QUANTIK – REVIEW

Shape Su-Doku….that’s not Su-Doku at all?! Gigamic are having fun with us in Quantik; the final wooden game in their excellent abstract range!

*2 Player * Strategic * Simple Rules * Wooden Game * Abstract * Logic * Prediction/Anticipation * * Pattern Building * 3D *

Mini-meeple loves Gigamic’s beautiful, tactile, quick playing abstract strategy games. They aren’t technically kids’ games, but they don’t overwhelm him. They have just a handful of pieces that he (and I) always want to touch and hold. Their rules are simple. And they play in under 15 minutes.

And Quantik is a great example. The wooden pieces ask to be picked up and placed on the board. (Seriously….I hear game components talking to me…..don’t you?? ?). But where do you need to place them in order to win?

The answer is simple. You can win Quantik by placing 4 unique shaped pieces in a row. You can also win by placing 4 different shapes in a square or a column on the very same 4 x 4 board. All the pieces are there – nothing is secret or hidden away. But the order in which the pieces are picked and placed are entirely down to you. And your choices mean everything.

Set Up!

Simple. Simple. Simple. Take pieces out of box. Place pieces on table. Choose a colour!

Playtime!

Using a piece of your own colour, you want to place it somewhere you think will force your opponent to place their own pieces where you need them. The line or square has to be formed of unique shapes after all.

The first few shapes going down will be setting out the landscape, but then what’s left becomes critical. And it is so easy to snooker yourself when thinking simultaneously about grids and lines.

Mini-meeple didn’t need any quarterbacking on this one. He knew what he had to do and he went for it. True that his focus was a little too lasered in the first few games – he missed me sneaking up with that critical 4^th unique piece in a different square or column. But he “Doh” face palmed and smiled which is always a sign that he knows what he should have done. His skills are already ramping up and it has been a great one for him to build his confidence in playing abstract strategy games

Pattern recognition and prediction skills are out in force in this wooden beauty. So on the #learningthroughplay and #funlearning front, Quantik is hitting a high note.

Of all the games in the Gigamic Abstract Strategy collection, this one plays the fastest for us. ShadowMeepleMedia beats us both at Quantik. A lot. Mercifully, the pain is short (under 5 minutes) and we get to re-set quicky before the sting has even stopped. We do sometimes miss the fact that a win has been achieved and keep playing on. But that is just us being too wrapped up in our spatial strategies to notice!

Shape Su-Doku!

Quantik feels a bit like a tactile, semi-cooperative but ultimately competitive Su Doku puzzle….except without the numbers…..or the writing……ok, so not like a Su Doku puzzle at all in fact, but you get what I mean….right? ? And as it plays super-fast and is yet another beautiful feast for the eyes as well as the hands, it’s a keeper for the #favouritefoefunlearninglibrary. If you like it, I have heard there is also a mini version which would be ideal for travelling. Either way, if we have 5 minutes to spare, with Quantik it will never be boring again!

If you like the sound of Quantik, check out my reviews of Pylos, Quarto, Squadro, Quixo, and Quoridor as well as my 6 part series on the other titles in the Gigamic Abstract Strategy Collection – click here to go to my feature overview of them all!

Please note that a copy of this game was kindly provided by the publisher for the purposes of this review, but any opinions expressed are my own.