Review of Splitter - Kulkmann's Gamebox (www.boardgame.de)

Splitter

Author:
Stefan Nikolic

Publisher:
Nürnberger Spielkarten Verlag (NSV)
2021

No. of Players:
1-12

EVALUATION

G@mebox author Ralf Togler writes about the game:

The games from NÜRNBERGER Spielkarten VERLAG are often something very special. Always small, sometimes with cards, sometimes with dice and usually something to think about. We already have seen titles like The Mind and The Game, the latter even won the award SPIEL DES JAHRES some years ago. The games are always great to take along to friends or on a journey, and they are also great gifts.

Splitter is such a new game that comes with two dice, two different score sheet blocks and four small pencils. At set-up, all of the players are equipped with a score sheet (of the same type) and a pencil. After that the players can immediately start to play. And this is quite easy too: one player rolls the dice, and all players write down the two numbers on free spaces on their score sheet. There is only one requirement: both numbers must be symmetrical to the centerline of the block. So, if you write the first number - let’s say a 1- in the second row, two spaces left from the centerline, you must write the second number - e.g. a 5 - in the second row, two spaces right from the centerline .

After all players have finished, the next player rolls the dice, and again all players write the rolled numbers on free spaces on their score sheet with respect to the rule above. This goes on until there is no free space left the players’ score sheet.

Then it’s time to score. And this goes like this: a 1 counts as 1 VP, but only if it’s a single 1, meaning that there are no other 1 next to it (with the exception of the diagonal). Two adjacent 2 count as 2 VP, but only if there are no other 2 next to one of the two numbers. Three 3 count as 3 VP, but only if there are no other 3 next to one of these numbers. I think you got it, don’t you? Ok, one more explanation: six 6 count as 6 VP, but only if there are no other 6 next to one of these numbers.

Click on image to enlarge!

If one of the numbers of a correct group is written on a space with a star, this group counts double. Obviously this is better for a group of 6 than for a single 1. The advanced score sheet block has also three heart spaces, and if you are able to write down the same number on all of these heart spaces, you will score 5 extra points.

Basically a simple game, but the devil is in detail. You will often be confronted with a situation in which you can expand your options on the one side of the score sheet, while on the same you would destroy a scoring group on the other side. This is the result of the symmetrical centerline. In an early state of the game, you can still write down the numbers on a position far away, but can you really expect two complete two group of sixes in just one game?

At the moment, we like Splitter as a fast and entertaining family game. My youngest son also loves to play solo, reaching new High scores every second day. The game plays fast and is always challenging enough to start another game after our first play. Maybe it does not quite have the innovation level as The Game or The Mind, but it is a good roll and write game! Well done, NSV, once again….




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