Played Barenpark earlier tonight with Kelly. It’s a polyominos placement game (Tetris pieces, essentially). You try to maximize points by being the first person to claim certain pieces. Each turn resembles the prior turn, and there’s only a touch of a need to think ahead. Simple, yet fun.
Earlier, I loaded a rules video while doing my daily 50 burpees; however, I phased out as the person explained how to set the game up, so I decided to forgo learning the game ahead of setting it up. It’s one of those games that’s much easier to learn without a video; two or three pages of rules, with graphics included with the explanations. It’s faster and clearer to skim the rule book with the pieces on the table than it is to suffer through a video. Rather simple game; You basically make one move each turn that can then trigger up to a few outcomes. Rinse. Repeat.
Not a bad experience though, despite its simplicity. There’s something fulfilling about aligning Tetris-style pieces. That you get points for being the first to claim certain pieces and to reach certain goals requires you to plan ahead, perhaps sacrificing your preferred course to achieve a more valuable outcome. Timing is the main variable, given that first movers gain more points, as is pre-planning moves, for you grab pieces ahead of playing them, and sometimes you accumulate several pieces, yet you may only play one each time.
As a two-player game, your options to block the other player were relatively straightforward. I could see it being best with four players; more occurring between your turns would keep you on your toes and would increase the tension felt regarding the unique pieces.
I have to select games wisely when it comes to gaming with Kelly. Certain mechanics never will hit our gaming table, especially ones that put us in direct conflict. For example, Skulk Hollow was a complete flop. Same with Evolution. No targeting of another. Personally, I avoid “take that” mechanics, so I get her preference, though some of the meanest games out there please me immensely (e.g., Through the Ages and Innovation). If you let yourself be a target, then I don’t mind the aggression as much, and combative elements in two-player games is fine, since there’s no arbitrariness involved in whom gets harmed. Logic of the “Dave won the last game, so let’s put the thief on him” variety displeases me. Much better when everyone gets hit, as is typically the case in Dominion – attacks either harm either everyone but the person playing the card or potentially do so, with randomness being the factor that drives the “potentially.”
This game lands well in the playable camp. It’s cute, though the theme is rather pasted on. You have some decisional space, but the game doesn’t require ample thought. No analysis paralysis will occur yet slowing down to contemplate options does help.
I’ll add that I had thought that I had slaughtered her. I had grabbed more of the advanced bonuses, and I had taken some of the more valuable large pieces. Yet, in the game you vie to complete four player boards upon which you place the polyominos, with serious points going to the person first completing their boards. She had completed the first few before me, which racked her up some serious points. Despite my worry that I had a runaway win, she bested me by six points, 100 to 94.
We’ll be playing the game again before long, that much I know. It’s a pared down version of Isle of Cats, which we also enjoyed. That game has more degrees of complexity, in that you draft cards and then pay for cards from the set that you draft, which consumes the same resources needed to buy cats (i.e., the polyominos) to then add to your board. The bonuses vary per game, and you select them as you proceed, as well as potentially block the other from gaining them given the draft mechanics. That we can explore similar mechanics via a quick game or an extended one serves two distinct options within one gaming mechanic universe. It’ll be interesting to see which game sees more play in the end.