Note: I was provided a prototype copy of Tesla vs Edison: Duel for this review. The game is currently on Kickstarter and components and rules may be subject to change.

Three or four years ago Matthew Inman published a comic about Nikola Tesla and launched this little known inventor into the pop culture consciousness. Between his public (and successful) attempts to save a Tesla museum and the fancy electric car slowly hitting the market, Tesla’s name is much more familiar to households. In 2015, Dirk Knemeyer and Artana games immortalized the man (and his duel with Thomas Edison) in cardboard form; a duel that is now reimagined as a fast paced 2p game of invention.

The goal is rather simple: control at least 2 of the 3 US regions at the end of three rounds. The game is rather simple for that matter. There are 3 Phases - ha! - that each begin with a 3 card draft. The cards are assistants: historical scientists, engineers, and investors who will provide the players with 2 actions each. These actions are relatively straightforward and provide the foundation for your quick turn.

In order to control those regions you’ll need to play points towards them. These come in two varieties: projects and company stocks. They’re both represented by small cards that you stack on your side of the region but they differ dramatically in tactical implications. Projects emerge from a central market. Color coded, they stack underneath the appropriate region and represent municipal investment. Stocks can be bought if you own the appropriate technology. They also stack, but score via a light set-collection mechanic.

Both cards are acquired through identical actions via Assistant cards but the value of that action is very different. Projects are always worth 2 points but can be blocked by tactical use of the AC/DC tokens (a different action). Stocks require more investment to score but can be spent at will for a free action. And here we get to the part of the game that really makes it worth talking about. The free actions.

For such a tight and simple game, there is a lot to manage. Balancing projects, stocks, access to regions, ownership of technologies, and more in your race to control a region is tough. Lurking in the background is each inventors instant win condition. Each of the 8 inventors [2 provided in this prototype copy] has an instant win condition that can absolutely sneak up on you. There’s just so much to balance in this aptly named duel. Spend your turn buying a project and your opponent sells a stock to shoot up the PR track. Of course, that cost them an action so now you get their Electric Meter technology and can start nabbing other stocks.

The tactical back and forth is surprisingly tense for such a light game. Unfortunately, the draft isn’t always compelling. Many of the assistants are functionally identical and with only 3 cards to play each round it can be easy to get locked out of an action through no fault of your own. When every action matters it can be just a little frustrating when it feels like your opponent is accomplishing everything they want without spending actions in mitigation and you can’t. Having identical assistants also means your choice in the draft isn’t really a choice at all. Ultimately however, this doesn’t take away from the overall fun of the game.

Carefully maneuvering into your instant win for Tesla while Edison is desperately shoring up control of New York will leave your knee bouncing. It seems so simple; it is so simple. Yet the rapid tactical game of one-upmanship is devilishly compelling. The slightest slip-up in managing any of the games interlocked systems and you'll end up losing by a margin so slim you can't help but shuffle and demand a rematch. At 20 minutes per play, it’s unlikely your opponent says no.

Raf Reviews - Tesla vs. Edison Duel

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