While I adore video games, I'm equally fond of board and card games. On the Table is a weekly feature of my cBlog that examines some of these analog entertainments. If you have a suggestion for a game to appear in this column or suggestions on how to improve it, please let me know.




I loves me some intimate, one-on-one gameplay, if you know what I mean. Today's game is a tic-tac-toe variant that puts the kibosh on the idea of controlling the spaces that you've claimed.

Notice the 4x4 grid of circles on the board and the lovely wooden pieces. Looks a fair bit like Quarto! doesn't it? And, just as in that game, the object is to finish a row of four pieces, but the similarities end there. Each player is either light or dark. On a turn, a player may take one of their pieces and place it on the board or move one of their already placed pieces to another space.





See how the pieces are all different sizes? That's because they nest. A larger piece, when moved or placed on the board, may cover another one. If you choose to cover an opponent's piece with your own, you now control the space it rests upon. Of course, each player only has three pieces of each size, which means you have to carefully consider what sizes to place where based on where your opponent has placed theirs and how many larger pieces they can afford to move without destroying their strategy.

Gobblet is a very "cat-and-mouse" sort of game. Moving pieces can have drastic consequences for both players, since many moves can be treated as offensive, defensive or both. Also, should you move a piece that covers an opponent's, they regain control of the space. If this at any time would cause them to complete a row of four pieces, they win instantly, so you have to remember what lies under everything you've placed on the board also.





This game is produced by Gigamic, so you can be assured that the components are high quality (though I can't speak from direct experience here; my copy is from the original manufacturer, Blue Orange Games). The board looks good and, since the pieces all nest within each other, it's perfectly suited to keep out on display for quick, pick-up rounds. The concepts are simple enough to learn that just about anyone can play, though it can be somewhat frustrating for a beginning player when placed up against someone more experienced for their first few rounds.

It's a much deeper game than Quarto!, as you can plainly see, and it's for this reason that Gobblet doesn't receive nearly as much use in my household. Typically, when I'm playing a game of this sort, I like to keep things a bit more on the casual side. Still, if you're looking for an intense, abstract strategy game that be set up and played in no time flat that will still challenge a deep thinker, it's an excellent choice.



MOAR ON THE TABLE