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Description
The abstract game of Qwirkle consists of 108 wooden blocks with six different shapes in six different colors. There is no board, players simply use an available flat surface.
Players begin the game with six blocks. The start player places blocks of a single matching attribute (color or shape but not both) on the table. Thereafter, a player adds blocks adjacent to at least one previously played block. The blocks must all be played in a line and match, without duplicates, either the color or shape of the previous block.
Players score one point for each block played plus all blocks adjacent. It is possible for a block to score in more than one direction. If a player completes a line containing all six shapes or colors, an additional six points are scored. The player then refills his hand to six blocks.
The game ends when the draw bag is depleted and one player plays all of his remaining blocks, earning a six point bonus. The player with the high score wins.
Year Published
2006
Featured Videos
Review
Twinkle Twinkle
Playthrough
Quirkle - 3 Player Live Stream
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 7
This page: 7
Sentiment:
pos 7 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–7 of 7
Video dG5zP-81ua0
Unknown game_review at 0:03 sentiment: positive
video_pk 61413 · mention_pk 154087
Click to watch at 0:03 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Engaging spatial-puzzle core with meaningful planning and layout decisions
- Flexible scoring with both regular and advanced options enhances variety
- Solid solo mode plus up to four players; good for families and groups
- Expansion content adds fresh tiles and scoring methods for longer-term replayability
- Nice physical components (clear icons and acrylic upgrades) and intuitive setup
Cons
- Some element of randomness from tile draws can affect outcomes
- Requires upfront agreement on which scoring conditions to use, which can complicate first plays
- Expansions may require additional purchases to access full variety
- As with many Kickstarter-era games, occasional production or shipping considerations can arise (not a core gameplay issue)
Thematic elements
- astronomy, constellations, space
- space-themed drafting on constellation grids
- abstract spatial-puzzle
Comparison games
- King Domino
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Compound Scoring — Each scoring condition has a regular side and an advanced side; players can agree which set to use, adding variability and replayability.
- drafting — Players draft tiles from a central draw pile; the tile chosen determines the player’s next turn order and influences future choices.
- End-game scoring board — Scores are tracked on a notched, dry-erase scoreboard; players tally points at the end of the game.
- expansion variability — Official expansions introduce new scoring options and tiles (moons, galaxies, nebulae, rockets, etc.) to extend play variety.
- tile placement — Tiles are placed on an individual grid with freedom; there are no adjacency rules, allowing strategic clustering or dispersal to optimize scoring.
- Tile placement on a personal grid — Tiles are placed on an individual grid with freedom; there are no adjacency rules, allowing strategic clustering or dispersal to optimize scoring.
- Turn Order: Draft — Draft choice not only takes a tile but also shifts turn order for the next round, creating a strategic risk-reward loop.
- Turn-order impact via drafting — Draft choice not only takes a tile but also shifts turn order for the next round, creating a strategic risk-reward loop.
- Variable scoring conditions — Each scoring condition has a regular side and an advanced side; players can agree which set to use, adding variability and replayability.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The variability is endless
- I love the decision space
- It is such a fun game
- One to four players
- The board notches and is dry erase
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video XhcB2fYX0Mk
The Dice Tower top_10_list at 12:29 sentiment: positive
video_pk 39881 · mention_pk 120529
Click to watch at 12:29 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Beautiful components and artwork
- High replayability with diverse scoring options
- Accessible, especially for families
Cons
- Drafting focus may feel light to some players
Thematic elements
- space-themed constellations and scoring variety
- Drafting acrylic tiles to create constellation patterns above a child’s bed.
- family-friendly, decorative
Comparison games
- King Domino (drafting aspect)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- drafting — Players draft tiles to determine future turn order and scoring options.
- set collection / scoring options — Tiles score differently; many scoring paths create varied experiences per game.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Flip Tunes is a game that I thought looked really cool.
- For a 20-minute game, there's a lot packed into it, which I really appreciate.
- There's so much clever card play in here.
- Iliad is such a good two-player only game.
- Toy Battle is so, so good.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Cpr4gb2nrfg
Lost in the Shuffle general_discussion at 4:16 sentiment: positive
video_pk 35165 · mention_pk 104984
Click to watch at 4:16 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Beautiful components and theme
- Accessible entry point for families
Cons
- Rule clarity can be nuanced for new players
Thematic elements
- Star-chart scoring and celestial observation
- Night sky exploration with astronomic imagery
- Abstract, light narrative overlay with visual storytelling
Comparison games
- Andromeda
- Waddle
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- tile placement — Transparent tiles create star charts and connect constellations
- tile placement / set collection — Transparent tiles create star charts and connect constellations
- Turn Order: Variable — Strategic control of action order to maximize scoring opportunities
- turn-order manipulation — Strategic control of action order to maximize scoring opportunities
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I walked away from that game night saying I want more of whatever this is
- the writing in this game is the best writing I have ever seen in a board game
- it's my first time playing it and we've set the scene and there's like candles to make it spooky
- Choose Your Own Adventure flare
- the wonderful mysterious and sometimes wacky universe that we call home
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video E4oa6GBw_9A
Board Game Wales top_10_list at 9:20 sentiment: positive
video_pk 8305 · mention_pk 24428
Click to watch at 9:20 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- simple entry point to tile-laying concepts
- high accessibility and quick play
Cons
- low player interaction beyond competition for lines
Thematic elements
- color/shapes symmetry
- abstract tile matching
- abstract puzzle
Comparison games
- Quarrel
- Scrabble
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- set_collection — score for completing lines and sets
- tile_laying — place tiles to form lines of matching shapes or colors
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I like building the machine which is all done instantly grabbing tiles racing the other players to build your spaceship better than theirs
- number ten on the list is real time tile laying games
- tessellation is the absolute epitome of the tile laying
- patchwork is beautiful and accessible and plays in a short duration
- it's a brilliant game in all its forms
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 8f04MkV51tM
Might I Suggest a Game top_10_list at 0:50 sentiment: positive
video_pk 6708 · mention_pk 19933
Click to watch at 0:50 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Super easy to play
- Similar to Scrabble
- Doesn't take a lot of time
- Can be played at your own pace
- Small and compact
- Easy to travel with
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Word-based puzzle
Comparison games
- Scrabble
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Word building — Similar to Scrabble, players build words
- Word games — Word-based gameplay mechanics
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I play Qwirkle every morning - it's a perfect way to start my day
- The art is just beautiful and I'm really proud to own and show off to people when they come over
- The game is whatever you create it to be
- This game blew my mind
- It feels like you can do anything and because of that I was just blown away
- You can play a hundred different ways and you could probably still win
- This is not gonna get old - we may not play it a ton but when we do play it it's always a blast
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video nXpIUUkzufo
Unknown Channel playthrough at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 6638 · mention_pk 19732
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Rules are simple to learn, but the strategic depth grows with play
- High player interaction through blocking, planning, and tile choice
- Satisfying scoring system with a clear sense of reward (line points + six-tile bonus)
Cons
- Learning curve for new players around line rules and 6-tile bonus details
- Length and pacing can vary with the number of players and tile draws
- Requires table space for the grid and tile pool, which can be awkward in very small setups
Thematic elements
- pattern recognition, spatial planning, and tile matching
- abstract, grid-based tiling with color and shape attributes
- non-narrative abstract strategy
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- draw_and_refill — After placing, players draw from a bag to bring their hand back up to six tiles.
- line_constraints — A line must be all the same color or all the same shape; mixed attributes within a single line are not allowed.
- multi_line_scoring — A move can score points for more than one line if the placed tiles contribute to multiple lines.
- scoring — Score equals the number of tiles in every line you complete or extend; bonuses apply for completing a line of six.
- tile_placement — Players place tiles to form lines that share a color or a shape, extending the grid.
- tile_trading — Players may trade in some of their tiles for new ones drawn from the bag.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- you score one point for each tile in the line
- the line is either all one shape or all of one color
- you score six points for completing a line of six tiles
- the six tiles must either be all the same color or all the different shapes
- there's a six point bonus when you complete a line of six
- you draw tiles from the bag to replenish your hand
- you can trade in some of your tiles instead of that into the grid
- lines must connect to the grid and form a continuous row or block
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video SY172E5a3oI
Dice Tower top_10_list at 11:08 sentiment: positive
video_pk 2812 · mention_pk 8217
Click to watch at 11:08 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- great family game
- easy to teach
Cons
- can be repetitive over many plays
Thematic elements
- colorful, family-friendly abstract strategy
- abstract color/shape matching
- abstract
Comparison games
- Dominion family variants
- Tile-laying abstract games
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- set collection and pattern completion — players create rows of tiles that share color or shape patterns
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is not necessarily a list of games that suck and just we keep them around because we have connections to them.
- opening to the rabbit hole.
- Jaws is a better game than your game, dude.
- Bang was our thing. Bang was the party game that our family played.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–7 of 7