It’s a Small World After All

Posted : January 3, 2020

There are plenty of traditional board games that revolve around occupying as much territory as possible, to score the maximum profit possible. Games like Monopoly and Settlers of Catan. One game you may not have heard of is called ‘Small World’, and it is by far one of the most strategic and involving board games out there.

The game takes place on a beautifully painted fantasy world, the board’s varying geography divided up into various landscapes by borders. There are golden, rolling farmlands, bubbling swamps, craggy mountains, and peaceful hills.

Invading this gorgeous world are a diversified group of fantastical races, which players will wield in attempts at seizing the most area possible. A few examples include the beautiful yet deadly Amazons, the nefariously intelligent Sorcerers, the massive, stomping Giants, and the conniving Ratmen.

Each race comes with its own power, as well as an extra one randomly put together to boot. Players must carefully think which race and power combination will get them the most points, which is achieved by holding down areas. A turn consists of picking a race, and then distributing them into the map. This is done by placing the tokens you receive with each race. You can also attack other players, instigating battles of wit.

Once a race has overextended itself, you are free to pick a new one. With each game, you will generally go through about three races. The best strategy involves picking races that can support and protect each other.

Each game generally takes a couple of hours, depending on how much time you and your friends spend thinking through strategies and plots. Thinking everything through is an essential part of the game. You always want to keep an eye on what your friends are doing, what you believe they will do next, and how much of a threat they pose to you.

This game is very addictive. There are just so many endless possibilities, with so many races to choose from. Getting accustomed to each one and their skill set is half the fun. You’ll also want to get revenge on friends that attacked you in games to come!

There are various expansions to this game. The most incredible one comes with all kinds of figurines for your races, and a beautifully sculpted 3D map. If you love board games, you should definitely consider Small World.