Pavlov’s Dogs (2020) Board Game

Pavlov’s Dogs is a board game released in 2020 by 9th Level Games. Designed by Heather O’Neill and illustrated by James Stowe, the game is centered around the famous psychological experiment conducted by Ivan Pavlov with his classical conditioning theory.

Game Components of Pavlov’s Dogs

1 Game Board

7 Paw Tokens

36 Dog Cards

36 Bell Cards

2 Custom Dice

How To Setup Pavlov’s Dogs

Place the game board in the center of the playing area.

Shuffle the Dog and Bell cards separately and place them face down on their designated spaces on the board.

Each player is given a set of Paw tokens.

Roll the dice to determine the starting player.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

In Pavlov’s Dogs, players take on the role of dog trainers trying to condition their dogs to respond to a bell. Players take turns flipping over cards and trying to remember which dogs have been conditioned to respond to the bell. The objective is to collect the most points by successfully conditioning the dogs.

Player Experience

Pros:

Fun and engaging theme based on a famous psychological experiment.

Quick gameplay that is easy to learn and teach to others.

Memory-based mechanics add a challenging element to the game.

Cons:

Limited replay value as the gameplay can become repetitive over time.

Lack of strategic depth may not appeal to more experienced board gamers.

Personal Thoughts on Pavlov’s Dogs

Pavlov’s Dogs is a light and entertaining game that is suitable for families and casual gamers. While the theme and mechanics are interesting, the game may not offer enough depth for more serious gamers. The build quality of the components is decent, and the game is reasonably priced for what it offers. It can be a worthwhile addition to your collection if you enjoy light, memory-based games with a fun theme. However, if you are looking for more strategic complexity, you may want to explore other options in the board game market.

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