Kensington (2019) Board Game

Kensington is a city-building board game designed by Kinetic and released in in 2019. The game allows 2-5 players to compete in creating their own borough in the prestigious area of London known as Kensington. With tile placement mechanics, players must strategically build their neighborhoods to attract the most prestigious residents and score points.

Game Components of Kensington

Gameboard: A non-folding board with a combination of seven regular hexagons (2 red, 2 blue, and 3 white), thirty squares, and twenty-four triangles, totaling 72 vertices.

Tokens: 15 counters of each color (red and blue) for the two-player version. Variants include more counters for different player configurations.

Rules: Included in the game package or on the inside of the album-style packaging for the 1979 edition.

How To Setup Kensington

To set up the game, players start with all counters off the board. Each player takes turns placing one counter on an unoccupied vertex on the board until each has placed 15 counters. The game transitions to the movement phase after all counters are placed.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Objective: Surround one of the hexagons (either a white one or one of your color) with one counter on each corner.

Placement Phase: Players alternately place tokens on unoccupied vertices.

Movement Phase: Players slide a single token along a line to an adjacent unoccupied vertex.

Mills and Double Mills: Forming a mill by occupying three vertices of a triangle or a double mill by occupying four vertices of a square allows players to relocate one or two of the opponent’s tokens, respectively.

Player Experience

Kensington is a game that starts simple but quickly reveals its strategic depth. Initial confusion about counter placement and the rules can give way to a highly tactical and challenging experience once understood. The game requires careful planning and strategic thinking, making it comparable to games like chess and draughts.

Pros

Strategic Depth: Offers complex strategy despite its simple rules.

Tactical Gameplay: Players must think ahead to form mills and block opponents.

Replayability: High due to the numerous possible strategies and placements.

Awards and Recognition: Won the UK Game of the Year award and was included in “Top 100 Games of 1982”.

Cons

Steep Learning Curve: Initial confusion can be off-putting for new players.

Limited Player Interaction: Can feel less sociable, especially with more players.

Out of Print: Original versions are currently out of print, though second-hand copies are available.

Personal Thoughts on Kensington

Kensington is ideal for those who enjoy abstract strategy games and are looking for a challenging, yet elegant, gaming experience. It is not suited for very young players due to its complex strategy, despite the recommended age range starting at 7. This game is perfect for strategic thinkers and fans of games like chess and draughts, offering a unique and engaging experience that rewards careful planning and execution.

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