Castle Panic 2e Big Box Review

Castle Panic is such an easy to understand game that is great for all ages. When the original Castle Panic released, I remembered not loving it because of the semi-cooperative nature of the game. That is, you all can win, but whoever killed the most monsters is the ultimate winner. Now with multiple ways to play, and tons of additional content, the 2e Big Box version of the game is the perfect family gift this holiday season!

What’s in the Box

There is a ton of stuff going on in this box – tons of monster tiles, tons of cards, tons of castles and walls, etc. While we are not going to go into massive detail on everything included, let’s quickly touch on each of the expansions and what they bring to the table!

Crowns and Quests – This expansion adds a ton of additional content, most notably quests that can be completed and give the game a slightly different flavour. I would call this an expansion for those who have played Castle Panic a ton, and are looking for something new. It was the last expansion we touched when playing through this big box!

The Wizard’s Panic – A brand new tower gets added to the board, replacing one of your current towers. You now have access to special wizards powers that will transform the way you play the game. You can even set things on fire, including monsters! With a ton of new monsters added into the game, this is probably my favourite of all the Castle Panic expansions!

The Dark Titan – Wanted to battle through a major boss? Agranok and his minions have arrived at the castle ready to create some havoc, and it’s up to you and your team to push him and his forces back for good. This was probably my second favourite expansion as it introduces so much more including new monsters, and some allied figures such as the Stonemason, the Supply Wagon, the Cavalier, and the Reserve Squad. This is a bit more in depth than the other expansions, but still one worth playing, especially or advanced players!

Engines of War – Want to build some cool stuff? I think the Engines at War expansion could end up being one of my favourites, but I just haven’t spent enough time with this particular expansion to say if that is true or not. Still, who doesn’t want to deploy a siege tower onto the field? This comes with more monsters and new rule sets that, once again, takes Castle Panic in a new and exciting direction!

Is It Worth It? 

Castle Panic was a real hit when it was released, but there is no doubt that it is a family weight game. For those without casual board game friends, I think this one quickly went back into the closet when the initial excitement wore off and I’m not entirely sure it ever came back out again, regardless of the expansions that were released. 

I think that is a big shame, because while the basic version of Castle Panic is family weight, it’s still a lot of fun. All of the added expansions over the years has just made the entire experience that much better. I’m absolutely thrilled to have them all together now in one big box, and the product quality on this set is phenomenal.

The 2e Castle Panic got a brand new artwork facelift, and I love what they have done with everything. The game is so colourful and it really does pop! We’ve taken it out at larger board game gatherings since it arrived, and we always get a crowd of people wanting to know what’s going on. It looks great on the table, which is a huge bonus for me (someone who loves deluxified content).

More importantly, in my opinion, the design team took the time to create a very great insert for the box. Each part of the game – the base copy and all the expansions – have their own little section of the box for the components, and they all fit well. There is even a little extra room to spare, so even if you don’t get all the little cardboard pieces into the small areas assigned for them perfectly, you can still easily get the lid on without damaging components or creating a bulge in the lid.

Conclusion

There are only a few board games I would be willing to purchase again after receiving a review copy, but this is one of them. I want the ultimate edition of this game with all the plastic towers and wooden tokens. I know it’s a hefty expense for something I theoretically already own, but it’s one I want to make because of how much fun I’m having with this box. At a great price, you get a ton of content, and it’s all family and new-to-games friendly. If you are looking for something for the family this holiday season, I cannot recommend the Castle Panic 2e Big Box enough!