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Cat Café (2019) Board Game

ByMichail

Cat Café is a board game released in 2019, designed by Lee Ju-Hwa and Giung Kim. The game is published by Alley Cat Games and Mandoo Games. Cat Café is a light-hearted game that revolves around managing a cat café, where players compete to attract the most customers by serving adorable feline visitors.

Game Components of Cat Café

  • Pencils:** Four pencils with erasers
  • Dice:** Five dice
  • Scoring Pads:** Player sheets with clearly laid out symbols and a built-in player aid

    How To Setup Cat Café

    To set up Cat Café, each player receives a player sheet, and the dice are placed in the center. This simple setup ensures that players can quickly begin the game.

    Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

  • Dice Drafting:** The first player rolls the dice, and each player selects one die. The remaining die becomes the Central Die.
  • Marking Items:** Players use their selected die and the Central Die to determine which item to place on their cat tower and where to place it. Items include cat houses, balls of yarn, butterfly toys, food bowls, cushions, and mouse toys.
  • Check for Completed Cat Towers:** After placing items, players check if they have completed any cat towers. If a cat tower is complete with a cat house, the player scores the higher value; otherwise, they score the lower value.
  • Game Objective:** The goal is to complete three cat towers to end the game and score points based on the items placed.

    Player Experience

    Cat Café offers a simple and thematic gameplay experience, making it ideal for families and younger children. The game includes a player aid on the scoring pad to help new players understand the game. The dice drafting mechanism and the ability to modify die roll values using cat footprints add a layer of strategy and flexibility.

    Pros

  • Easy to Learn:** Simple gameplay makes it accessible to older children and new gamers.
  • Family-Friendly:** Thematic and fun, appealing to cat lovers and families.
  • Portable:** Can be played with minimal components, making it easy to transport.
  • Adjustable Difficulty:** Cat footprints allow players to mitigate tough rolls.
  • Cute Artwork:** Pleasant and thematic art adds to the game’s charm.

    Cons

  • Luck-Dependent:** Game outcomes are heavily influenced by the dice rolls.
  • Limited Depth:** Some players may find the game too light and lacking in strategic depth.
  • Replayability:** Concerns about its ability to remain engaging over multiple plays due to the saturated market of roll-and-write games.

    Personal Thoughts on Cat Café

    Cat Café is perfect for those who enjoy light, quick games and are fans of cat-themed or roll-and-write games. It is an excellent addition to a collection if you appreciate simple, thematic games like On Tour, Welcome To, or Railroad Ink. However, players seeking deeper strategic games might find Cat Café a bit too simplistic. It serves well as a quick time filler or an introductory game for younger players.

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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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