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Review: Piraten Kapern

Do you like dice games? And the adventures of pirates? Do you think you know when to push your luck and when to pass? If you answered “yes” to at least 2 of the questions above or if you would be interested in a fun and fast game of dice, Piraten Kapern is an excellent choice. Its dice are unique, its mechanics cool and ho ho ho, it will take you in hostile waters, searching for treasure and fighting other pirates in the most entertaining way. Let’s break it down in our review!

General game information

Piraten Kapern is the German name of the game published by AMIGO Spiel, as it has not yet had a wider release in English-speaking countries. It has been designed by Haim Shafir, the well-known Israeli board game designer and was originally introduced under the name “Otsarot or Tsarot“by Shafir Games in Hebrew and English.

The game contains a pirate card game along with 8 dice. During setup, the pirate cards are shuffled and placed in the center of the table in a face-down pile. Each turn, the active player draws a card from the pile of pirate cards, reveals it, and places it in front of him. Then he begins to roll the dice, taking into account the card he has drawn. The dice are not the ordinary ones, with sides numbered from 1 to 6, but they represent swords, coins, diamonds, parrots, monkeys and skulls. The object of the game is to accumulate as many points as possible by rolling sets of as many identical objects as possible. On the first roll, all the dice must be rolled. After that, the player decides how many dice to keep and how many to roll again trying to improve his score. Later, you can reroll the dice you saved from previous rolls. A player can roll all the dice as many times as he wants, trying to make the best combinations, but here comes the catch: every time a skull is rolled, that die is set aside and cannot be rolled again. If a player cumulatively rolls 3 skulls, then his turn is over and he does not score points for the round. This means that a player must strike a balance between his desire to score more and the threat to score nothing. Also, in each repetition, at least 2 dice must be used.

After the active player chooses to end his turn (or is forced to do so, having rolled 3 skulls), his points are recorded on the special score booklet provided by the game, his card is discarded, and play continues with the game. next player. On the left. When one player reaches 8,000 points, all other players are entitled to one more turn to try to get a higher score.

There is a special case that allows players to hurt their opponents, by reducing their score and that is achieved by having rolled at least 4 skulls on the first roll. In that case, the active player goes to Skull Island. He keeps the skull dice that he rolled aside and re-rolls all other dice. Your goal now is to roll as many skulls as you can. You can continue to roll again, but you must roll at least one skull on each roll to continue; otherwise, your turn ends. On this turn, the active player scores no points, but all other players deduct 100 points from their score for each skull thrown.

Now let’s see how the different pirate cards influence the game:

  • Treasure chest. It allows you to protect your treasures. After each roll, you can place this card or remove any number of dice. Even if you run out of luck and roll 3 skulls, you will score for the dice stored in the treasure chest.
  • The sorceress allows you to recast a skull once during your turn.
  • Dirty game! All the monkeys and parrots you make this turn are grouped together and considered a single item. For example, if you take 3 parrots and 2 monkeys, you are considered to have “five of a kind.”
  • Captain. Your score is doubled for this turn. If you go to Island of the Dead, opponents lose double points (200 points) for each skull.
  • Skulls. You start your turn with the number of skulls shown on the card. This counts towards the 3 skull limit for disqualification.
  • Naval battle. You are involved in a naval battle. Your objective this turn is to throw the number of swords shown on the card to win the battle. If you are successful, you will earn the bonus points shown at the bottom of the card in addition to your normal score. Otherwise, you lose the battle, your dice are ignored, and you must deduct the indicated bonus points from your score.
  • Diamonds. You start your turn with 1 diamond. It counts both for its face value and for a set.
  • Corners. You start your turn with 1 coin. It counts both for its face value and for a set.

Components

The main components of the game are dice and cards. All are beautifully designed, with bright colors and attention to detail. The cards are made of thick paper, however it is recommended to put them in sleeves because the cards are shuffled at the beginning of each game. The dice are of high quality and have the different symbols engraved on them. The scoring booklet provides an easy way to record scores, while the scorecard is an important aid in remembering how points are scored. That leaves nothing to be desired, when it comes to components. 9/10

How to play

Piraten Kapern is a fast dice game that will provide entertainment for all ages and all types of players. The game could be compared to Yahtzee, the classic dice game, but the only real comparison comes from the fact that in both games, players try to roll the best dice combinations. Piraten Kapern extends this basic idea and enriches it with the random element of pirate cards that help you increase your score or make things more difficult for you or even hurt your opponents. Unlike other dice games, the outcome of each turn will not be completely governed by luck. Players will have some control of their destiny (their score) through the most interesting mechanic in the game that poses a real challenge: the presence of skulls on the dice. Sometimes your turn will be practically ruined if you get 2 or 3 skulls on the first roll. Getting 4 or more is of course excellent because you are going to Skull Island. However, the most common situation is that you will get good rolls with 1-2 skulls and there is the big challenge. When you have 2 skulls and a decent score, will you be greedy and ask for more or can you hold back and vote for safety? The line between a ridiculously high score and a total failure is really thin! Mastering this mechanic – that is, knowing when to stop rolling the dice – will take time, but it will also make you want to play this game more and more. Although Piraten Kapern is very simple, the designer has managed to include some player interaction in it through the Skull Island feature, giving you a chance to turn your bad luck against your opponents and lower their scores. This effort should always be considered and encouraged. 7/10

Learning curve

The rules of the game are very easy and efficiently explained in the 2 page rules booklet. Explaining them to a new player takes no more than 5 minutes. 9/10

Theme

The pirate theme is a perfect match for this game. It’s easy to imagine yourself being a pirate and playing this game on a hot and quiet night while waiting for your next big adventure at sea. The card illustrations and cute engraved dice go a long way in creating the right atmosphere. A great achievement for such a simple game. 8/10

Replayability

With simple rules and zero prep time, Piraten Kapern will often find a place at your gaming table. You can play it with friends, family, players and non-players. Due to its small size, it is an excellent companion for trips or even for a fun day at the beach. Just put it in your bag, bring your best friends, and it is sure to keep you from getting bored at any given moment. A great filler too, between heavier games. It will put your mind in distant places and times and you will have a lot of fun. 8/10

Fun:

Did I mention the word fun? Watching your opponents roll that third skull and go broke for the turn is sure to make you smile. But when they go to Skull Island or it’s your turn to drop the third skull, someone else will have more fun than you. So it seems that throughout the game there will definitely always be someone having fun, which surely serves the purpose of the game. 7/10

Pros:

  • Challenging and original mechanics
  • Suitable for all ages and all types of players.
  • Simple rules
  • Short duration
  • Compact size, can be taken anywhere

Cons:

  • Luck plays an important role in the game. If you want to be in full control, this game is probably not for you.

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