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Carcassonne

EMAIL PRINTxbox360

9.1 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 20 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 12 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Sierra Online

Developer: Sierra Online Seattle

Genre(s): Strategy, Board Game

Players: 5

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Release Date: June 27, 2007

Summary

[Xbox Live Arcade] Based on the award-winning board game and designed for two to five players, Carcassonne is set in a medieval landscape made up of 72 tiles. Players start from a single tile and then draw from a pool of remaining tiles to create a growing landscape and gain points for ultimate victory. Carcassonne features multiplayer modes both offline and online allowing players to compete against up to five players on Xbox LIVE and four players on a single Xbox 360. Players amass valuable points by strategically placing tiles and claiming land, completing towns, roads and farms. Gamers can master strategy in the medieval world by owning the largest towns, longest roads and biggest farms, not to mention a monastery or two. Or they can score points and properties the old fashioned way--by poaching from others!

Cheat Codes & Hints: GameFAQs

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Console Gameworld

With easy to learn rules, but surprising strategic depth, Catan gets some company in the “Turn-Based Fun” genre of XBLA!

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The Onion (A.V. Club)

Carcassonne is proof that cleverly designed, imaginative strategy games not only have a place in the video-game world, they're direly needed.

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Thunderbolt

It's highly unlikely that you'll find a better value on Live Arcade.

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Team Xbox

I honestly didn’t know much about Carcassonne before I played it on XBLA, but the cozy format and computer control makes it a lot of unfettered fun. Sierra also promises that it’ll add some of the board game’s expansion as inexpensive downloads soon, which will extend the gameplay that much more.

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Console Monster

Carcassonne for the Xbox LIVE Arcade is a great conversion of the original board game, but certain aspects of the game are lacking.

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Xbox World Australia

Carcassonne is the sort of board game that the Arcade needs more of: simple to pick up and play, but plenty of scope for competition and strategy for hardcore gamers. The games are quick, lots of fun, and the whole package is well polished and easy to use.

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GameShark

It plays fast, has good AI and best of all there is no clean up.

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GamerNode

Carcassonne is without a doubt one of the best multiplayer games on Live Arcade right now, but the limited single player might leave those without friends a little depressed. That is, unless they take it online.

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Xbox World 360 Magazine UK

Simpler and faster than "Catan." [Aug 2007, p.92]

Game Over Online

While Carcassonne isn’t quite as deep as Catan, it’s certainly an easier game to grasp.

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Games Radar (in-house)

You might be surprised just how easy and addictive this board game can be.

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IGN

That Carcassonne is a great game was never in question -- it's one of the most successful board games in recent years. The question was whether or not an Xbox Live Arcade version would retain what made the real-world game fun, and the answer is "indeed."

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Official Xbox Magazine

Carcassonne is Live Arcade at its best--a fair price for a great game you otherwise wouldn't find on the 360. More please! [Aug 2007, p.80]

GameSpot

As a simple, yet effective translation of the German board game, Carcassonne proves an oddly addictive experience.

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Talk Xbox

Although Carcassonne may not have the depth of strategy that you see in Catan, it still holds its own as a stable addition to the Live Arcade.

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Jolt Online Gaming UK

While board games on Xbox Live are not everyone’s cup of tea, those looking for a bit of fast-paced and fun strategy that’s actually quite relaxing to play, Carcasonne certainly delivers, and has the promise of tile-set expansions in the near future.

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Eurogamer

In general, Carcassone is a quicker game to grasp but lacks Catan's depth and tactical nuances with the outcome of a game often feeling more like luck than skill. If you've only got a Silver Live account Carcassonne is a marginally better purchase thanks to its offline multiplayer and its short game length and puzzle-like aspects gives it a strangely addictive quality, yet the honest fact is that despite being a better adaptation, Carcassonne just isn't based on a board game quite as good as the one Catan is.

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Digital Entertainment News

Carcassonne is a solid board game, but I personally feel it’s just not quite as strong as Catan, its only direct competition on XBLA. In addition, problems with the camera and presentation only add to the frustration.

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Official Xbox Magazine UK

The AI is exceptional and we found the middle level to be a good match for even experienced players. [Sept 2007, p.108]

X360 Magazine UK

The complexity of it all stinks up the mix. [Issue#23, p.98]

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 9.1 (out of 10) based on 12 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

D gave it a10:
We need more of these kind of games on de xbox...together with catan this game takes most of my time..great fun.

Max Courter III gave it a9:
A fun game that is a great board game. The only problem is that it doesn't have all of the expansions.

strump gave it a7:
As the game progresses the camera pulls back further and further from the "board" making it a bit difficult to see. There is a zoom that works so slightly that it might as well not exist. The player scoreboard graphics are too big while the game pieces are generally small and hard to see for the majority of a game. But the game itself is very fun. Too bad the implimentation and presentation for the 360 video game is so marginal. Despite it's weaknesses, it is playable and easy to learn. I do hope they update it in order to improve the game's video presentation. I have played the German computer version which has excellent presentation --- the kind Xbox 360 should have. Please update it.

Stephane J. gave it a9:
Perfect conversion of a nice board game. I hope they'll bring more of those to XBLA. Brilliant value!

James L. gave it a10:
Ok this game rules the planet. I was confused until I did the tutorial and now it's probably my favorite game on XBLA. I'd been playing a bunch of single player and a little online and tonight I had a group of friends over to watch the NBA draft ... we wound up playing this all night.

Ian gave it a9:
I'm a fan of the original board game and this XBLA version definitely lives up to the name.

Jorge H. gave it a10:
Addictive and and very deep. I am very pleased with this title and I think it is a great additional to anyone's XBLA library.

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Carcassonne

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