Chomp (2023) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Chomp is a board game released in 2023, designed by Anca Gavril and Daniel Profiri. It falls under the categories of Animals and Environmental themes, and features game mechanisms such as Open Drafting, Pattern Building, and Tile Placement. The game is suitable for 1-4 players, with the best experience being for 2 players. Players aged 8 and above can enjoy this game that has a runtime of around 20 minutes.

Game Components of Chomp

36 double-sided cards: Each card has a goal on one side and a dinosaur landscape on the other.

Dino tiles: Representing herbivores and carnivores of different sizes.

Food tokens: Including plants, meat, and eggs.

Tar pit tokens: Indicating areas where dinosaurs can go extinct.

Dry-erase scoreboard and marker: For easy scoring.

Chunky wooden tokens: For eggs, bones, flyers, and scavengers.

Flyers & Scavengers expansion: Adding new secret goal cards.

How To Setup Chomp

Setting up Chomp is straightforward and quick. One player selects nine random cards from the deck for each player, shuffles them, and lays out a row of three goal cards and a row of three dinosaur cards. Each player is dealt a random land card to start with. The remaining cards are placed nearby, with the pile of eggs and extinct dinosaur tokens ready for use.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Key Mechanics

Tile Placement: Players add dinosaur cards to their play area, ensuring overlap with existing cards.

Drafting: Choosing between goal cards and dinosaur cards each turn.

Resource Management: Ensuring herbivores and carnivores are fed.

Area Control: Forming herds and managing dinosaur survival.

Game Objective

Form herds of dinosaurs and ensure they are all fed.

Manage resources to keep herbivores and carnivores alive, as unfed carnivores will eat herbivores.

Score points based on surviving dinosaurs, eggs, and fulfilled goal conditions. The player with the highest score wins.

Player Experience

Chomp offers a dynamic and engaging experience, requiring players to adapt their strategies on the fly. With only eight turns, every decision is crucial. The game supports 1-4 players and takes about 20 minutes to play. The solo mode is particularly enjoyable, allowing players to focus on maximizing their score without the pressure of other players taking desired cards. The component quality is solid, with nice cards and thick tokens, making it a pleasure to play.

Pros

Quick and Engaging: Perfect for short game sessions.

High Replayability: Many scoring cards and expansion options.

Simple to Learn: Easy setup and rules.

Strategic Depth: Requires thoughtful card drafting and placement.

Suitable for Families: Ages 8+ and supports solo play.

Cons

Final Scoring Can Be Tedious: Players need to carefully check all conditions.

Limited Complexity in Some Aspects: May not appeal to players seeking very complex games.

Personal Thoughts on Chomp

Chomp is ideal for fans of thinky card/tile placement games who want a shorter play time. It’s a great fit for families and players who enjoy strategic gameplay without the complexity of longer games. The game’s ability to balance simplicity with depth makes it a delightful addition to any board game collection. If you enjoy games like *Sprawlopolis*, you’ll likely find Chomp to be a fun and engaging experience.

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