Adventure Trek: The Board Game Based on the World’s Toughest Sport

If you’ve ever wondered how the intricacies of a multi day stage race would translate to a board game format, you’re not alone. The makers of “Adventure Trek” have come up with a way to distill the feeling of adventure racing into just such an experience:

The board game comes in a standard size tabletop game box

You are an adventure racer who has entered the most exciting race of your life. It's not just a race; it's a test of skill and endurance that will push the limits of your abilities! While the game is easy to play, it demands all your wit and endurance to overcome your opponents, battle fatigue, and navigate the unforgiving terrain. Are you prepared for the challenge, or will the course spit you out? (From the official description of Adventure Trek)

Artwork and Construction

Right out of the plastic wrap, the game feels nicely constructed. They have used high quality stock for all the cards, tokens and terrain tiles. The terrain tiles feel especially solid and I really like the artwork representing the different regions. The box isn’t too big to hold all the pieces and the insert is designed well to hold everything neatly when putting the game away. The player pieces, finish line and transition area markers are all designed well, but I think the plastic molding or 3D printing process on these wasn’t done with the best material since they seem kind of fragile. That’s the only issue I had with anything and overall this is a very cool looking and feeling game.

Gameplay

Close up of game pieces and terrain tiles

The basic mechanic of Adventure Trek is the use of points to advance your player across the board. Each movement costs ‘movement points’ which you can spend to traverse the different terrain tiles on the way to the finish. Additionally, “Experience” modifier cards will be available and those can perform various tasks such as granting additional movement points or allowing travel to additional spaces. The game is a race from the left side of the board to the right, using a bit of luck and an basic action point economy. That is, each player’s turn will involve a few different phases wherein they can choose to spend points to move, upgrade, or use modifier cards to enhance movement.

Each game unfolds on a different course, presenting unique challenges that require wise decisions to conquer. Will you rise to the occasion, or will you be left behind? This game is perfect for anyone aged 14 and up, ideally suited for 2-5 players. If you're passionate about adventure and looking for excitement on days when the outdoors isn't an option, this board game is for you! Embrace the adventure, test your limits, and discover if you have what it takes to emerge victorious in the most thrilling race of your life! (From the official description of Adventure Trek)

POV: You’re playing Adventure Trek

During each turn, players must decide if they will try to move one or more spaces on the board. Simple movement points are not enough though and the variability of terrain and weather is introduced by a dice roll here. Some types of terrain are more difficult to access in real life - it’s generally easier to traverse a grassland than a mountaintop and those challenges are represented in the minimum dice score you need to move. Your dice rolls can be augmented with Experience cards and Experience tokens which you collect as you go through each space on the board.

The board design is one of the more clever ways to keep the game interesting as well. Each time you play, you’ll reset the entire course by randomizing the terrain tiles into the slots on the board, similar to the classic game, Settlers of Catan. In the box you’ll find twice as many terrain tiles as you need to fill the slots on the board so there is a ton of opportunity for re-play. Within the game instructions you will also find options for varying game lengths from ‘sprint’ to ‘expedition’ using some or all of the terrain tiles.

Once you read the rules and watch this setup YouTube video from the creators, the game is easy to pick up. While there are complexities that make it interesting to board game enthusiasts I think Adventure Trek doesn’t dive too deeply into complicated rules that could limit its accessibility. After the initial playthrough with 2 players, the time estimate of 45-75 minutes seems accurate, depending on the length of game you set out to play. This is not one of those games that you need to play for hours, although I could see how you might want to.

Capturing the essence of Adventure Racing

Adventure Trek is a solidly designed game with proven mechanics that are easy to grasp and fun to play but does it feel like Adventure Racing? As much as a board game can, the answer is a resounding yes. Right away it’s evident in the player pieces that are represented as little action figures: a whitewater rafter, a cyclist, a rock climber, a mountaineer, and a hiker. As you move through the board, you’ll find consistent references to adventure racing that are imbued in every aspect of the gameplay. Beyond the relative costs to move on different types to terrain, you’ll run into plenty of other things that remind you of being out on course: cards like “Local Guide” or “Food and Rest” will help you along the way, while the “Illness or Injury” card and “Swamp” tokens may hinder your progress. One other giveaway: the board itself is a giant compass. It’s clear that the authors of this game have plenty of experience with the sport.

XP tokens

Terrain cards

Experience cards

Final thoughts

Overview of complete game setup

Overall I think Adventure Trek is a nice well rounded game that will appeal to both adventure racers and board game enthusiasts alike. The design and complexity level make it fun for more casual board game players and non-adventure racing people to enjoy as well. The quality is similar to or better than many games you might find on the shelf at a specialty board game store and with the variability in terrain tiles, no game unfolds in exactly the same way. Break this one out the next time the weather isn’t cooperating or just on family game night.

Buy it now on Amazon: Adventure Trek Board Game - New Strategy Board Game for 2-5 Players. Bike, Paddle, Trek, Climb Your Way to The Finish.