My Favorite Two Player Games

Qwirkle and Carcassonne!

Welcome to my very first blog post! Today I am reviewing two of my favorite two player games, Qwirkle and Carcassonne. I decided to pair these two games together because they both have interesting game boards...None! The goal of both Qwirkle and Carcassonne is to build the game as you go. I will be reviewing the games' replayability, art style, and the games level of fun. Enjoy!

Qwirkle

Qwirkle, designed by Susan McKinley Ross, is a tile-based game for 2-4 players. The game is intended for anyone over 6 years of age. I think children under the recommended age could still enjoy this game by learning the different colors and shapes. This game is similar to both Rummikub and Scrabble. The overall goal of the game is to earn the most points by matching the tiles by color or shape.

To start the game each player is given six tiles. The game begins once one player lays down the first set of tiles. This set can either be tiles of similar shapes with different colors or different shapes with the same color. When a player completes a row of six they have successfully completed a Qwirkle, at this time the player shouts "Qwirkle" and gains points. Each player then takes turns adding their tiles to the center and drawing more tiles to replenish their six. Points are scored when a tile is placed and when a row of six is completed. The player at the end with the most points wins!

I would rate Qwirkle's replayability a 5/10. I find the game quite enjoyable but would only play it once or twice in a sitting. While the game offers a unique game board with each game, it can still feel repetitive. The game can be a little slow when only playing a couple of tiles each round. There is also little player interaction. Each player carries out their individual turn and not much is said among players. I prefer games that make you laugh out loud.

Personally, I would rate Qwirkle's art style an 8/10. The differing shapes and colors are the reason I gave it a higher rating. The beginning of the game may look less interesting but once a few rounds have passed, an intricate and colorful game board begins to form. The fun thing about Qwirkle is each game ends with a unique game board.

Qwirkle's level of fun, for me, would be a 7/10. This score is an average of both the repeatability and art style. Overall I think Qwirkle is a very fun game to play but can be a bit slow and repetitive. The game offers a creative and unique game board and allows players to have a fun time. Qwirkle can be purchased here!

Carcassonne

Carcassonne is a tile-based game for 2-5 players, designed by Klaus-Jürgen Wrede.

the age limit for Carcassonne is 6 and up. I think this is an appropriate age because Carcassonne demands a strategic mind. The goal of the game is to build your own cities and roads in order to earn points.

Each turn begins with the drawing of one tile. This tile then is played wherever the player chooses. The game board increased in size as each player strategically places each piece around the board. Each piece included either a city piece, road, or a monastery. These pieces have to be placed perfectly, for example, a city can only connect to other city pieces and a road cannot intersect a city or monastery. Each player is given meeples, these are mini people that earn you points. When you lay a piece you can place a meeple on your tile to claim it. This ensures that no one else can play pieces on your claimed areas. Once a city or road is completed, the player whose meeple claims it earns points. The player with the most points at the end wins.

Carcassonne's replayability would be a 6/10. The game takes on average 45 minutes. Depending on how much free time I have I would play the game once or twice. The strategic aspect of Carcassonne is the main reason I would play it multiple times. The interaction between players also makes the game more interesting because each players turn depends on the tile laid by the player before them.

I think Carcassonne's art style deserves a 9/10. I love the look of each tile and when all tiles are placed the game board looks stunning. Similar to Qwirkle, Carcassonne never results in the same game board. While the design of the tiles is spectacular, so it the box. There is no empty space on the box, which I think shows the detail of the game.

The level of fun of Carcassonne is rated as a 7.5/10. This is one of my favorite games and I would be willing to play it anytime. The unique tile and quality are what I love most about it. Carcassonne offers many different expansion packs that can allow for more players to enjoy the fun. Carcassonne can be found here!

Thanks for reading my first blog! Hope you enjoyed it!