DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince: Summertime Review

This article originally appeared in issue 63 of Tabletop Gaming. Pick up the latest issue of the UK's fastest-growing gaming magazine in print or digital here.

Sometimes a song can trigger a sense of nostalgia so strong that amidst the melodies and memories, feelings of actual warmth arise. For many a nineties child, Summertime is irrefutably one of those songs. With its absolutely spot on aesthetic, this colourful card game inspired by the 1991 hit admirably evokes these same nostalgic stirrings, inviting players to unwind and take a trip back to a more vibrant, innocent time.

In this simple conflict resolution game, players will be cruising the streets of Philly, making regular stops at the hottest ‘Spots’ and playing cards with the hopes of proving that you’re the coolest in the crew. The winner of Spots such as the ‘Block Party’ or ‘Car Wash’ are decided by tallying up the totals of each player’s ‘Energy’ acquired through the value on cards and any bonuses granted from matching the Spots’ ‘Vibe’.

Alongside playing an Energy card each round, players will also place an Action card. All of this is done simultaneously with Action cards being resolved in a Rock, Paper, Scissors fashion. Action cards will allow – and potentially cancel out – abilities such as changing the Vibe of a Spot or drawing a card from the Boost pile to add sneaky bursts of Energy to later plays.

As you might imagine, this all plays out in a satisfyingly snappy manner, although some tactical consideration is needed to snatch up the most desired Spots. Admittedly there’s not a huge amount of built-in replay-ability here aside from players seeking out different Spots each game depending on the point bonuses granted by their secret ‘Player Vibes’. Overall though, this a quick slice of nostalgic fun for casual card game fans that perhaps lacks the depth to capture the attention of seasoned gamers – despite its enticingly bold looks.

CHAD WILKINSON

PLAY IT? MAYBE

Designer: Omari Akil, Hamu Dennis

Publisher: WizKids

Time: 20 minutes

Players: 2-5

Ages: 10+

Price: £17

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