Rio Grande Games Carcassonne Review

Simple rules and unique gameplay make this tile game easy to play over and over again. When we showed our niece and nephew how to play, we were surprised when not only did their parents ask to join in, they embraced it enthusiastically and demanded to play it several more times that evening.

Brightly colored tiles are drawn and placed down to create the game board. They are played in a domino-like fashion, only in that each tile must match up to another: a field space is played next to a field space, a castle piece matches a castle piece, and roads must match roads. These features are claimed by placing one of the wooden men in your color onto that tile as you play it. Points are scored when castles, roads, and other features are completed. Strategy comes into play as you try to place tiles to guarantee yourself points as you edge out your opponents. Do you place a castle tile, and risk that it might not be completed? Do you place a farmer in a field, committing that piece for the rest of the game in the hopes that you will be the only one to get points for it? Do you claim a road, risking that you might run out of people and miss out on scoring opportunities later?

The randomization of the tiles insures that no game is ever the same twice. Young and old enjoy this game, and there are multiple expansions and variations that can be bought to add and expand the fun.