
2023Ryan Courtney
From BoardGameGeek
Trailblazers are the gutsy folks who pave and brave the trails of the great outdoors. Whether by hiking boots, cycling wheels, or river paddle, these tenacious travelers seek to feed their insatiable appetite for adventure. With a scenic wilderness ever ahead and a freshly charted path upon the heels, one mustn't forget to eventually find their way back to camp. For there are always new environments to explore, further expeditions to undertake, and more trails to blaze. In Trailblazers, players compete to earn the most points by building biking, hiking, and kayaking loops from their campsites of the matching trail type. Each round, players are dealt eight trail cards where they'll draft two cards, arrange those cards in their personal area, and pass their hand to the next player three times. Cards must either be placed adjacent to or overlapping other cards. While players can push their luck by aiming to construct long and elaborate trails, only closed loops that start and end at a matching campsite will score points. Players also compete to fulfill "First To" and "End Game" goal cards. After four rounds, the game ends and the player with the most points from closed loops and goal cards wins. The Travel Edition of Trailblazers plays up to 4 players and includes the clamshell case and carabiner. It also includes the Animals expansion. There are two solo modes. Another version of this game exists as the "Pocket Edition" which features the same game content but with no expansions and instead comes in a tuck box with regular cards. (The Standard and Deluxe editions play up to 8 players, include the Animals and Adventures expansions, and have three solo modes.)
Trailblazers: Travel Edition has 4 videos from 3 creators: 1 review, 1 playthrough and 2 unboxings. They date from 2023 to October 2026.
For an opinion before you buy, start with "10 Solo Board Games Perfect For Route Planners" by TabletopQuester. To see it played, watch "Trailblazers Travel Edition Solo Playthrough | DaniCha" by DaniCha.
If you like it, try Trailblazers, Spectral, Curious Cargo and Bear Raid, also by Ryan Courtney.
2024Ryan Courtney
2 - 5 players30 minMedium weight
From BoardGameGeek:
Trailblazers are the gutsy folks who pave and brave the trails of the great outdoors. Whether by hiking boots, cycling wheels, or river paddle, these tenacious travelers seek to feed their insatiable appetite for adventure. With a scenic wilderness ever ahead and a freshly charted path upon the heels, one mustn't forget to eventually find their way back to camp. For there are always new environments to explore, further expeditions to undertake, and more trails to blaze. In Trailblazers, players compete to earn the most points by building biking, hiking, and kayaking loops from their campsites of the matching trail type. Each round, players are dealt eight trail cards where they'll draft two cards, arrange those cards in their personal area, and pass their hand to the next player three times. Cards must either be placed adjacent to or overlapping other cards. While players can push their luck by aiming to construct long and elaborate trails, only closed loops that start and end at a matching campsite will score points. Players also compete to fulfill "First To" and "End Game" goal cards. After four rounds, the game ends and the player with the most points from closed loops and goal cards wins. The Travel Edition of Trailblazers plays up to 4 players and includes the clamshell case and carabiner. It also includes the Animals expansion. There are two solo modes. Another version of this game exists as the "Pocket Edition" which features the same game content but with no expansions and instead comes in a tuck box with regular cards. (The Standard and Deluxe editions play up to 8 players, include the Animals and Adventures expansions, and have three solo modes.)
Designer
Ryan Courtney
Artist
Seth Lucas
Publisher
Bitewing Games
Mechanics