Small World Game Review
We finally did it! My girls and I have learned to play the Small World Game well enough to come up with a decent Small World Game Review. Why do I feel so proud? Because, this game has been sitting on our game shelf for long time… and every time I opened the box, I felt a bit intimidated. There are a LOT of pieces.
I mean, a whole lot.
4 game boards….14 race banners… 20 special power badges… 109 victory coins… assorted markers…. 168 Race Tokens…
and one die.
So, yes, it seemed a bit overwhelming. (Ok, no, it’s not as bad as Twilight Imperium… but still).Looking at the rule booklet was sort of helpful, but I’m one of those people who generally learns games by watching them played.
Small World sat on the shelf… collecting dust. And every Game Night someone would invariably ask… “Can we Play the Small World Game?”
I made it my mission to LEARN to Play Small World! And I’m so glad I did.
Small World Game Review
What’s in the box… Lots of pieces and tokens (luckily, the race token rack has a lid)
Despite having what looks like a zillion pieces, Small World is actually fairly straight forward and easy to play. And even better, because the Races and Special Powers are shuffled and re-combined each time you play, the game changes wildly every time. (Great for Re-Playability!!). And the 4 Game Boards? well… it’s a Small World after all (you knew that joke would come up, right?) so you need a different sized board according to how many people are playing.
Small World is reminiscent of Risk, in that you are trying to take over as much territory as possible. HOWEVER, your goal really isn’t taking over the whole world… your goal is to take over as much as you can on each turn so that you get Victory Coins. Also, unlike Risk, Small World doesn’t take days to play; you get 10 rounds to gather up as much coin as possible. Then it’s done.
And while there are a lot of pieces, they are all of good quality. These aren’t little flimsy bits and squares… the cardboard is thick, and will hold up to a lot of play. The box has spaces for all of the different cards and markers, including a rack for all of the race tokens (in fact, my one problem is that the rack could have been labeled, or an extra token for each race could have been included to make finding and putting away the tokens much easier… but that’s really nit-picking).
token rack
Play the Small World Game
Begin by setting up the board (pick the one according to your group size).
Shuffle the Race Banners, shuffle the special powers badges… then line up the top 6 banners interlocked with the top 6 special powers.
Everyone gets coins… and a handy Summary Sheet (love that they included 6 of these, so you don’t have to deal with that one guy who always bogarts all the info.)
Player Summary Sheets, so you know what each Race/Badge does
Set out the mountains and mystery tribes.
Seafaring Skeletons or Scout Giants… Notice that the Skeleton Army starts with 11 Skeletons (6 plus 5) and can start from water. Also, they get +1 Skeleton for every 2 lands they conquer. Stout Giants start with 10 Giants (4 plus 6) Stout means they can go into decline at the end of a turn, instead of using a turn… and giants can conquer any region next to a mountain with one less giant. Honestly… thank goodness for the cheat sheet!
First person can choose their Race Banner… if they take the first in line, it’s free… if they want one further down the line, they have to pay.
The army is counted by the numbers on the Race Banner and Special Powers… and they are off to conquer the small world.
Place Player tokens on the land forms that you wish to conquer. A minimum of 2 for unoccupied lands, three if there is a mountain or tribe on it. If there aren’t enough tokens to take over a place, roll to see if you get reinforcements.
Then score… a coin for each land, plus any bonuses (for example, Humans get a bonus for taking over farmland).
The next person then chooses their Race… and starts to conquer lands. If another player already occupies the land, they can take it by placing one more token on the space than the other player has. (The other guy gets to go off the board). Then it’s scored.
Now…as there are a specific number of race tokens, and space will be fought for… eventually, you will run low on tokens. At this point, you can put your race into decline (flip em over)… score what’s left… and then start over the next turn with a new Race/Special Power combo.
After 10 rounds… add up the coins.
Victory Coins and Reinforcement Dice
Note- This is just a rough outline… for a great video tutorial on how to play Small World check out “Watch it Played” on You Tube. It may not be as hip as Tabletop, but you definitely learn HOW TO PLAY … almost like they are holding your hand. (Very comforting, actually, especially with the Canadian accent) Sit through all 10 videos (each one lasts one round) or pop in to the beginning, and maybe skip a few…
What Do I Really Like About the Small World Board Game
It’s a simple game with a ton of variation. One turn you may be a Skeleton with Diplomatic Powers (meaning another player may not attack you) and two turns later you are a Flying Ratman! Each Race Type and Special Power is wildly different, giving interesting opportunities to try new attack strategies. And when they combine, you get some crazy combos.
The game is engaging, and at times very funny. Although it’s an attacking and taking land game, generally it’s balanced so that everyone gets a chance to do well. Remember… the more you attack, the thinner your army gets… leaving you open to attack in the next round.
Who Can Play the Small World Game
The box says 8 and up, and that sounds about right. I don’t know that I’d hand the box to a group of 8 year olds, and say “go for it!”… but, I imagine if you run through it once or twice, they could easily set off on their own Small World adventure.
That said, while this could be considered a Gateway Game, it shouldn’t be dismissed by experienced gamers. There is an element of strategy.... and getting to know the best ways to use the Races and Powers will help you do better in the game.
Besides, it’s fun! Where else can Heroic Ghouls fight Commando Wizards?
Don’t be afraid to add Small World to your Game Shelf… you will love it!
Buy Small World Board Game Here
Small World Game Expansions
With all the Different Combinations, there doesn’t seem to be a way to get Bored with the Small World Game… but just in case you want to switch things up, there are a number of Small World Game Expansions
Small World Be Not Afraid Expansion Board Game
Small World Realms ExpansionSmall World Grand Dames Expansion Board Game (2nd Printing)Small World Cursed Expansion Board Game (2nd Printing)Expansion – Small World – Royal Bonus – DOW790012 – Days Of Wonder.1 X Expansion – Small World – A Spider’s Web – DOW790021 – Days Of Wonder.Small World: Necromancer Island Expansion
