June Game-a-Day Challenge - Day 4: Qwirkle (2006)

Qwirkle (2006)

My husband had been begging me to bring this game back from my Tabletop Club for about a week now. I finally remembered today and figured it was time to get it to the table.

Qwirkle is a game where you have to create patterns in order to earn points. You can place tiles by matching either colors or patterns. You create rows and when you create a row of 6, you have a Qwirkle with gives you 12 points. Within these rows, you cannot repeat a color (if you're doing patterns) or a pattern (if you're doing colors). Each tile you place earns you a point and you earn points for each row you add to or create (up and down, left and right).

I really enjoyed this game. It was funny watching my husband get all flustered. I think it was the most zen game I've played in a long time. It's great for families. Our 4-year-old daughter kept coming downstairs (she was supposed to be in bed) and was very interested. She was pointing out patterns and almost gave up some of our tiles. I feel that she could play it, easily, with help for scoring. The game is listed as 6 and up.

A great family game that helps build valuable skills. Assessing patterns, looking for what is missing, and making connections are all skills that are practiced. The other bonus is that it is easily packed for travel. The tiles are kept in a drawstring bag and can be slipped into a carry-on or beach bag for easy play. You do, though, need a decent sized surface and it should be flat. Might be nice for by the pool or anywhere you can play on a table.