Take on the role of a scrappy street animal as you race your way to victory in Trash Dash. Players are racing around a back alley, earning bonuses, picking up cards and out running their opponents. This is the first game from Shiny Pigeon Games and it’s a game built for friendly competition. Let’s gather around that sketchy brick wall and see what this game is about.
Welcome to the Alley
Players will start each game of Trash Dash by picking their favorite street critter from the 6 available in the game. Whether you choose Winston the raccoon, Aesop the rat or Flipp the pigeon, each animal has a unique feel. Character cards have 2 asymmetric abilities that will assist you in the race. You’ll pick one of these at the start of the game.
The race track you compete on is built at the start of the game. Using double-sided track pieces, you can either build a suggested track from the rulebook or create your own. You determine the number of laps and the length of the track. I love how this can be customized each and every game, catering to the players at the table. You can even set up a Trash Dash Tournament. Play shorter, back-to-back races and award points for each players finishing position.
Players move in Trash Dash using a hand of action cards. These cards will be basic move cards, attack cards, and scare cards. Each of the cards move your creature forward on the track, but the attack and scare cards will effect your opponents in different ways. Playing an attack card allows you to move an opponent backward a specific number of spaces. The scare card allows you to take a number of cards from the opponents hand and discard them.
A Need for Speed
Players who are willing to use more cards can spend two action cards with identical move numbers to perform a “dash”. This allows you to roll the dash die and add that number of spaces to your movement. Even though you loose the effect that might be on your card (attack or scare), this is a great way to speed ahead of the pack.
Positioned all around the track are different items that will special effects. Landing on a trash can space will give you a card from the trash deck. Landing on a spill space will move your critter an additional space based on the direction you were traveling. Landing on a space with a big ol’ box will give you safety if someone is trying to target you with an attack or scare card. Finally, landing on the recycle bin space will let you draw a new action card into your hand.
Trash Dash gives players enough control that landing on specific spaces isn’t super difficult. Most of the time, you want to go as far as possible, but these specialty spaces offer enough perks to be profitable during the race.
Like most racing games, speeding out to the front of the pack puts a huge target on your back. You’ll need to play defensively and use trash cards to protect yourself.
King of the Trash Heap
Trash cards are specialized cards that can be picked up during the race. Players can only hold one of these at a time and can be played during their turn, paired up with a movement card. You’ll get a normal movement but trash cards offer protection, speed and can even attack all the opponents in the alley.
The player that completes the number of laps for that race will be crowned the king of the trash heap.
I’m a big fan of racing games that can give a unique track each time you sit down to play. There’s enough variability in the game to keep it fresh and flexible based on the people you’re playing with. Adding tiles to the alley will lengthen the game while choosing to play fewer laps will decrease the play time.
Asymmetric player powers fit the different characters and give them a slight edge during the race. I’ve played most often with Aesop the sewer rat who can gain cards when attacked. Penelope the possum can hit two opponents at once with attack and scare cards which is great when you have 4 other opponents at the table. No matter what character you choose, they are incredibly cute and have a nice level of polish.
Trash Dash feels well balanced as players manage their hand of cards and work to out pace their opponents. Player interaction never feels overly mean and trash cards do a good job of mitigating attacks from your opponents.
The accessible gameplay of Trash Dash is something that the whole family can enjoy. With the variable set up, Trash Dash can be the starter game or main event during a night of gaming with friends and family.
Trash Dash from Shiny Pigeon Games launches on Kickstarter on September 17, 2024.
A prototype of the game was provided for this coverage. Components and rules covered in this preview are not finalized. Read more about our preview policies at One Board Family.
