How To Play Calico Board Game - Investment Policy

Playing a tabletop game, or any board game for that matter, can bring a lot of fun to our leisure time, even though it can get messy and a bit mind-boggling pretty quickly. The Calico board game is a case in point. Like its many tabletop counterparts, Calico comes with a list of rules that may leave you scratching your head. Thankfully, the setup is fairly straightforward, and the game is still a decent candidate for the list of top simple board games.

Like many fellow tabletop players, I dislike wordy rule books, and if I have to read through ten or more pages of rules, and I mean just rules alone, my brain will certainly want to pack up, turn the lights off, and shut the door. Many tabletop game novices and veterans alike might agree that sometimes it’s a lot more fun to just dive into the game and get the hang of it as you go, using the rules as just a list of suggestions and corrections. Monopoly, even this recent hybrid of Monopoly and Scrabble board games, makes for a good example.

With a little show and tell, let’s begin learning how to play Calico – arguably, the cutest cat-themed board game out there. This is something that even the fans of weird themes in the world of board games can appreciate.

Taking A Peek At The Rules

Although many players jump right into playing a board game without reading the rules first, it may be a good idea to take a moment to skim through the rules first. This is mainly because Calico’s game rules are a bit trickier than one would expect. There’s definitely more to those cute kitty faces and their colorful quilts than meets the eye.

For the most part, the rules are simple enough. Calico players complete their quilt while trying to create pattern and color combinations in relation to the design goal tiles on the board and cat tile requirements.

If you’re unsure if your quilt meets a specific requirement, it’s perfectly fine to still be uncertain about it. There is a helpful section in the Calico rule book that can clarify any confusion you may have regarding the game. So, don’t hesitate to consult it if needed.

Setting Up The Cats, Tokens, And Quilt Tiles

Setting up Calico is fairly simple, especially if you’re playing solo. If you’re new to the game, it’s ideal to use the game’s beginner setup and give yourself some time and space to develop a feel for the game first.

Design Goal Tiles

After randomly selecting three design goal tiles, place them in the designated spot on your board.

How you sew the quilt will determine a few things by the end of the game. One is how many points the player scores from a design goal tile. Each design goal tile has specific requirements that will need to be met in order to gain the points from it.

Each tile has a specific color and pattern requirement.

A Cat Style Strategy

Gameplay is where things get a bit tricky in Calico. With only 108 patch tiles, the purpose of the game is to fill the entire board with quilt tiles while also getting enough color tokens and cat tokens as well as meeting design goal tile requirements.

To gain a cat token, you must meet a certain number of patterns or a preferred pattern grouping as designated by the cat tile. Color tokens require groupings of three of the same colors that have to touch each other within the grouping. Nevertheless, when it comes to groupings themselves, they should not touch each other.

Some players may question at this juncture, “Why is it so challenging?” since Calico is not a multi-session board game that resembles video games in its level of intricacy.

Well, as you play with your friends, you’ll have a lot fewer chances of getting the tiles you need, and this can make it harder to achieve the requirements for buttons, cats, and design goal tiles. As a result, you score fewer points unless you are the most strategic player when it comes to your quilt tile placements.

Depending on the number of participants, the specific rules and structure of the game can change. While this doesn’t automatically make it a top board game, it does add an extra layer of intrigue to what would otherwise be a simple and relaxing game.

Steps To Take When Playing Solo Or With Friends

Pick a single tile out of the tiles you have and set it on your quilt board. As you do so, be mindful of the cat requirements, button requirements, and design goal tile requirements to help guide your decision about where to place it.

Step 2: Once you’ve made up your mind about the position of the tile from step one, feel free to pick a new tile from the market and add it to your collection.

Step 3: Take a tile from the bag and add it to the market.

Step 4: Next, the player repeats steps one through three.

Step 5: Repeat steps one through four until your quilt, if you are playing solo, is full. If you are playing in the company of your friends, the game ends when everyone’s quilt mat is full.

Step 6: Take note of groupings and place the color button and cat tokens accordingly. Keep in mind that if you have one of each color on the board, you can place a rainbow token anywhere on the board where there’s enough space.

Step 7: Add up all of the points starting with design goal tiles, then cat tokens, and finally button tokens. Whoever has the most points is the winner of the game and gets the Master Quilter award.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I play Calico before buying?

The Calico board game has a playable version on mobile platforms via a downloadable app and as a browser version via Tabletopia and GitHub. This means you can quilt with cats anywhere, anytime, and with anyone. Although, playability may vary as well as adherence to the game’s rules. This is why the physical version of Calico is the best option for playability.

How much time does it take to play?

Players can expect at least 30 to 45 minutes of game time per round. If you factor in the time required for the setup, the game may take longer.

Do I have to get the physical version of Calico?

Understandably, not everyone wants to purchase a board game just to find out if it’s something they can truly enjoy playing. Thankfully, many tabletop game makers are getting with the times and adding the option of a free trial version of a kind online. Calico is one board game that does just that.

2025-03-16 01:19