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The Hobbit: There & Back Again is a competitive adventure game in which players draft dice to make pathways, collect resources, and perform actions that help them to reach their chapter goal.
In more detail, each of the 1-4 players has their own adventure board book open to the same chapter of the game, and they play in turn order starting with the shortest player. That player rolls all of the dice, then selects one, then the next player selects one, and so on until all dice have been chosen, at which point the next player rolls all the dice once again.
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With your chosen dice, you use a dry-erase pen to mark the current chapter of your book, drafting a path to evade trolls, battle goblins, solve riddles, and pen the best conclusion to each chapter. The game takes players through the eight most iconic challenges faced by Bilbo and the dwarves in The Hobbit, such as overcoming trolls, goblins, wargs, and giant spiders; reclaiming the treasure of the dwarves; and defeating the dragon Smaug. In the end, you want to complete the most rewarding journey to The Lonely Mountain.
The Hobbit: There & Back Again includes a solo mode, as well as a way to increase the game's difficulty, whether for some players to balance different skills levels or for everyone to increase the challenge.
In more detail, each of the 1-4 players has their own adventure board book open to the same chapter of the game, and they play in turn order starting with the shortest player. That player rolls all of the dice, then selects one, then the next player selects one, and so on until all dice have been chosen, at which point the next player rolls all the dice once again.
With your chosen dice, you use a dry-erase pen to mark the current chapter of your book, drafting a path to evade trolls, battle goblins, solve riddles, and pen the best conclusion to each chapter. The game takes players through the eight most iconic challenges faced by Bilbo and the dwarves in The Hobbit, such as overcoming trolls, goblins, wargs, and giant spiders; reclaiming the treasure of the dwarves; and defeating the dragon Smaug. In the end, you want to complete the most rewarding journey to The Lonely Mountain.
The Hobbit: There & Back Again includes a solo mode, as well as a way to increase the game's difficulty, whether for some players to balance different skills levels or for everyone to increase the challenge.
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Companies create these types of programs to encourage players to visit physical stores, but also for selfish reasons: If a store has an exclusive item, it has an incentive to market that item to customers since they can't find the game for sale at an online discounter. (Asmodee does something similar with its "Hobby Next" program, with those who pre-order The Hobbit: There & Back Again at a partner store getting "a custom d12 with Cirth numerals".)
In 2024, for example, the AMIGO Freunde game was 3 Chapters (my review), and in 2025 that game is Meister Makatsu, a 2-6 player game from Reiner Knizia. Here's an overview of gameplay:
In Meister Makatsu, players compete with their ninjas for the favor of the renowned master by demonstrating their mastery of perfect timing and strategic moves.
Everyone has their own deck of 24 cards, with cards numbered 1-8 in three colors. You must play these cards wisely over three rounds because each turn whoever plays the highest card in a suit receives points equal to the round number. Played cards are removed from the game, whereas unplayed hand cards return to your deck for use in subsequent rounds.
In the end, whoever has the fewest points wins.
Everyone has their own deck of 24 cards, with cards numbered 1-8 in three colors. You must play these cards wisely over three rounds because each turn whoever plays the highest card in a suit receives points equal to the round number. Played cards are removed from the game, whereas unplayed hand cards return to your deck for use in subsequent rounds.
In the end, whoever has the fewest points wins.
I'll have a detailed look at the game on Monday, June 2 on a prototype from AMIGO.
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Each player starts with five photo cards in hand, with each card having a small number of paws, which are the points in this game. Each turn, reveal three cards from the deck, then players simultaneously choose and reveal a card from their hand. Whoever reveals the most valuable card swaps it with one of the cards on display, then the player with the next highest card swaps for one of the three cards, etc.
Whenever you have the right combination of cards in hand — that is, three animals of the same type, worth the same amount of paws, or in the same environment — you can claim one of the trophies on display. The earlier you claim a particular trophy, the more valuable it's worth, and while the trophies diminish in value over time, the animals become more valuable as the cards are divided into three decks.
Whenever you have the right combination of cards in hand — that is, three animals of the same type, worth the same amount of paws, or in the same environment — you can claim one of the trophies on display. The earlier you claim a particular trophy, the more valuable it's worth, and while the trophies diminish in value over time, the animals become more valuable as the cards are divided into three decks.
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The gist of all three games is the same: The design is a standard trick-taking game, with players following suit, if possible, and with the highest card in the led color winning the trick — unless a trump card has been played, in which case the highest trump wins the trick. The twist comes that when you take your third trick, you're out of the round, discarding all cards in hand and scoring points equal to the number of tricks taken by all other players at that time. Thus, you want to take your third trick as late as possible — but if you're the last player with cards in hand, you score minimally (or not at all, depending on which edition you play).
Piñatas keeps the same rules as Voodoo Prince, which had a few special cards and gave players the chance (or risk) of scoring two tricks at the same time. The only change is that Piñatas ends the same way as Marshmallow Test: As soon as a player hits a point threshold (25 points in this case), the game ends and they win.
Should you have an interest in this last Knizia design, perhaps you could weigh in on this poll:
[poll=2091936]
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English (US) ·