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Festival of a Thousand Cats (2016) Board Game

ByMichail

Festival of a Thousand Cats is a board game released in 2016 by Fukuroudou. The game is designed for 3-4 players, with a runtime of 20-40 minutes and is suitable for players aged 7 and up. The game revolves around the theme of animals and fantasy, incorporating mechanisms such as auction/bidding, hand management, simultaneous action selection, and trick-taking.

Game Components of Festival of a Thousand Cats

  • 62 cards (63 x 89mm) featuring four suits (Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter) with different number distributions.
  • 1 Season marker sheet.
  • 1 Score track.
  • 4 Player aids.
  • 10 Booze tokens.
  • 16 Season tokens.
  • English and Chinese rulebooks.

    How To Setup Festival of a Thousand Cats

    To set up the game, each player is dealt two cards with booze symbols and seven regular cards, totaling nine cards per player. Two cards are placed face up on the table, which dictates the valid suits for the first trick. If a player has three or more Crow symbols on their cards, they can request a redraw. Each player also receives a player aid sheet to help track the game flow and card values.

    Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

  • Trick-taking: Players simultaneously select and reveal cards, with the highest and lowest cards winning the respective face-up cards on the table.
  • Seasonal Suits: Each season has a unique distribution of numbers, and players must avoid playing a card that matches the same color as one of the face-up cards.
  • Booze and Fish: Collecting “Booze” (Milké) and “Fish” is crucial; two Milké are worth two points, but a third Milké results in a bust. Fish are worth one point each, while Crows are negative points.
  • Tie Breakers: Cat symbols on the cards help resolve ties; more cat symbols indicate a higher or lower card.

    Player Experience

    Festival of a Thousand Cats offers a fun and strategic experience, requiring players to think carefully about which cards to play to maximize their score. The game’s simultaneous selection mechanic adds an element of unpredictability, making each round exciting. The player aid sheets help in tracking the complex values and rules, ensuring a smooth gameplay experience.

    Pros

  • Engaging and Strategic: The game’s unique trick-taking mechanics and seasonal suit variations make it engaging and challenging.
  • Easy to Learn: Despite the complexity, the game is relatively easy to learn, especially with the help of player aid sheets.
  • Family-Friendly: Suitable for players as young as 7, making it a great family game.
  • Replayability: Multiple rounds and the ability to play to different scores enhance replayability.

    Cons

  • Limited Player Interaction: The simultaneous selection can sometimes feel less interactive compared to other trick-taking games.
  • Random Element: When playing with three players, the fourth “dummy” hand can reduce strategy and add randomness.

    Personal Thoughts on Festival of a Thousand Cats

    Festival of a Thousand Cats is perfect for those who enjoy trick-taking games with a twist. It’s an excellent addition to any game collection, especially for families or casual gamers looking for a fun and light-hearted experience. The game’s unique mechanics and thematic elements make it stand out, and its short playtime ensures it can fit into almost any game night. If you’re a fan of card games and are looking for something that’s both easy to learn and strategically deep, Festival of a Thousand Cats is definitely worth a try.

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    • Michail, a seasoned tabletop enthusiast, dives headfirst into worlds of fantasy and strategy. Whether commanding a party of adventurers through perilous dungeons or engaging in tactical showdowns on the board, Michail is the maestro of the tabletop realm. Michail's gaming table is a realm where the clatter of dice and the shuffle of cards create a symphony of strategic chaos.

    Hobby: Miniature painting guru, turning pewter into masterpieces
    Preferred Game: Dungeons & Dragons, but always up for a board game brawl

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