I phase 10 now have often played mostly with 4 people, just like Phase 10 Master also with 4 persons. Therefore, I can well compare the two games in my opinion.
Among the new cards:
The new action cards and the new Joker confuse my opinion very beginning. You have to concentrate a lot when you play for the first time and you have to remember what effect the action cards. Also you have to watch during the game, which is now just cause. Thus causes an action card that one may draw 2 cards instead of one. However, one must note that it then stores also 2 cards. Otherwise, it may happen that you have fast times 13-15 cards in your hand and wonder why you have so many cards.
If you have but the new action cards only met once on a few laps, so they are a real asset to the game. In particular, the map "all mine" is in the final stages of value. It causes you can take your cards with in the next round. How many times have you gotten that one needed only one card to complete the stage and makes someone else closing.
The new phase:
The phases were weighted very uneven at the old game. So it was completely absurd that one should collect 7 cards of one color for the 2 quadruplets. This weighting has revised and the phases are really serious with consecutive game. What struck me was that the games were all pretty much on the same level. So it not happened that someone hung in Phase 2, where another already had to make Phase 6. Only toward the end have slight (!) Pointed out deviations, which does not necessarily have to be the case with every game. This has the consequence that you can not around long sitting on a stage, but (because all pretty much the same gathering) take the longer phase - in my opinion, more exciting.
In summary, I can say that the game has won the new cards and phases at depth. At that time, the game was a game of chance. Now happiness is indeed still very important, the action cards give the game but the necessary depth, so you have to think a little.
From me there are 5 star, because Phase 10 Master is a great game, in which the 3 hours (which can take four a game nunmal) fly by and not get bored!