Rio Grande Games Fjords
Posted on November 09th, 2009 in Toys
- 2 players
- 30 minutes to play
- South seas adventure
- Strategy game
- Exploration
Product Description
Together, the players first build the map of the fjords, adding their houses in strategic locations as they build. When the map is complete, the players claim territory, trying to block their opponent from as much as possible, while securing these areas for themselves. The player with the most territory wins the game!
This post has 3 comments
November 9th, 2009
The game was a Christmas gift. I’ve been told it was a big hit!
Rating: 5 / 5
November 9th, 2009
I picked up Fjords on a whim, after having already played Carcassonne (the quintessential tile laying game). I was pleasantly surprised by the even simpler gameplay offered by Fjords. While a game of Carcassonne can drag on between experienced players, Fjords offers a quick, simple alternative. Scoring is simply a matter of counting up “owned” territories at the end of the game. That’s it…
Tile drawing is, of course, random. But everything else is directly player controlled, and good (or bad) decisions can have dire consequences. Another fascinating element of Fjords is that is morphs into a different game for the 2nd half… becoming a bit of a pente mashup.
Rating: 4 / 5
November 9th, 2009
I picked up Fjords while looking for an easy-playing game for those moments when there’s no time to pull out Chess, Go, or Catan, all of which I really enjoy. Fjords’ rules are simple, and the gameplay consists of a turn-based board creation followed by land-taking. The board pieces (the fjords) are nicely done, and will be familiar to anyone who has played any Catan or Carcassonne variant. The farm pieces are actual wood, giving the game a nice tactile feel. A game, or round, takes 20-30 minutes, and involves a fair amount of strategy, but nowhere near the headache-inducing complexity of the Catan card game, for example. Overall, it’s a lovely little game for rainy afternoons, appropriate for older kids or adults, and it’s an excellent introduction to the more complex games like Settlers of Catan. There’s no dice and no violence (in case those things bother you), it’s not earth-shattering, but it is quite fun and very re-playable.
Rating: 4 / 5