Qwirkle is a strategy came and we love playing it!
Long time readers of this blog know our family adores playing games. I thought it was high time I began featuring our favorites on a regular basis. Hence, Game of the Month was born! My first selection is a strategy and logic game with a funny name. (Well, a lot of games have funny names, have you noticed?) (Note: this post contains affiliate links)
(Note: this post contains affiliate links that earn from qualifying purchases.)
What is Qwirkle?
Qwirkle looks a bit like a cross between dominoes and scrabble but the rules are quite different. Players take turns trying to create "qwirkles," sequences of six tiles all sharing at least one attribute. You win points along the way (we don't always play for points, however) based on the positioning of your tiles.
Qwirkle has won several awards, including Mensa Select, which means you will feel gloriously intelligent should you win, and a bit cut down to size should your 7 year old beat you handily. (Guess how I feel after playing with Kiddo.)
MORE: Our favorite tile games for families
Considerations for Playing:
- Qwirkle gives visual perception and strategic thinking skills a workout!
- Game play can last up to 45 minutes. If this is too long, decide ahead of time on a length of time. I find 20 minutes works well.
- We don't play for points which eliminates a lot of stress.
Tips for Playing with Younger Kids at the Table:
- Qwirkle is recommended for kids ages 6 and up. I agree with that recommendation.
- If you have younger kids, have them sit next to you and sort tiles.
- I like to play in a team with my 4 year old and give him a choice of tiles to play.
- Set a timer so game play doesn't get too long.
If you feel up to it, there is a newer, more complicated version called Qwirkle Cubes.
MORE: Games of Visual Perception
TwoBoysMom says
If you don't play with points, how do you know who wins? Someone gave us this game, and I can't figure the scoring out for the life of me. Being able to play without scoring might make this work for us, lol! Thanks 🙂
Erica MomandKiddo says
Great question! We actually don't have a winner or a loser when we don't play for points. I agree that the scoring can be confusing. We either a) determine how long we are going to play (usually 30 minutes) or b) play until all the tiles are used up.
TwoBoysMom says
Thanks 🙂