Qwirkle is a game of strategy by MindWare where you mix, match, score and win! This game is suitable for two to four players, and from the ages of six and above.
This game comes in a sturdy box for storage. It also comes with a cloth drawstring bag that you can use to take the game wherever you go, like on a day out at the beach or while holidaying abroad! There are 108 wooden blocks with six different shapes in six different colours and instructions. The tiles are well made with no sharp corners. There is no game board in this game at all, so players just need any available flat surface!
This game is simple and straightforward to follow. The only thing we found hard was the scoring. We had to check back at the example scenarios provided in the instructions a few times just to clarify the rules. For this game, you do need a pen and paper to note the scoring.
Place all the wooden tiles inside the drawstring bag and each player begins the game with six blocks. The starting player places blocks of a single matching attribute (colour or shape but not both) on the table. The start player should be the one with the largest set play. If there is a tie, the oldest player in the tie starts the game.
The play proceeds clockwise. Each player adds blocks adjacent to at least one previously played block. The blocks must all be played in a line and match, without duplicates for either the colour or shape of the previous block.
My daughter has mild colour blindness finds it hard to differentiate between purple and blue. Hence you can buy self-adhesive round flat head tactile bumps for the blind to identify the colour instead.
To win this game, players need to score as many points as possible! Award one point for each block played plus all blocks adjacent. Sometimes a block can score in more than one direction. If a player completes a line containing all six shapes or colours, you have made a Qwirkle! A Qwirkle scores 12 points, six for the tiles in the line, plus six bonus points! The player then refills his/her hand to six blocks.
When there are no more tiles to draw, play continues as before, but players do no replenish their hands. The first player plays all of his remaining blocks earning a six-point bonus. The player with the highest score wins.
Qwirkle is a quick game to learn! It gets us thinking about how to plan without creating places for other players to make a Qwirkle and try to play our tiles well to score the most points! This game is a great starting point for younger players to learn strategy games. It is also a great travel game! It is available to buy from good retailers and Amazon.
Disclosure: We received the sample for the purposes of writing this review, however, all thoughts and opinions remain our own. We have included an Amazon affiliate link to the product. If you click on this and buy, we may earn a small commission.