped up in 15 minutes or less. Replayable? Absolutely!
I lost count of how many times I’ve played the USA map. On top of that, there’s a 4th map along the way, and in this one you will be exploring the wildlife of South America!
I have a soft corner for games that are expandable. And as a game designer myself, I see tons of potential for the game not just to expand in terms of maps, but also by introducing fresh elements to bag points. Sky is the limit, especially when the theme is traveling!
Ideal for?
It’s a casual game for all age groups, with just the right balance of strategy to keep your mind ticking. Play it if you miss traveling, or even better, when you are traveling! Tie it to your trip memories and start from the city you last visited. The world is your oyster!
For now, I’d recommend 1v1 since I feel I’d go crazy strategizing my own game alongside keeping an eye on 4/5 Map Sheets of my friends. But I’ve yet to try it, so let me play with a group before I can say for certain!
Get on board!
The campaign for Around the World in 15 Minutes has kicked off with a bang, and you only have a little over two weeks to make your move.
Are you ready for an adventure of a lifetime?
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Game Overview
Publisher: Shiny Pigeon Games
Designer: Chris Backe
Artist: Parker Simpson
Number of players: 1-100
Difficulty level: Easy to Medium
Rounds of gameplay needed to learn: 1 to 2 rounds
Game duration: 15 minutes
Available on: Kickstarter
Theme: Print-and-play Vacation
Number of pages: 1 Map Sheet per player and 1 Turn Tracker Sheet if played in solo mode.Â
Assembling difficulty level: Super easy. No Assembly required
Lamination: Recommended for replayability
Additional elements required: 2 D6 dice, a token/tracker, and a pen per player
Time to learn: Within 20 minutes
Travel-friendly: 9/10
Shelving friendly: 10/10
Rating from PnP Time: 8/10
Tasliman is a board game developer based in Bangladesh, with the dream of exploring the world of games and introducing it to anyone new to it. He is the founder of Kraftz, a brand that develops board games commercially, as well as with reputed entities like BRAC and The Gates Foundation.
