Gibson Games have always been at the fore front when we or you think about family games. Be honest. Games that have a feel for a group of children. Games that are really fun but also easily translated to players of any age. I think of easy in games like MIND THE GAP. More abstract games like HARE AND TORTOISE, crime solvers like 221B BAKER STREET or for those (like me) having a history buff family, well maybe a little DIPLOMACY? QUIRK was one of those games. It had been released some years back and yes, some of us have played it in its former incarnation. I thankfully hadn’t. I say thankfully because it meant I came to this blind. No comparisons. No ‘well I remember’ nostalgia. Just good old fashion clear eyed, critic of a card game fun was to be had.
THE CONTENTS
What you get with QUIRK is a card playing, noise making, collection game. In the lush box, full of bright colours and jazzy (yes I said it) animal images galore on, are lots of cards. Green animal cards.
GAMEPLAY
We only cared about the 55 animal character cards at first. These have three of each animal on. A duck, pig, sheep, dinosaur. The usual. Shuffle and deal 3 to each player (suggestions are 2 to 6, we recommend 4 and up to with the extra pack, 10). You then have a series of cards that do other things. Block cards, block players from using a Steal card. Stop cards, well stop players and then mischief cards make adults grimace LOL. These are worked into the left over animal cards and make up a draw pile. Then you begin. A player must try to get sets of three cards. They do this by looking pointedly at someone and making the associated animal noise. Once you have three, you lay them down. You must have 3 cards always and if you dont, pick up from the draw pile cards. Players go around in a clockwise order, until all animal cards are revealed. Once this happens the person with the most sets of animals wins!
WHAT WE LIKED
Ease of play. The pick up and play nature works well with families and friends. It also is more challenging than first appears and a really good ice breaker for anyone who wants a low complexity game that is universally adapted to varied groups.
WHAT WE HATED
The game should really be broadened quicker. Players should have the access to more animals faster and the option for 10 players should be there!
OVERALL
QUIRK is that rarest of things. A funny, competitive, silly, universally likeable game, for as many or as few (well not two) players. Designed for families and ideal for kids, this is the reboot of the season and a game, essential to take on the hols with you. Or just down the beach for the post sand BBQ antics!
https://gibsonsgames.co.uk/collections/all-games/products/quirk
