Board Game Battle: Castle Combo vs. Faraway

Last year, Pandasaurus Games released two excellent small-box titles: Castle Combo and Faraway. They’re wildly different in theme, but share a compact footprint, clever mechanics, and the kind of replayable fun that punches above their size.

I had a blast with both (and reviewed them in depth individually) but they ended up scratching a similar itch. So let’s settle it the only way that makes sense: by pitting them head-to-head in a good old-fashioned board game showdown.

Two games enter. One game leaves. Who takes the crown?

Presentation

Both games bring high production quality to the table, with stand out artwork and solid components. Faraway, while technically just a deck of cards, delivers big on visual impact. The art captures its weird and wonderful world perfectly. Strange architecture, peculiar creatures, and vibrant flora, all brought to life with a bold use of colour that sets it apart from your typical card game.

Castle Combo, on the other hand, opts for a more traditional board game palette with a cartoony twist. It leans into satire and humour, poking fun at medieval tropes through exaggerated character designs and cheeky details. But where Castle Combo really shines is in the components. The chunky coin and key tokens add a tactile layer of fun, sliding and clinking across the table in a way that’s both satisfying and engaging. In that hands-on, physical sense, Castle Combo edges ahead of Faraway.

While Faraway nails visual flair, Castle Combo wins this round with its satisfying, hands-on table presence.

Theme

This one goes to Faraway, hands down. Its theme isn’t just painted on, it’s baked right into how the game plays. You’re exploring a mysterious island, laying out cards like stepping stones on a journey, then retracing your path to score. That forward-then-backward motion echoes the feeling of discovery, like you’re venturing into the unknown and then finding your way home. It feels purposeful. It feels like exploring.

Castle Combo… well, it has a theme. There’s a distinction between Castle and Village cards, and the art leans into it with some charm. But the mechanics don’t reflect any kind of narrative. Why are castle folk teaming up with villagers? Why does the market shift the way it does? It doesn’t really answer these questions. The theme is more of a backdrop than an immersive world. Fun to look at, but not something you feel while playing.

Faraway takes the lead here, with a theme that’s tightly woven into both its mechanics and its mood.

Gameplay

Castle Combo is a satisfying little engine-builder where every card placement matters. You’re building a 3×3 grid, and each new addition is a mini puzzle, chasing synergies across rows and columns to squeeze out the best bonuses. It’s got that addictive “just one more turn” energy. There’s also a clever economic layer: every card costs coins, but income isn’t guaranteed. You’ll constantly be wondering how to scrape together the cash for your next big move, especially if you’ve got your eye on those pricey but powerful Castle cards.

Faraway, on the surface, seems simpler. You play one card into a line each turn, and once you’ve played eight, you score them from right to left. Easy enough. But, and here’s where it broke my brain, the quests on the left rely on resources from cards on the right. So you’re planning backward, aiming to complete objectives before you’ve technically gained the tools to do it. It’s a delightful brain-bender.

There’s also some subtle risk-reward baked in. Play a higher-value card than your last and you’ll earn a bonus sanctuary card. But if you play a lower-value card, you’ll go earlier in next round’s draft. It’s a clever layer of decision-making that adds depth without overcomplicating things.

Both games bring sharp, satisfying decisions to the table, just in very different ways. I would be happy playing either of them so this one’s a draw.

Overall

Honestly, you can’t go wrong with either of these. They’re both quick, clever, and packed with interesting decisions. But if I have to choose (and I do, because this is a board game battle) Faraway takes it.

Castle Combo is fun, no doubt. It’s light, puzzly, and easy to table. But it also feels a bit familiar. The combos don’t quite pop as much as the name suggests, and while the gameplay is solid, it doesn’t break new ground.

Faraway, on the other hand, genuinely surprised me. Its backward-scoring twist is smart, the gameplay flows beautifully, and there’s more depth than you’d expect from a small box. Usually, I’m still thinking about the game hours later after I played it, and that’s always a good sign.