Intro
Preface: you’ll want to read the original Ice Cool review as a precursor to this review.
As fun as the original Ice Cool game is, we’ll never go back to playing it without combining with Ice Cool 2. The following expansion features really ramp up the gameplay, excitement, and replay value and are too fun to pass up.
Massive Playing Space
I was immediately impressed with how big of a playing space there is with the original Ice Cool. The space doubles in size with Ice Cool 2! Every board has new, incredibly detailed artwork which is so fun to comb over. The combo rulebook comes with awesome layout options like Kindergarten Court, After-school Special, and my favorite, Iceberg Alley which has a sliding box!
Up to 8 Players
Combining the two games scales perfectly. It is delightful chaos having 8 penguins sliding across the map with two catchers chasing them down. You’ll need to be disciplined and keep track of whose turn it is with so many players (I recommend a simple age-based turn order as this doesn’t change based on where a player sits).
Race Mode
The ginormous layout of the combo game allows for an incredibly fun race mode. Removing catchers from the game, players team up to get two penguins through each of their respective doors to collect their fish. The first team to collect all fish and get both penguins to the finish line first wins! This mode is played like an entirely different game with the same core mechanics. It’s a faster-paced gameplay and is just as fun (if not more!) as the original mode!
Specialty Cards
In addition to the original benefit of collecting two #1 cards (getting to take an extra turn), Ice Cool 2 introduces task cards and the ability to move a fish to a different door (hugely valuable) if you get two #2 cards! The tasks include successfully jumping over a wall (I still don’t have this down!), flicking a penguin through two doors on one flick (difficult but doable), and ricocheting off a wall and through a door (also hard but doable).
Scoring & Wrap-up
Overall, as an expansion, I give Ice Cool 2 a solid 8 out of 10 (“Very good – enjoy playing and would suggest it” on BGG’s scale) for the following reasons:
Promoters
- Seamless expansion from 4 to 8 players
- Awesome race mode
- Intricate and engaging artwork
- Immense and varying game layouts
Detractors
- If you’re playing with 7 or all 8 players, it can sometimes take a bit for younger kids to wait in between turns. I recommend keeping games with young kids down to 4-6 players.
If you like the original Ice Cool, you will love Ice Cool 2. If you’ve never played Ice Cool, I’d recommend getting both games in one fell swoop.
Disclaimer: I received this game for free in exchange for my review, but believe me, I post authentic reviews every time and will be brazenly blunt if needs be.
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