Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Qwirkle Board Game Review

The Qwirkle Board Game from Mindware is a simple and equally fun game that is suitable for all ages. This board game can be enjoyed by both kids and adults and that is one of the many reasons why it is ideal for the whole family. One of its main advantages is that it provides adequate training for the kids when it comes to pattern building and recognition. As a result, the game develops the basic strategic and logical skill of the players.

Product Description

The whole game play is based on patterns and colors which many of the board games share in common. The game consists of 108 wooden tiles or blocks that come in six different shapes and in six colors. The wooden tiles are indeed beautiful and would make a nice necklace! The tiles are nice to touch and has a very soft feel.

How to play Qwirkle

Quirkle is a board game that requires well thought out strategy and planned maneuvers from the players. It can also be as simple as matching shapes and colors. Using the tiles, the players try and score the maximum points by building lines that contains similar colors or shapes.

Qwirkle is strategic because it mainly consists of forming shapes or patterns. Shapes or patterns can be produced by lining up the tiles in a line and which share a common single trait, i.e., a diamond. That is to say, if there are four similar diamonds in a straight line and you add a fifth diamond to it, and you will be granted 5 points.

Prior to commencement of the game, ensure that you have a pad and pen at your side. This is to keep a tab on the scores of each player during their turn. Every player commences the game by drawing or taking six tiles from the pouch and begin to line it up in front of him or her. The player who has the most number of tiles that share the same pattern or color begins first. Whenever a player has less than six tiles in front of them, they will then have to draw another tile from the pouch to restock the number of tiles that they have used. It is also to be noted that if there is a line of similar colors, i.e., a blue square in the line, then you would not be allowed to put another blue square in the same line.

The Qwirkle Board Game can be played either anti-clockwise or clockwise, depending on the rules that you set. It’s fun to exchange seats with your partners occasionally so that you are exposed to their strategies. Any player who completes a row containing six tiles will get a bonus of six points in addition to the six points that they will get for the six tiles. It does make the game more fun as more strategy can come into play to ensure that your partners do not get that additional bonus.

Qwirkle has been compared to Set, Scrabble and many other board games. As you approach the end, the chances of drawing a particular tile increase. Hence, players need to start planning for which tiles that they will likely select. This adds an exciting dynamics to the game as it reaches its conclusion.

Consumer Reviews

Nearly all consumers agree that this is a fun, family-game. Everyone who has tried it seems to like it a lot as it isn't easy to play and very easy to learn. They feel that if you have already played Set and Scrabble, you will definitely find Qwirkle an easy game to play. The wooden tile pieces feel like they are quality made and they look very pretty all laid out while playing. It is nice to have a pouch to pass the tiles around in rather than having to spend a lot of time turning the pieces face down in the bone pile before each game. Children younger than six years are too young for this game, but 10 year olds love them. Although there is definitely a bit of good fortune needed when it comes to drawing the tiles, it also takes skill and strategy to decide where to place each tile to benefit you the most in the long fun. In a nutshell, this game is money well-spent. Most consumers believe that it will help their young ones to develop logical thinking skills and also enhance their strategic thinking. This board game can also be enjoyed by both teens and adults that's why it is perfect for the whole family.

Price Reviews

Qwirkle is priced at around $19 at Amazon. Price wise, it is a worthwhile investment as it is far less expensive and more portable than other similar board games.

Safety Reviews

This game contains small pieces and is not suitable for children under 3 years of age as the small parts are a choking hazard.

My thoughts on the Qwirkle Board Game

I was initially intrigued by the simplicity of the game and thought that I would be bored within minutes. Finally, I ended up playing Qwirkle for over 2 hours and did not find it boring at all. As a matter of fact, the patterns and colors appealed to me and it kept reminding me of Scrabble, except that you play using colors and patterns instead of alphabets.

One thing that bothered me is that the number of players at one time is limited to 4, unless of course, you purchase more than one box.

To summarize, Qwirkle isn't a fast paced action filled game as players will have to strategize to earn the most amount of points. Qwirkle is not a great game, but it is a good one. All in all, it is a fun and well-made game that both the average gamer and the aficionado can enjoy.