StampSwap Review

Have you ever dreamed of having some kind of special collection with rare items, such as stamps? Or even better have you made this dream come true? I like to collect  restaurant/cafe napkins with their logo on them. It’s also a testament of the places I’ve been and it creates memories of places I’d otherwise forget. Whether you are a collection buff or not, “Stamp Swap” will make you feel like one. This is a light, competitive set collection game where players collect and trade stamp tiles to create valuable stamp collections. The game mixes elements of set collection and open drafting, making it a fun, strategic experience for both casual and seasoned board gamers.

“Stamp Swap” is played over three rounds, during actually a three-day convention about stamp swapping that lasts from Friday till Sunday. Each day of the convention, you will first collect stamps, then swap some of them, arrange your stamps in your album and take part in contests, scoring points all along.

Here’s a comprehensive review of the game covering the key categories: components, gameplay, replayability, theme, player interaction, learning curve, and final thoughts.

Components

“StampSwap” features a charming, compact set of components that enhance the overall experience. The game’s components include:

• Stamp Tiles: The primary focus of the game is the stamp tiles, which come in various sizes, colors, themes and values. Each tile represents a different stamp with unique value and characteristics, often inspired by real-life stamps from various countries. The artwork is colorful, detailed, and plays into the nostalgic theme of stamp collecting. There are five different sizes of stamps to collect, small 2×2 squares, big 3×3 squares, small 2×3 rectangles, big 2×4 rectangles and “forever stamps” which are a special kind of small square 1×1 stamp. There are also five different colors of stamps: purple, yellow, blue, green and brown. There are also five different themes on the stamps: Space, animals, flowers, monuments and vehicles. Stamps can have positive values that count on the last phase of the game, no values (cancelled stamps) or negative values (faded-out stamps). The stamps are all artistically beautiful, have a “retro” feel and are made of thick cardboard. Rare, high-value stamps deserve a special mention as they are golden and really feel valuable.

A special tray for the stamps

Different sizes of stamps

Rare stamp and Forever stamp

• Gameboard. The Gameboard is made of hard cardboard and it’s beautifuly designed. It features a scoring track, places for five contest cards and a track to follow the phases of the game.

Game Board

• Player mats. These are big square mats made of rather thin cardboard and it’s where the heart of the game takes place. I like very much the gridded design of the main part of the mat, which is for arranging your stamps. Each player mat is unique as it comes with a printed exhibitor card, which gives you a certain bonus when collecting certain kinds of stamps. The mats are a bit thin, which concerns me a bit about their durability. Time will tell about that!

Player mat

• Player Tokens: There are small round tokens to track each player’s score during the game. These are functional and easy to use. A bigger round token is used to keep track of each phase during the three rounds of the game.
• Cards. In the game there are Event cards, Contest cards and Attendee cards, all made of rather thin cardboard. As they are shuffled at the beginning of the game, it is recommended that you sleeve them so they remain intact.
• Show tickets and first-player token. These are made of thick cardboard and fulfil their purpose very well.
• Rulebook: The rulebook is well-organized, with clear instructions and examples to help players understand the game quickly. The design is straightforward, and there are no unnecessary complications, making it easy to jump in and start playing.

The overall quality of the components is solid, with a focus on ease of use, functionality and aesthetics. The stamps have a good feel, and the artwork is consistent with the game’s theme, though some players might wish for more variety in stamp designs. 9/10

Gameplay

“StampSwap” is a strategic yet accessible game focused on collecting, trading, and scoring stamp sets. Here’s a breakdown of the gameplay mechanics:

• Objective: The primary goal of the game is to build stamp collections and earn points based on the number, size and type of stamps you’ve gathered by the end of the game. The player with the most points wins.
• Game Flow: Players start the game with no stamps on their hand. A common pool of stamps and attendee cards is created according to randomly drawn event cards. Some of these are face-up and some are face-down. Each of the three rounds of the game consists of the following phases:

    Collect phase: Each player, taking turns, draws a tile (or attendee card) until they have six items.

    Swap phase: Each player chooses an item to reserve (no rare stamp) and then creates two piles with the rest of the items above their player mats. The player with the      first-player token then chooses a pile of items from an opponent and puts it below their player mat. Then that opponent takes his/her other pile and puts it below their          player mat, then choose another pile from an opponent and so on.

    Place Phase: Each player adds their new exhibitor and specialist cards on their mat and then arranges their newly acquired stamps on their album. Stamps must be          placed upright and in a way they don’t cover another stamp. Then each player scores according to their exhibitor cards and for the first-player token. They also choose      a contest card and score points for that card’s scoring condition. Then they place one of their tickets on the contest card so that they know they have entered this                contest. A player can’t take part in the same contest more than once during the game.

At the end of the round, the top event card is discarded and the rest of them are returned to the card deck. The next day begins and after three rounds, there is one             final show to take part in and score. In this final round you score for the following: a) Count the number of forever stamps in your album and compare that with the other
players. You score if you are the first, second or third in having the most forever stamps. b) The total value of stamps in your album c) Specialist cards d) Finale contest      card.

Each phase of the game is completely different from the others so this game never gets boring. At first you get to choose stamps to collect but not all of these will become yours eventually. Then you must choose how to cut your two piles of items which can be a bit tricky, trying to make the pile you would like to keep not too attractive for your opponents. Finally the placement phase presents another challenge where you must find an arrangement for your stamps in order to get the best of the contests available. And it’s not only about the contest of the current round but you must also have in mind the contests of future rounds as well. This variability in gameplay is what I love the most in the game.

Stamp Swap plays quickly, with each round taking only a few minutes. The pacing is smooth, and the rules are simple enough that players can focus on strategy rather than complicated mechanics. 7/10

Replayability

The replayability of “Stamp Swap” is moderate, though it benefits from the variability of the stamp tiles as well as the combination of event cards and contest cards that make each game a unique one. The randomness of the cards and stamps means that no two games will feel exactly the same. The shared pool of items available for collection shifts with every game, meaning that different stamps will be available for collection, which alters your strategy each time.

However, while replayability is decent, the game could feel a bit repetitive after a number of plays, especially for players who are used to the core mechanics. The variability primarily comes from the collection and contest dynamics, which could become predictable for experienced players. Exhibitors and specialists also enhance variability.

For those lone hearts that enjoy solo play, there are special solo rules as in every other Stonemeier game. Solo gameplay runs smoothly and has many levels of difficulty to choose from, so that’s an added asset for replayability. 7/10

Theme

The theme of “StampSwap” is lighthearted and fun, revolving around the nostalgic world of stamp collecting. The game taps into the world of philately, where stamps represent unique pieces of history and art. Here’s how the theme plays out:

• Stamp Collection: The concept of collecting stamps is well-executed. The idea of acquiring stamps to take part in contests is central to the game, and the card art reflects different stamp designs, with a variety of colors and themes. Stamps come in all different colors, sizes, themes and rarity. This factor makes the game feel very real and presents almost a virtual stamp collecting experience.
• Thematic Feel: While the game doesn’t go too deep into the historical or educational side of stamp collecting, the theme creates a relaxed atmosphere where players can immerse themselves in the simple pleasure of collecting. The artwork is colorful and whimsical, evoking the charm of stamp albums and collections.

For fans of philately or collectors in general, the theme will be engaging, but for others, it may feel more like a backdrop to the game’s mechanics rather than a deeply immersive theme. 7/10

Player Interaction

Player interaction is not a central aspect of Stamp Swap. The only time players interact, is at the “Swap Phase” when each player chooses a pile of items offered by another player, to make his own. However this cannot even be characterized as direct player interaction as you only choose a pile, you are not actually interacting with other players. For the rest of the game, each player plays completely by his/her own, constructing peacefully his/her own collection. But isn’t stamp collecting really a peaceful hobby? It wouldn’t make sense if it was made some other way. 5/10

Learning Curve

The learning curve of “StampSwap” is low, making it an excellent choice for casual gamers and families. The basic rules of collecting, swaping and placing cards are easy to grasp within the first few minutes of play. The rules are simple, with players mainly deciding which cards to collect, how to cut their two piles and how to best place their stamps. There’s little to no complexity in terms of game mechanics. The only questions you may have, will probably regard the way contests are scored but there are explanations and examples about that in the rulebook.

For beginners, the game will feel intuitive, and experienced players will find enjoyment in the variablity of the different phaases and subtle strategies that come from collecting, swaping and placing stamps. 8/10

Final Thoughts

“Stamp Swap” is an enjoyable, light-hearted game that combines open drafting with tile placement.  It’s perfect for casual gaming groups and families looking for a fun, strategic game that’s easy to learn and quick to play. Here’s a summary of the key points:

• Strengths:
  • Quick, easy-to-learn mechanics.
  • Simple yet strategic gameplay with ample room for player decisions.
  • Many different mechanics implemented in the game making it interesting
  • Beautiful stamp artwork that enhances the theme.
• Weaknesses:
  • The game can become repetitive after several plays, especially if the swaping strategies start to feel predictable.
  • The theme, while charming, may not be deeply immersive for everyone.

If you enjoy games with light strategy and a set collection theme, “Stamp Swap” will likely provide plenty of fun and enjoyment. However, if you’re looking for a more complex, deeply strategic game, it might not have enough depth to keep you hooked in the long run. For fans of casual, engaging games with a hint of tile placement and collection, “StampSwap” is a solid and enjoyable choice.

Player mat with stamps