For those of you who have been to one of our cafes, you’ll have seen these handy category stickers across our shelves, on posters, and on our menu…
We’ve covered a selection of two player games in a previous blog, so let’s have a look at another of those categories and tell you why it’s so amazing!
For those adrenaline junkies amongst you… This is your blog… These are those games that give you a buzz and you can’t help but smile whilst they do. We’ll stick with a five favourites vibe… so, what first in the wonderful world of… Dexterity?
For those that like a game of turn-based skill… Crokinole
The earliest known Crokinole board is dated from 1876 and was made in Canada by Eckhardt Wettlaufer. The origins of this are lost in the mists of history, all we really know is… it’s great.
It’s kind of Shuffleboard vibe, mixed with flicking (like Carrom) and like we said before, it’s awesome. Only two main rules with an odd edge case rule too and a few different variant ways to score… you can play 1 vs 1 or 2 vs 2… there is certainly nothing like getting a perfect shot and high fiving your teammate across the board!
It’s adrenaline fuelled and what every Dexterity game aims to be, ask us for it sometime, you will not be disappointed. Polish your game, never be ‘board’ either, just ‘ditch’ those cheap imitations!
For those with great hand dexterity and are quick… DroPolter
Oooo…. Shiny, shiny, lucky charms! This 2023 game from the wonderful Oink Games is an unusual game of skill and speed…
At the start of the game, everyone has 5 charms in their closed fist. Spectral figures appear (a card is drawn) and to scare them off you must drop the pictured charms the fastest. Drop the wrong charm and you’re out of the round. Get all the correct charms dropped and be first to grab the ghost and you win a bell… that goes in your hand with your charms… drop any bells in future rounds and you will lose them! First to five bells wins!
This is fast, this is frantic, and it’s hilarious too. In our opinion, best played with higher player counts for maximum crazy. If you’ll allow us to chime in once more… it’s best played with spirit.
For those that enjoy a quick thinking puzzle… Dimension
Balls. Well, spheres I guess. Quick thinking will rule the day in this speedy logic puzzle from Kosmos for up to 4 players.
Follow the rules, stack your spheres accordingly and then score big! Everyone has the same set of spheres, 5 colours and three of each. There are seven small holes in your board where you can place your spheres, on top of them another three can rest and one more can crown your little pyramid of roundness. Make your pyramid and then everyone scores. You get points for each sphere in your structure, lose points for breaking a rule and get bonus tiles for being awesome (we always get bonus tiles!). After six rounds, see who has the most points. Winner!
Did we mention that you only have a minute to build your pyramid? Oh. Yeah. That’s not long enough normally and mistakes will be made!
This is a real mental workout, it hits the same spot as a mobile phone solo logic puzzle but has the bonus that it can be played with friends and the sheer physicality of it makes for a tactile treat.
Just roll with it. It’s stacks of fun.
For those that work well together under pressure… Team3
Building structures whilst building friendships? With limited communication, TEAM3 will challenge you and your friends to work together.
In this game, 3 players from the group have 3 minutes to complete a structure. Each player has a role, Architect, Supervisor and Builder. The Architect sees the plan and advises the Supervisor what needs to be done, the supervisor translates this to the Builder, who builds the structure. How simple is that?
Well, it would be except… the Architect is not allowed to speak and the Builder is blindfolded. With some clever gesturing and smart verbal instructions, this game isn’t as impossible as it first seems, with three different levels of difficulty and each of the two sets having another advanced mode too, there is plenty of puzzle here to explore, you can even combine sets and play a vs game with two or more teams!
Just don’t be the architect of your own demise and it will all be good…
For those with a steady hand… Catch the Moon
High on a cloud, ladders are placed obeying whimsical rules in an attempt to be the one who can Catch the Moon.
Ain’t that a pretty game? Table presence is important but not only does this look great, it’s a great balance game too. You can even play solo or cooperatively as well as up to six player competing.
Roll the die on your go and obey the rule… it’s either a restriction on how many ladders you can touch (one or two) or it’s time to catch the moon and place your ladder the highest. Make a mistake and a raindrop is yours. You don’t want raindrops, I assume its’s not good for your cloud if it rains out.
There is something dreamlike about this game, strangely shaped ladders and a nest like structure of them is very pleasing to the eye and the smile that touches your face when you manage your placement is addictive.
Follow those steps carefully, don’t make a rung move… just take it Cirrus-ly.
___
There are so many dexterity games out there and new ones come out all the time… If you find yourself in one of our cafes, ask our staff what their newest Dexterity favourite is, and prepare to be challenged!