EN: Look what the cat dragged in! Calico, published in the Netherlands by White Goblin Games, looks like a cutesy game, but among the patchwork blankets and patches of cats, a hissing puzzle battle is taking place. Can you lure the most cats to your blanket to win the game? Your position as a cat caller, I mean shot caller, in the illegal catnip circuit may come in handy after all! Meowome!
Cats will lie down anywhere and everywhere, but especially in places you don’t want them to. That old coat that used to belong to your great-grandmother? The cat will probably lie there and then look at you snootily when you take it away. That is why you bought a super soft basket at the pet shop, but unfortunately the box it was packed in was more interesting and has now become ol’ Fluffy’s favourite hangout. I find cats to be peculiar creatures (i.e. I am a dog person) with peculiar wishes. Even in Calico, all cats have their own peculiar wishes. Every kitty cat has favourite patterns which they want to lie on exclusively. During the game, you and the other players will lay out a cloth rug to catnap these kitties.
Each turn you place a tile from your hand on your tableau. Tiles come in different colours and patterns. After placing a tile, take one of the three open tiles from the patchwork market. There are three open tasks on your tableau. Around the tasks, colours and/or patterns must be placed in a certain way to score points. You can also earn buttons if you place a group of three patches of one colour. Cats will lie on your blanket if you have collected enough tiles of a certain pattern or have placed them in the correct shape. At the end of the game, you earn points with your collected cats, buttons and completed tasks. The one with the most points wins. Kat in het bakkie (literally cat in the basket, or easy pease, as we would say in Dutch)!
A cat is a cat, in Calico you have to puzzle hard to win. In addition, you can also chase your opponents like a cat into the proverbial curtains. For example, grab the tile your opponent is sitting on. Try to focus on certain tiles so you don’t get stuck in puzzling. Calico is a very entertaining and very challenging puzzle and definitely recommended. Absolutely recommended!
