When comparing Twilight Struggle vs Agricola, the Slant community recommends Twilight Struggle for most people. In the question“What are the best board games?” Twilight Struggle is ranked 15th while Agricola is ranked 24th. The most important reason people chose Twilight Struggle is:
The event cards used in the game are all based off actual events that occurred throughout the Cold War which helps the games theme be even more immersive.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Incredibly thematic
The event cards used in the game are all based off actual events that occurred throughout the Cold War which helps the games theme be even more immersive.
Pro Very tense gameplay
Twilight Struggle perfectly captures all of the tension of the Cold War through its clever influence system and the way that players must play all of their cards each turn, even ones that would possibly help their opponent. The result is a game where both sides feel stressed (in a good way) as they try to out maneuver the other player.
Pro Has clearly laid out rules and other learning aids
There rule book for Twilight Struggle is well written, and easy to understand and reference during the game. You also get player's aids, which are very helpful as you're becoming more familiar with the game mechanics and rules.
Pro Easy to explain, but very difficult to master
The basic premise in Agricola is simple: players take one of their two starting people and, in turn order, use it to select an action. Once an action is selected, it can not be chosen by other players. After everyone has placed their first worker players place their second, again in turn order, followed by 3rd, 4th, and 5th, if applicable. However, the difficulty in Agricola comes from the relatively limited number of action slots available and the sheer number of things players are trying to accomplish over the 14 rounds of the game.
Pro Has expansions that can add more depth and variety to the game
Players can purchase the expansion, Farmers on the Moor, to add more gameplay options and strategic depth or they can purchase additional card packs to add variety to the minor improvement and occupation decks. This helps keep the game from getting stale and encourages multiple plays to try and experience everything this game has to offer.
Pro High player interaction for this type of game
The very limited number of actions available to take each round, combined with most resources only being available at 1 or 2 spots means that players are regularly interfering with eachother's plans and constantly being forced to reevaluate their strategy after an opponent blocks them. This leads to high amounts of player interaction and keep you very engaged in the game instead of focusing solely on your player board.
Cons
Con Very long
A single game of Twilight Struggle can take 2-3 hours. It might take even longer while you're still learning the rules, since you'll need to keep referencing the rule book.
Con Steep learning curve
There are a lot of different mechanics in this game, and a lot to keep track of. Expect to spend the first few games referencing the rule book often. It's definitely not a lightweight party game.
Con Lots of pieces make the game fiddly
There are a ton of little cardboard pieces (260 to be exact) used to track all the various game effects and that can be tedious to deal with.
Con 2 player only
If you are looking for a game to play with a group this isn't a good fit.
Con Can be a very punishing game for new players
Even players who love Agricola regularly joke that its name should be Misery Farm. This is because everything that you fail to do will cost you points, yet it is very difficult to do some of everything. This means that new players have a very low chance of beating someone experienced since they won't fully now what to expect as the game goes on and how to plan for it.