Café (2020) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Café’ is a board game released in 2020 by designer Costa and Rôla. It is published by PYTHAGORAS and falls under the farming and industry/manufacturing category. The game is designed for 1-4 players, best played with 2 players, and has a runtime of 20-45 minutes. With its unique gameplay mechanics and engaging theme, Café has quickly become a popular choice among board game enthusiasts.

Game Components of Café

Player cards: Each player starts with a single card and an action card.

Bean cards: Representing different color types of coffee beans.

Action cards: Containing icons for actions like growing, drying, roasting, and delivering beans.

Café cards: Award points for delivering specific bean types.

Warehouse: For storing beans.

Expansion: The Espresso expansion, included in some copies, adds additional cards.

How To Setup Café

To set up **Café**, each player begins with a single card and an action card that includes a bean of each color type in their warehouse. The game starts with three cards in the center of the table, from which players draft new cards each round. These cards are added to the player’s tableau, covering up at least two open squares of an already placed card.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Card Drafting: Players draft a new card from the center of the table each round.

Tableau Building: Players add the new card to their tableau, ensuring it covers at least two open squares.

Action Management: Cards contain icons for actions such as growing, drying, roasting, and delivering beans.

Resource Grouping: Efficiently grouping actions to use minimal action points.

Objective: Deliver beans to cafés and store them in the warehouse to score points. The goal is to collect an equal supply of beans across the four color types for maximum points.

Player Experience

**Café** offers a challenging yet engaging experience, particularly for those who enjoy spatial puzzles and strategic planning. The game forces players to think ahead and plan carefully, as the placement of each card can significantly impact future actions. The game’s abstract nature and the need to balance actions make it more suitable for players who have experience with similar games.

Pros

Challenging Puzzle: The card layering mechanism provides a fun and challenging puzzle to solve.

Strategic Depth: Requires careful planning and strategy to group actions efficiently.

Replayability: The game is challenging enough to bring players back for multiple sessions.

Thematic Integration: Successfully merges the theme of coffee production with game mechanics.

Cons

Learning Curve: New players may struggle to understand how to group actions effectively.

Art Disconnect: The artwork on the cards does not match the quality of the box art.

Frustration Potential: Players who are easily frustrated by spatial puzzles may find this game challenging.

Personal Thoughts on Café

**Café** is ideal for players who enjoy medium-weight games with a strong focus on strategy and puzzle-solving. It is particularly suited for those who appreciate the theme of coffee production and are willing to invest time in learning and mastering the game’s mechanics. While it may not be a hit for everyone, especially those new to board games or spatial puzzles, it is a hidden gem for those who value a good challenge and strategic gameplay.

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