Calico: Review
Information:
Mechanics: Tile-Laying, Open Drafting, End Game Bonuses
Player Age: 10+Player Count: 1 - 3 PlayersTime to Play: 30 - 45 Minutes
Game Designer: Kevin RussGame Artist: Beth SobelPublisher: Flatout GamesYear Published: 2020
Player Age: 10+
Game Designer: Kevin Russ
Introduction:
In Calico, players are drafting and cleverly placing tiles to create the cosiest quilt. There are many ways for players to score when placing tiles including gaining buttons (3 connected tiles of one colour), gaining cats (based on the pattern), and lastly, for the patterns and/or colours when scoring design goals. For the gameplay, the rules can be explained in minutes but the real depth comes in the careful consideration each player needs when placing each tile.
Game Anatomy:
Dual Layer Quilt Boards:
Each player will have a dual-layered board with three spots reserved for the design goals, and an assortment of tiles spread across the edge of the board. These tiles count towards scoring potential throughout the game.
Patch Tiles:
The patch tiles in the game are made up of six colours and six patterns. These will sit in the cloth bag during the game and consist of exactly three of each tile with the exact pattern and colour combination.
Scoring:
The game's main mechanism is scoring efficiently which is why there are three equally easy but challenging scoring potentials.
Cat Scoring Tiles and Cat Tokens:
As a master quilter you want to attract these feline friends onto your quilt and you do this by creating a connection of patterns that matches the cat. There are double-sided cats where one side consists of shapes, while the other is a number that denotes how many tiles of that pattern need to be connected together. Each tile has a certain amount of points the player will gain if they attract the cat, as well as two empty tile spots. These empty spots are where the patterns will randomly be assigned to each cat using a black and white tile. Upon gaining a cat, the player can go for either of the patterns underneath it.
Button Scoring Tile and Button Tokens:
A good quilt has to be colourful, this is where sewing on buttons comes in handy. Each button is associated with a colour. If a player can get three tiles connected of that colour, they can sew on a matching button. Expanding on this, connection doesn't score the player any more points, even if they have six tiles connected of one colour. To get another button of that colour the player must start fresh with a separate connection of three. If any player manages to have a button sewed of each colour they will get a bonus rainbow button that scores an extra three points.
Design Goal Tiles:
Three spots are filled during setup for design goal tiles. These tiles have set requirements for the six adjacent tile locations such as all unique patterns/colours, or three of one type of pattern/colour with three of another. There are two tricky parts to these goals. Firstly, there is one set of points for completing one colour or pattern and one set of points if you manage to create a perfect setup for meeting both pattern and colour. Secondly, the tiles you place may overlap with two goals which can then create a very challenging puzzle.
Setup:
- Seperate the cat-scoring tiles into groups matching the one, two or three dots on them.
- Randomly select one cat tile from each group and which side will be used.
- Randomly assign two black and white tiles to each cat.
- Shuffle all patch tiles and either have them in a facedown pile or store them in the cloth bag.
- Place the active cat tokens, button tokens and button scoring tile in the centre of play.
- Give each player their board and the matching six goal tiles.
- Each player shuffles and randomly draws four of the goal tiles, selects three out of the four and then places them in the correct spots on their board.
- Each player draws two patch tiles into their hand.
- Three tiles are placed in the centre of the board face-up for players to draft later.
How To Play:
Each turn consists of two steps; place one of your two patch tiles in any empty spot on your board (gaining any cats/buttons that you just achieved), and select one of the three face-up tiles and draw it into your hand, followed by replenishing that tile from the face-down stack/cloth bag. Once all spots on every player board is filled, players will score all design goals, cats and buttons and whoever has the highest score is the winner.
Final Thoughts:
- Cute theme but heavy on the optimisation puzzle.
- Great depth with an easy complexity, simple rules like this can't be forgotten and therefore can get more plays faster.
- Can be heavily luck dependent on the last tile you need.
In Calico the rules are extremely easy to learn and remember. Despite this, each turn is a brain-burning puzzle as you are trying to optimise each move to reward the most points from the cats, buttons or design goals. It is not always easy to gain points for all of these scoring possibilities when you place the majority of tiles, however, you will wrap your brain around attempting this. The decisions get even further challenging as you note that each exact combination of colour and pattern will only be in the bag three times, so as you see the other player board(s) fill up with the tiles you were seeking, the puzzle becomes harder and harder to pull off. Due to this, once you do succeed in what you aim for, there is no better feeling. The challenge and appeal to this game is great which is why it is earning a Silver Seal of Approval. If you enjoy brain-burning puzzles with cute themes then look no further, Calico would be great for you.
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