Chocolatiers: Review

Chocolatiers: Review

Information:

Mechanics: Hand Management, Set Collection, Pattern Building, Tile Placement

Player Age: 8+

Player Count: 2-5 Players 

Time to Play: 20 Minutes 
Designers: Isaias Vallejo
Artists: Claire Donaldson

Publisher: Daily Magic Games
Year Published: 2019

BGG Complexity: 1.40/5

Disclaimer: A review copy for the game was provided by the publisher.

Objective:

Time to take your very own trip to a chocolate factory like Charlie did in Willy Wonka. Except in this scenario you are working at the factory trying to build a box sampler, and score the most connected chocolate types.

Game Anatomy:

Box Tiles:

Throughout the game, you are going to try and build a box sampler, of six box tiles in a three by two grid. Each box tile will have the chocolates needed to assemble the box tile and a victory point value in the centre.

Chocolate Cards:

These are the cards that will be used to build the box tiles. There are six chocolate types. Each with a different rarity in the deck this is shown by the value on the top and bottom of the card (this can range from 5 of these chocolates in the deck to 12).

Wild Chocolates:

Wild chocolates are extremely useful so be careful what you use them for. They can be used to reserve tiles, act as wild chocolate on an already boxed chocolate or if any of these tokens are leftover at the end of the game they will count as one victory point each.

Score Tiles:

There is a score tile for each chocolate type. The player with the longest connection of that chocolate type (including wild chocolates) will score the score tile that matches that chocolate. There is also a score tile for the first player that builds all six box tiles. Lastly, there is a scoring tile for the player that has the most box tiles with values 3 and 4  built.

Set up:

- Shuffle the chocolate cards and deal three to each player.
- Give each player three wild chocolates, this is all the player gets so use them wisely.

- Reveal six chocolate cards and place them next to the deck to create the chocolate tray.
- Reveal five box tiles face-up next to the box tile stack, this will create the box tile line.

- Arrange the score tiles face up above the box tile line.
- The lucky player who most recently ate chocolate will be the first player.

How to Play:

On your turn, you will take two actions out of the four available actions, and yes the same action can be taken twice instead.
After the actions are done the active player must discard their hand down to six chocolate cards and then the next player clockwise will have their turn.

Actions:

Take a Chocolate:
With this action, there are two options to either draw one or two chocolates from the chocolate tray. If you choose to draw two chocolates you first have to discard one chocolate from your hand. After this is done refill the chocolate tray back to six cards.

Box Chocolates:
Once you have collected enough chocolates to create an already reserved box tile or one from the box tile line you can discard either the matching chocolates or you can substitute one chocolate with two chocolates on a matching type to create the box tile.

When this happens the box tile is immediately placed in the sampler in any orientation the player chooses with two exceptions. Firstly your sample can only be a two by three grid, so you can't place all six box tiles in a single line and lastly after the first box tile is placed each subsequent box tile has to be placed adjacent and the edges must line up with an already placed box tile.

Place a Wild Chocolate:
This will help you create a continuous line of chocolate to help you score at the end of the game. Place one wild token on any spot on one of your boxed tiles. This token will now count as any chocolate orthogonally adjacent to the token, (meaning t counts as multiple chocolate types at once) once placed it cannot be changed though so choose its placement carefully.

Reserve a Box Tile:
If there is a box tile that you have your eye on and don't want anyone else to have the chance to complete. You can reserve the tile by taking the tile and placing one of your wild tokens on the tile. Until the tile is boxed you can not use this wild token or score this token at the end of the game. Be careful once this is done both the tile and token are locked until it is boxed and you can only reserve one tile at a time.

Ending the Game:

Each player can only hold six connected box tiles. Once a player has placed their sixth box tile, the end of the game is triggered they will take the first score tile. Then everyone before the first player will have one more turn.

Final Scoring:

Every player will now gain any score tiles they are in the lead for, if there are any ties no players will receive those points. They will also gain one point for any wild chocolate not used, gain points equal to the value inside the box tile, and one point if all the blank spaces on the box tiles are covered or if there are no blank spaces on their box tiles.

Final Thoughts:

Pros:
- Interesting tile laying.
- Quick Splendor/Rummikub gameplay.
- Easy to learn.

Cons:
- doesn't introduce anything new.

'Chocolatiers' is a quick rummikub/splendor like game that has players building up a hand of cards to build the right tile to create a long line of chocolates that will help them gain the best possible scoring tile. It as an interesting change from these other games that you creating a grid that has you trying to create patterns in of the same type of chocolates. The game doesn't bring much new to the table but it does create a quick and fun experience that has players thinking of the best way to create longer connections of chocolates then there opponents. This is a great game for family gatherings as it has enough thought to keep the game interesting but doesn't have complex rules to confuse newer members of the board gaming hobby.

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