Korrigans is a charming game from Ilopeli and Matagot for two to five players, ages 8 and up where players ride frogs, squirrels, and more to gain gold for their leprechaun tribe.
They also have to watch the rainbow, because when it fully appears, they’ll want to get to the cauldron of gold.
The game isn’t out yet, but it is available for preorder. It retails for $49.99.
How it works: Players each control two korrigans, otherwise known as leprechauns. They try to grab all the gold they can, which is hidden under four-leaf clovers. The only way they can do this is by travelling to different fields on the board. To travel, they need companion animals, which they also find under four-leaf clovers.
On their turn, players use an animal to move to a new field on the board, pick up all of the remaining clover tokens in that field, look at them, and choose one to keep behind a screen so no one else can see it.
If the clover was the last one in a field, the player also picks up a menhir, which is a tall stone with a symbol hidden on the bottom. The menhirs can be good news or bad news.
Before the first player goes each round, a rainbow token is drawn from a bag. If it’s the first of its color to be drawn, the player puts it on a sun space at the top of the board.
If it’s the second color, it’s placed on a cloud space on the side of the board. The suns and clouds form a grid. When the last color is drawn, the cauldron of gold will appear.
Then players each have a turn to try to ride their animals to the cauldron, which gives them lots of points.
The player with the most gold wins.
The good: There’s so much to like about this game.
The artwork is absolutely charming. The animals are adorable, each of the 10 miniature korrigans is unique, the menhirs feel good in your hand and look great on the board.
This game is the best introduction to Eurogames for young players I’ve seen. It packs several concepts in, but it’s still easy to understand and quick to play.
There are no dice or cards in this game. You move and make a choice.
There’s plenty of risk and reward. You can take gold from a field, but you also need animals to get you where you’re going.
There’s quite a lot of hidden information, since the clover tokens are face down, and you hide your tokens behind a screen. (This also allows adults to make less than optimum choices to balance the game.)
The only randomness in the game comes from the menhirs. They add spice to the game with special abilities, such as being able to take another turn, taking away an opponent’s screen so you can see exactly what they have, and putting up a troll to block your opponents.
While the game is not complicated, there’s enough going on that adults will want to play this with kids, although it’s not likely they would play on their own.
The not-so-good: The covering on the board tore a little the first time I took it out of the box. For a game with such quality components, this was a surprise. I’m not sure if I just got a bum copy or what, and I’m guessing if I’m complained to the company, they’d send me a new one, but gentle handling shouldn’t tear a board.
Recommended? Absolutely if you want a game for kids that will get them ready for more complicated games. This is a game the whole family will enjoy.
Full disclosure: I received a review copy of this game from Asmodee Editions, which distributes the game in North America.
