TINDERBLOX (2020)

PLAYERS	TIME	DESIGNER	PUBLISHER
2-6	3-15 mins	Rob Sparks	Alley Cat Games

Within the small tin comes a fun dexterity game where players are flipping cards and then adding the specified wooden blocks to the campfire, hoping it doesn’t all topple over.

But you’re not using your hands. Instead you have tweezers.

Tweezers designed by the devil.

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When you have your first turn at TINDERBLOX you’ll grab this little plastic tool with confidence, wondering why those before you were having so much trouble.

But picking up blocks isn’t as easy as it looks in this game. Carrying them to the fire is also difficult. And placing them on the fragile construction before you offers the same tension as trying to defuse a ticking bomb.

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Picking up and placing small wooden cubes sounds a little basic, but there are a few curve balls to make it more interesting.

For starters, if the card has multiple blocks to add, you can’t do them one at a time. You must pile them together first and then lift it all to wherever you deem safe on the potentially swaying camp fire.

Some cards also force you to use your non-dominant hand which often brings a groan from players.

New blocks you’re placing can fall, and as long as they don’t land on the camp fire card, you can try again.

But remember that whatever you do to make it difficult for others could quite easily come back round to you if every other player got lucky on their turns.

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TINDERBLOX is a dexterity game, so some people might not enjoy this type of game and there isn’t much to sway you otherwise.

And there isn’t much you can learn of the game to become better over time. It does one thing when it comes out of the tin, and one thing only.

But it does it very well.

TINDERBLOX is perhaps my favourite dexterity game. Despite being a competitive game, after a few turns you’ll find players cheering each other on as the tower gets more precarious. And it’s so simple to teach that anyone can play.