The Good: Great playable set, Nice images, Collectible value
The Bad: Still some scriptlike elements to the game.
The Basics: The Star Wars Coruscant set is very valuable set that still has appeal despite some playability issues.
The Star Wars CCG got stale. Plain and simple, that's the only way one may honestly discuss it. The game became problematic, became less free-play and more ordered and was annoying to players. But with the release of the Prequel Star Wars films, Decipher had a chance to revitalize the game. Fortunately, the company was smart enough to leap upon the opportunity. With the emergence of more Jedi and more menacing Sith, Decipher's Star Wars CCG had to be retooled and they did that with the "Coruscant" set!
"Coruscant" was released after The Phantom Menace and focused on the newer elements from the earlier time frame of the Star Wars universe represented by Episode I. "Coruscant" was a full set that recreated the Star Wars universe in the game and made it virtually impossible for the Dark Side to actually win, as they were drastically outnumbered by more powerful Light Side cards.
Basics/Set Composition
"Coruscant" was the penultimate full set in the Star Wars CCG and it was focused on the prequel timeframe. The set focused on the role Coruscant played in The Phantom Menace, so it is full of politics, Jedi and scheming Dark Side cards that are not as physically powerful. The set is focuses on characters naturally on Coruscant and those who wander there during the first prequel film.
"Coruscant" consists of one hundred eighty-eight gaming cards from Decipher, Inc. Packs consisted of nine cards and boxes had thirty-six packs. Each pack had five commons, three uncommons and one rare card. Cards were broken down fairly evenly between 95 Light Side and 93 Dark Side cards. The set consisted of sixty common, sixty uncommon, and sixty rare cards and eight rare Alternate Images. The eight alternate image cards are reprints bearing the same game text, but an alternate image of the character. As a result, there are two versions of the card for Darth Maul, Qui-Gon Jinn and Queen Amidala (among others).
The "Coruscant" set is broken down into: 65 Character (cards focusing on the droids, aliens and Jedi, like Plo Koon or Aks Moe), 30 Effect (cards that change the parameters of the game, like The Phantom Menace or making a Plea To The Court), 2 Epic Events (Longterm goals for the game, like the double-sided Plead My Case To The Senate/Sanity And Compassion), 34 Interrupts (immediate changes in the game, like bringing on Rebel Artillery or when Maul Strikes), 30 Locations (cards depicting places that form the "board" for the game, like Coruscant or Naboo: Swamp), and 7 Weapons (cards to arm characters or ships with, like Battle Droid's Blaster Rifle or Naboo Security Officer Blaster).
Playability
By this point in the game, the game needed a reboot to be playable. There have been so many rule changes and addendum that it is virtually impossible to play without owning each and every card Decipher put out for the game. As a result, "Coruscant" was loaded with characters and more limited Effects and Interrupts intended to be playable on its own out of the box. However, there are still a few very scriptlike cards which require very specific counter cards.
The basic idea behind the game is to assemble a deck of locations, people, equipment and action cards and either embody the Dark or Light Side powers in the Star Wars universe. Using that side, originally, the concept was to have free play to either stand for order or rule the galaxy with an iron fist. By this point, though, the game follows more of a script. As a result, specific cards counter other, specific cards with little ability for the player to be creative within the field of play anymore. The boxes of Coruscant cards do not come with a full guide to playing the game, but there is more freedom with this set than with some of the previous sets.
Rule Changes
The box of "Coruscant" cards comes with a single sheet of rule changes and a checklist for the set. There are actually no rule changes in this set.
Highlights
Fans of the Star Wars Saga are likely to enjoy the fact that this set gives them a wide range of Prequel characters. As a result, they can get Darth Maul, Queen Amidala, a prequel Yoda and a Light Side Senator Palpatine!
But, because this set re-establishes the Light Side as a force to be reckoned with (pun intended), I would have to go with Master Qui-Gon as the best card to get. Sure, the powerful Jedi is expensive to bring into play at 8 Force (though he deploys for two less on Coruscant sites), but if he is killed, his loss value is even more! Being completely immune to Attrition makes him more valuable than his simple Power of 6 and Ability of 7 make him seem.
Collectibility
"Coruscant" revitalized the Star Wars Customizable Card Game very effectively. The Alternate Image cards turned out to be very popular and quite rare, which renewed enthusiasm for the set. Because the boxes were underproduced, this set quickly became a sellout and fans still have a tough time hunting it all down.
This was also severely short-printed and that gives it even more value. Investors seem to do well with this set.
Overview
"Coruscant" is a strong return to form for Decipher and is a very collectible, very playable Star Wars CCG set. Fans like the playability, collectors like the collectibility and investors like the value. Even so, it is very expensive to get this set and the fact that some of the cards are still very scriptlike make it a little less than it otherwise could be.
This set was preceded by "Reflections II" (review pending!) and followed by "Theed Palace" (reviewed here!).
This set culls images from: The Phantom Menace, which is reviewed here!
7.5/10
For other card reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!
© 2011, 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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