Spectrangle: strategy at its best.

This game caught my attention from the moment I saw it, because of its unique triangular packaging. When I read the basic premise of the game, I was impressed and brought one home to try it out. My fiance agreed to play a round with me, and some intense competition ensued. It was incredibly fun and engaging, even for adults. And at age 8 and up, it’s a great game that kids and parents can enjoy playing together.

Players begin by randomly selecting 4 triangular game pieces (called “trangs”) from the bag. Player 1 sets a trang onto a space on the board, and player 2 must add a trang onto an adjacent space so that 2 matching colors touch. Points are earned on each turn, determined by the point value of the trang itself (they range in value from 1 to 6) multiplied by the number of adjacent sides it touches. So, if you place a trang with a value of “3” onto a space that connects it to 2 other trangs, the total point value for that turn would be 6. Some spaces on the game board include bonus points; if you place a trang on a bonus space, your score for that turn would be the value of the trang, multiplied by the number of sides it touches, multiplied by the number on the bonus space. Play continues until the board is filled, or until none of the players can make another move. The object of the game is to acquire the most points, and scorekeeping is made simple with the peg board that envelops the perimeter of the board.

This game is very strategic, as players try to maximize the number of points they earn per turn while simultaneously trying to minimize the number of points their opponents can earn. This is a great game for kids who are learning basic multiplication, but is certainly challenging enough for adults to enjoy as well, as I discovered last night. It also comes with a plastic carrying case, making it easy to travel with.

Spectrangle is definitely worth a try, especially if you’re a fan of Blokus. Be sure to check out the new Blokus Trigon also– another great strategy game for all ages.

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