| 👨👩👧👦 | Players: 2-4 |
| ⏳ | Time: 30 mins |
| 🎂 | Ages: 8+ |
| ⚙️ | Mechanisms: Set collection, hand management, open drafting |
If you had told me a year ago that one of my favourite games this year would be Viking-themed, I would have told you “Knarr mate, you’re havin’ me on!”
At its heart, Knarr is an engine builder – but you’re building an engine (recruited Vikings that stack to provide accumulative assets), then dismantling it to create another (discard Vikings to visit destinations, which give immediate benefits and potential future trade opportunities). The key is finding the right balance; figuring out the right time to let go of one engine and start or re-start the next.
Turns in Knarr are super snappy, and because the game is a race to be the first to 40 (or more) points, the entire game is also quick. It’s not a complex game, but it’s got plenty of great decision points. I love puzzling out the best order to play my cards to maximise the assets I receive. Deciding whether to explore destinations with better immediate rewards (but higher cost), or destinations with greater trade value (and lower cost) can also be tricky.
As soon as the game was available in Australia, I snapped up a copy and shipped it straight to me. It was love at first sight with this game box. The quality of the components is wonderful, and they even smell good!? (Am I a board game sniffer now?) The cards weren’t wrapped in plastic, which I very much appreciated, and each deck has its own gorgeous card deck box. The box size and layout are also perfectly designed for the game – no oversized box or component soup!
Knarr is a fantastic little strategy game and I’m so glad that I took that chance to play a game outside of my usual area of interest. Knarr is definitely one game that won’t be traded out of my collection any time soon!
The Boardgame Detective 