Board Game Break Time: Reef

Board Game Break Time is a new feature we're bringing in, where we play board games and review them. 

Title: Reef  
Publisher:  Next Move Games
Designer:  Emerson Matsuuchi

Year of Publication:  2018

Game Type: Abstract Strategy / Pattern Building / Hand Management

# of Players: 2-4  

Ages: 8+

Play Time: 30-45 Minutes 

  

Average Rating: 7.3

Average Rating: 4.8 

 

We have had this game for about 2 weeks now and have played at least 3 times, which is quite a bit for one game for us. I think this is in my new favorite game right now. My favorite type of games is tile placement and no this is not a tile placement game but its close enough. It's such a great concept. I love finding ways to make a colorful reef that also buys me points to win. 

The strategy is a tricky one in this game. I am finding it hard to find the balance in having cards and playing cards. It's very important to have the cards lined up to use. In order to draw reef pieces you have to play a card...which is also how you get points. The card does both. if you don't want to sacrifice the points, you have to be very strategic in the order of card play. It's actually quite challenging. 

The game is quite beautiful and the pieces are well made and are sturdy. The cards are easy to understand. The game is very pleasing in game play and in looks. I think a younger than 8 can play too, they might just need a little help. Great family game, great thinking game. All around pretty awesome game. 

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What Michael Thought: 

A easy to learn but hard to master type game. This game has some interesting mechanics. You have to match patterns on bottom of card to score points. But to do so you need to get cards with coral pieces on top to turn in to get pieces you might need to score points. So it becomes a balancing act of which cards you need and which cards you can play to get more pieces and score more points than your opponent.

The thing I like about this game is the fact you have to think ahead of which cards you need to play to get maximum points but also get coral pieces to match better point values. Also one thing that can mess you up is the fact you can only have 4 cards in your hand. So you have to play a card at the 4th card before you can take another card. The game doesn't take long and plays well with 2, 3, or 4 players. Though I think it works best with 3 or 4.

Like Jenn said we played it multiple times and even with some friends of ours and all of us enjoyed it. Overall there is some great hand mechanics and strategy involved in this game making it a must own game

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