Qwirkle Game

I bought this for my 6 year old daughter for Christmas based on the reviews on Amazon. I was aware that on being opened it probably wouldn't have the appeal of (yet another!!) Barbie or Polly Pocket set but was hoping it's appeal would grow and I was not disappointed. On its simplest level it is game that involves matching either colours or shapes. However, there is also the strategy element of avoiding leaving a line of tiles which your opponent(s)can complete and maximise their score. Simple rules - you can have a maximum of 6 tiles in any one line. You cannot repeat a shape in a shape line and you cannot repeat a colour in a colour line. You score a point for each tile put down and if you place your tiles carefully you can maximise your points if you add to other lines. The player who completes a line of 6 tiles (a "qwirkle")gains bonus points, scoring a minimum of 12 points for completing a qwirkle. This is a quick game to learn and set up and our games have lasted about half an hour so not too lengthy. In my view there is nothing worse than a game where the rules are complicated and take ages to understand - particularly if you have a child desperate to get on with the game. A couple of run throughs and we got the hang of it. My 14 year old who is now a bit sniffy about board games and would rather play on his xbox played with us and enjoyed it as well. It is a great game that all ages can enjoy. The other point I would make is that this is a lovely, solid game. The tiles are nice chunky wood and even the box is robust. A game we will play time and time again. I cannot recommend this highly enough.

I was recommended this game by a friend and wanted to give it to my boyfriend's two daughters aged 10 and 12 who love playing board games. We all played it together and had such fun with it. It seems very simple - and it is - but there is a degree of craft and strategy involved if you are to maximise your point score when placing your tiles and if you are to try and block the other players from making a Quirkle before it is your next go. We spent an hour playing the first game but the following games were a lot quicker, probably about 40-45 minutes. It definitely brings out the competitive streak whilst at the same being a lot of fun. Because you are not counting just one point for each tile placed, but one point for your tiles placed PLUS the number of tiles in the line you have just added your tile(s) to, you have to keep score throughout your go so quite good for your mental agility and obviously a good exercise for younger children. It would be great for the whole family or group of friends, particularly with a glass or two involved!

As a 'Spiel des Jahres' winner, you know that this game is going to be good, but unlike the usual winners of this contest, which involve very complex rules and need several hours and a PhD to play, Quirkle is surprisingly quick to pick up. Be warned though - towards the end of your first game, you'll begin to see extra tactics you wish you'd used, and will find yourself insisting you play again. The premise of Quirkle is simple - tiles with six colours and six shapes, simple rules on where you can place them, and you score points based on adding to and completing rows. That's the easy part - you'll soon discover ways to gain extra points, or block your opponents, and I suspect we've only scratched the surface. It's a great game even the first time you play it, and that makes it a superb choice to play with guests when you don't want to roll out one of the cliched board games (another game of Scrabble anyone?), but don't want to bore guests as you introduce them to the nine page manual of your more complex strategy games. I haven't played it with children so can't comment on youngest age, but would assume shape and colour matching is a useful type of game to play (although you might have to reign in your tactics to be nice!) Overall, recommend highly, particularly at this price.

I bought qwirkle for my brother's birthday in November, and we have all played it several times, so popular and competative has qwirkle become, that I have just bought a second qwirkle for my sister's family too. It's a rare thing these days to find an easy to play, but challenging game with pieces that will outlast all of us. Age range of our family players is youngest aged 4 eldest 72. And everyone of us can play. It really is a game for everyone who can match colours and shapes. It's a game that does require some brain power, and strategy and luck too. We all rate this game as excellent for all the family. If you are playing on an uneven surface and tiles might slide askew, just add a small dollop of blutac between tiles or underneath them to hold them in place. Especially useful if very young ones are playing or clumsy older ones. Best new game to be invented since trivial pursuit. Though it's very different from TP. A must have in the games cupboard and a classic of the future. 10/10 from all of us.

I bought this game hoping for it to be suitable for my young sons as there are only colours and shapes to match, so I assumed it would be quite easy. I was wrong! It is a game of tactics and concentration and of considering your best options, so over the Christmas holidays, all the adults had good fun playing, while the kids became easily distracted. I think unless you have a particularly brilliant kid, the age is from 8 up. Some of the colours are a little difficult to distinguish from each other, particularly the orange and red, but the tiles are well made and durable and they go away in the sturdy cotton bag provided, making the game easy to take on holiday. I thought it was such a good game I got one for my cousins too. Good value and good fun.

Surely there can be no better recommendation than winning the German Game of the Year 2011 award; with previous winnders including some of my all time favourites as Carcassonne and Dominion I was keen to try Qwirkle out. I would describe it as Scrabble meets Rummikub - on your turn you lay down tiles matching a shape or colour in order to score lines; you score bonus points for finishing a line of six. Simple to learn, quick to play, really enjoyable and plenty of replay value. There's strategy that to be had - we found it interesting how we moved from trying to make as many lines of 6 as possible to our most recent games where we hav been playing very conservatively and trying to capitalise off other people's moves! I'm also impressed with the quality of the product - the wooden tiles are chunky and the drawing bag is thick and sturdy. The great price make this an essential purchase for any board game enthusiast. Highly recommended.

Bright, colourful pieces that look as if they would wash if need be. I bought this for a wee 'active' maths group of 10 year olds. It instantly appealed to my husband when we trialled it at home and I thought perhaps it might be too complicated for the maths group but in fact it turned out to be a game that can be enjoyed at quite a low level too, with pupils happily managing to match perhaps one colour or shape and check that there are no repeats. A lot of games on the market are for groups of 4 but Qwirkle offers a game for larger groups. With my Lunch Club (11-18 year olds), I've found that people will come and join in at different points even after the game has started and it only adds to the enjoyment as the group gets bigger. We haven't yet 'finished' a game but have running totals which show who is in the lead. Playing the game offers lots of opportunities to talk/discuss and develop good thinking skills and strategies. I'd never heard of Qwirkle but would definitely recommend it for 6 to over 60 year olds... but be careful, because at the higher level of play, it really will make your brain hurt! :-)

Qwirkle is another of those "simple yet complex" games. All you get in the box are 108 wooden squares, a bag to hold them in and the instructions. You play with 2-4 players (more players is better) and then you have to start placing the tiles down to try and gain points which are toted up at the end. Each square is one of six shapes in one of six colours (there are 3 of each tile) and the main aim it to try and make lines that have either the same shape in each colour, or the same colour with one of each shape. Each player has 6 squares and you take it in turns to play. It sounds both uninteresting and boring, BUT it is a very tactical game - you end up making a huge crossword puzzle type shape and as the game goes on more possibilities appear. I've played it with adults, kids (from 7 upwards) and everyone has enjoyed it. The game can take quite a long time to play (the last game with 3 people took 50 minutes to complete) but it is enjoyable and you need to concentate on the board between rounds to see if you can get your pieces in. My family (and extended family) enjoy it.

Gioco divertente e appassionante. Tante tesserine di legno colorato si comporranno sul tavolo di gioco portando oltre che tanto divertimento anche un po di colore nelle giornate invernali. Premetto che l'ho preso per giocare con la mia bambina di 5 anni che dopo solo 2 partite ha dimostrato di avere l'occhio e la mente molto più elastica delle nostre!! Gioco non solo da bambini ma anche da adulti! Comodo e paratico anche da viaggio, dentro la scatola si trova un sacchetto di stoffa dove mettere tutte le tessere. Per una volta un bel gioco senza elettronica, attuale ma col sapore d'altri tempi! Lo consiglio!!

This game was easy to learn yet and still challenging to devise a winning strategy. Its great if you like dominos or other tile based games. Highly recommend!

So much fun. We play it quite often. 2-4 people. Great for kids to learn shapes, colours and organizational thinking. Good for classrooms age 8 and up. Teacher supervision may be required at first.

Great game! We love it! The service and speed of delivery was excellent. I was very impressed.

Qwirkle is a perfect gift for you! It's a game that’s easy to learn in just a few minutes but has enough smart moves to stay fun for years as you get older. It’s like a mix of Dominoes and Scrabble, but with bright, chunky wooden tiles that match by color or shape. You get to use your brain to build long lines and plan ahead to score big! Why we love it: It helps with color and shape recognition, problem-solving, and strategy, making it a great way to challenge your mind without feeling like homework. Best Part: You can even beat the grown-ups at this game! It's a fantastic, award-winning game that the whole family will want to play on game night.