Castle Combo is a tactical and clever card game. For 2 to 5 players aged 10 and up. Throughout the game, you create a personal 3×3 grid of cards that form your court. Note that each character has a special ability and earns you points at the end of the game. To get your court to score as high as possible, you have to make choices all the time, making it a tactical and clever puzzle card game. Use your keys and coins carefully.
Can you make the best choices, or have you misjudged things this time?
Rating
| Overall | 8.5 |
| Game system | 9 |
| Design & art | 8 |
| Replayability | 9 |
Game rules
Each player has 9 turns to build a court with 9 cards in a 3×3 grid.
Placement rules for your grid
When you place a card in your personal grid, it must meet two conditions.
- Your grid must contain three columns of three cards. This means that there can never be four cards in a column.
- Adjacent: Each card after the first card placed must be adjacent to at least one card in your grid, either horizontally or vertically.
A turn is played in the following steps, in the order listed below
• Pay for a key (optional): If you have a key, you may pay for it (maximum 1 key per turn, after which you place it in the stockpile) to perform one of the following actions:
- Move the messenger to the other location (castle or village).
- Discard all 3 cards from the location where the messenger is standing and turn over 3 new cards from the corresponding draw pile.
• Buy a card: Each turn, you must buy a card from the location where the messenger is standing. The value you must pay in gold is shown in the top left corner of the card. Important: some cards give you a discount on purchases throughout the game. You can recognise these by the gold banner.
If you do not want to or cannot buy a character card, you may always take a card and turn it over to the face-down side. This means you will not receive any points at the end of the game, but you will immediately receive an addition to your treasury. This action will immediately give you 6 gold and 2 keys.
Please note: each turn, you must either purchase a card or take one and place it face down in your court.
• Execute the card’s ability: Your card’s ability takes effect immediately when you place it in your player area. So execute it right away. The character’s ability only applies to the cards in your own court (unless the card indicates that the benefit also applies to the other players).
When the trait refers to a neighbour, you may choose which player to your left or right will receive the benefit of the trait.
• Move the messenger and replenish the supply at both locations: When you have purchased a character card with a messenger symbol in the banner on your card, move the messenger as follows:
- Image of the messenger in a grey triangle: move the messenger up to the castle.
- Image of the messenger in a brown, inverted triangle; move the messenger to the village, downwards.If there is no messenger symbol on your card, or if you have placed a card face down, do not move the messenger.
Then replenish the supply of character cards when there are fewer than 3 cards face up.
After completing these 3, or optionally 4, steps, it is the next player’s turn.
End of the game
After 9 turns, each player has a court in a 3×3 grid in front of them. This means the end of the game.
Calculate the final score of your court using the clear scoring explanation in the rule book and the score sheet.
The player with the highest score is the winner.
Components and Design
White Goblin has once again delivered high quality in terms of design. The prints are of good quality and the wooden messenger is beautifully crafted. It comes in a small box, making it easy to fit in a rucksack or suitcase so you can play on the go.
The rules are very clear and well explained in the rulebook.
Box Contents
• 1x rule book
• 78x cards
• 96x tokens
• 1x wooden messenger
• 1x overview card
• 1x score pad
Conclusion
Castle Combo is an easy-to-explain and clever card game full of a wide range of tactical choices.
Because the game only has 9 turns, it plays very quickly. You can finish a game in half an hour. It is an ideal game to end a game afternoon after a heavy game lasting several hours. It is also very handy for relaxing with the family after a long day at work.
The rules are explained very clearly in the rulebook. The scoring is also clearly described, making it easy to use the score pad.
One small criticism: the rulebook does not include a story behind the game to draw you into the setting. As an avid player, I think this is a missed opportunity. You do see this in Hielenlikkers, also from White Goblin.
It is a well-designed game and definitely recommended for people who enjoy puzzle games!
More info: https://www.whitegoblingames.com/product/castle-combo-kaartspel/
Text and photography: Esmeralda Wolf
