Kingdoms (1994) – Board Game Guys

Kingdoms

Kingdomino is a tile board game for 2-4 players designed by Bruno Cathala and published by Blue Orange Games in 2016. The first version of Kingdomino was only available to families in the French Alps who paid for a week-long pass at the nearby ski resort. Kingdomino Origins is a new version of the game that goes back to prehistoric times to build out kingdoms.

Why is Kingdoms Popular?

Kingdomino is considered by reviewers to be an accessible entry point into strategy board games, with its 15–20 minute playing time and its familiar game mechanics which bear similarity to Dominoes. It won the Spiel des Jahres award for the best board game of the year and received positive reviews upon its release. Kingdomino Origins is a new version of the game that introduces new components for additional Gameplay Mechanics of Kingdoms.

Game Components of Kingdoms

Tiles representing resources and hazards

Castle tiles ranked 1 through 4

Special tiles: mountain, dragon, gold mine, and wizard

Orthogonal grid for tile placement

How To Setup Kingdoms

Setup involves creating an empty orthogonal grid where players will place their tiles. Each player starts with a limited number of castle tiles. The tile stack is prepared, and players are ready to begin drawing and placing tiles.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Tile Placement: Players draw and place tiles on an orthogonal grid.

Resource and Hazard Management: Tiles can be resources (valued +1 to +6) or hazards (valued -1 to -6).

Castle Placement: Players place castle tiles to score points from rows and columns.

Special Tiles:
– Mountain tile splits rows and columns into separate scoring sections.
– Dragon tile negates resources in its row and column.
– Gold mine tile doubles the value of its row and column.
– Wizard tile raises the castle level of adjacent castles by 1.

Scoring: Points are calculated at the end of each round based on the sum of tile values in rows and columns where a player has a castle.

Game Objective: Amass the greatest wealth by strategically placing castles and managing resources and hazards.

Player Experience

Playing **Kingdoms** requires tactical thinking and strategic planning. Players must balance the need to score points with the risk of having their valuable castles negated by hazards or special tiles. The game is easy to learn but challenging to master, making it appealing to both casual and experienced gamers.

Pros

Strategic Depth: Offers a rich strategic experience with simple rules.

Family-Friendly: Suitable for players aged 9 and up.

Replayability: The random draw of tiles ensures each game is unique.

Awards and Recognition: Won the Origins Award for Best Abstract Board Game of 2002.

Cons

Luck Element: The draw of tiles introduces an element of chance that can affect gameplay.

Limited Player Count: Best for 2-4 players, which might limit its appeal for larger groups.

Personal Thoughts on Kingdoms

**Kingdoms** is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a game that combines strategy with a touch of luck. It is particularly suited for families or small groups of friends who enjoy tactical games but don’t want to spend hours setting up or learning complex rules. The game’s medieval fantasy theme and the use of high-quality plastic castles add to its charm, making it a gem in any board game collection.

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