Boardgame review: Qwixx (dice game)

Qwixx is a game where the goal is to get the most points by marking scores based on a combination of thrown colored dice.


Players:              2 - 5
Age:                     8+
Gamelength:   ± 15 minutes
Price:                  ± €10,- / $11,- (varies per country)
Boxsize:             13,3 x 10,1 x 2,1 cm (5,2 x 4,0 x 0,8 inches)

Every player gets a scorecard with 4 colors and scores, ranging from 2 to 12 and 12 to 2.


By making a combination of the thrown dice you mark the scores, in your own turn or in another players turn. You do not have to mark every score, you can skip one (or a few) if you think that is the best play.


A colored line can be closed when the right combination of the dice is made with a total of 12 (2 sixes) or 2 (2 ones), but only if you have at least 5 marks in that line. After closing, no one can mark in that line anymore in the following rounds. For closing the line, you get an extra mark (on the lock).

The more scores you have marked in a colored row, the more points you get.
If you decide not to mark a score (or you can’t) in your own turn, you get -5 points as a penalty.

The game ends when 2 lines are closed or when someone has 4 penalty-marks.
The person with the most points wins.



Personal opinion:
Qwixx is a simple game: easy to understand, easy to play and quick to finish. It leans towards non-gamers (my friends loved it) and casual gamers and it’s for all ages. There is never downtime in this game, because you can play in your own turn, but also during other players turns.

The box is small so you can take it with you whenever you go on a trip (don’t forget the pencils!).

The dynamics are different with the amount of people you play, and I also think with what kind of people you play.
When we played with the two of us, we were both trying to mark the scores as efficient as possible. And because we were just with two, it took “a while” to throw the correct 12 or  2.
When we played this with three, one of my friends was rushing one line to close it, and the rest had zero or one marks and thus almost no points. This way he had a big enough lead to win the game.

When you are out of scorecards, you can buy new ones.
Or if you want a new challenge, you can buy scorecards where the numbers or the colors are mixed up. I have played those once and they are more chaotic, especially the one with the the mixed colors. When you are used to the logical number series, this is “harder” because you have to pay more attention, but it also gives a nice twist to the game.
There is another scorecard where you can score more points than in a basic game, but I haven’t tried this one yet.


When you're playing this game a lot and you have to buy a lot of scorecards, there is the option of buying “Qwixx Deluxe”. The scorecards are cleanable (markers included) and there is a softpad in the box to throw the dice at. But it’s only for 4 people (and not 5 for basic Qwixx), and just the basic scorecards.

I’m happy with Qwixx, because I can play it with my friends who aren’t hardcore gamers.

Dave


Previous reviews:

Card games:
The Game