This weekly column stops at nothing to satisfy its readers and dares to present five titles that, by virtue of their theme, material and illustrations, give twinks a place of honor.
As always, I tested the games listed below before recommending them to you. They are often easy to find in French in several specialty stores in Quebec.
MLEM: Space Agency
- 2 to 5 players | 8 years and older | Beginner-Intermediate
- 30 to 60 minutes | $45
I admit that the cat-astronaut theme and even the box art of MLEM: Space Agency left me skeptical at best and cold at worst. I quickly changed my mind when I discovered a fast, stimulating and fun dynamic in this Stop or Still game.
Each round you take one of your cat tokens onto a rocket that flies into the cosmos. By rolling the dice repeatedly, you try to make the dice travel as far as possible: to moons, to planets shaped like balls of yarn, etc. Will you be brave and aim for infinity, or be careful before you crash?
It gave me childlike joy to try my luck at rolling dice to catapult my intrepid cats onto a long space carpet. If you like cats or games like The Charlatans of Belcastel, you might like this title of the same name. MLEM is my first favorite of 2024!
By the way, the word “mlem” comes from the Internet and means “the sound made by an animal sticking out its tongue to lick something”…
••••
Cat in the box
- 2 to 5 players | 10 years and older | Intermediate
- 20 to 40 minutes | $40 (for the French version)
Cat in the Box takes the fun of trick or trick games (like Bridge and Joffre) to the next level. Through a scientific theme inspired by the Schrödinger's Cat thought experiment, we play with uncertainty in surprising ways.
In fact, no card has a defined color; they are all black. You decide the color when you place it on the table. So everyone plays their turn without knowing exactly what they have in their hand. A new and fascinating concept that will fascinate map lovers!
••••
calico
- 1 to 4 players | 10 years and older | Intermediate
- 30 to 45 minutes | $55 (for the French version)
The excellent Calico invites players to embroider the most beautiful and inviting quilt of hexagonal tiles in various colors and patterns. The goal is to attract as many cats as possible to lounge around. Adorable, right?
In reality, this game is a massive puzzle that will – perhaps – tax your neurons! To maximize your points, you must assemble your randomly drawn tiles very precisely.
We love the seductive simplicity of Calico, whose decisions become increasingly painful as the game progresses. When our plan works, we feel like the most brilliant creature in the universe! Sophisticated but charming, with others or alone!
••••
Cat Island: Explore and Draw
- 1 to 6 players | 8 years and older | Intermediate
- 30 to 45 minutes | $50 (for the French version)
If you liked the game Island of Cats (see below), you will surely also love its little brother Island of Cats: Explore & Draw. This latest version forgoes the cute cat-like polyominoes (pieces that fit together like parts of Tetris) of the original game and instead makes do with markers on a boat board. The fun of this puzzle is not lost, quite the opposite!
This makes Explore & Draw less cumbersome, less intimidating and less expensive than its more extensive predecessor, but offers much the same enjoyment. On the topic: Who wouldn't want to use their boat to rescue shipwrecked cats on an island? An excellent game that I recommend!
••••
The Island of Cats
- 1 to 4 players | 8 years and older | Intermediate
- 60 to 90 minutes | $90 (for the French version)
If the Island of Cats is to be believed, there is an island somewhere populated by cats that are in danger of extinction. Your mission is to rescue these cats on board your boat. Of course, space is limited, but luckily these cats are capable of remarkable contortions!
We take great joy in imagining the thousand ways we can put our pieces together to find the optimal solution before time runs out. For a rich and addictive game, prefer this version. To try it out or pay less, choose the Explore & Draw version (see above).
••••
What is this “board games” section?
As I am passionate about board games, I will immerse myself in the gaming world with you, keeping in mind the perspective of the consumer who, like me, discovers and explores this pastime.
I test table, board, dice and card games for you in order to provide you with my recommendations and first impressions in the form of thematic rankings, suggestions for new products, meetings with creators, etc. And this by always giving a good place to the games offered in French stores in Quebec.
Every week visit the website lesoleil.com/vivre/passe-temps/jeux-de-societe and consult the Vivre section of the Soleil application.
••••
Note: Copies of some of these games were provided to us free of charge for testing by Asmodee Canada, ÎLO and Randolph, who were not granted or exercised any right to review the contents of this journalistic article.