Dog Pile – review of the game “Dog Pile”

Regardless of whether you are a dog or cat enthusiast, Dog Pile (or Cat Stax ) gives you the opportunity to convince yourself of both, while building unusual constructions out of them. Although the rules of the game are not complicated, you need to have a nose and doggy stubbornness, because each subsequent puzzle is more and more demanding.

The genius is in simplicity

Dog Pil e is at first glance an inconspicuous game that does not contain too many elements, which turned out to be a great surprise for me! Holding the box in my hand, I did not expect anything extraordinary, just tightly packed miniature dogs and several dozen cards. Simple instructions and minimalism of execution confirm that the idea is the foundation of the game.

The set includes 48 logic puzzle cards of various difficulty levels. By doing the tasks one by one, we start at the beginner level, then advanced and master level. Each puzzle has a specified number of canine elements that are worth preparing and counting (because one dog too many or too little can extend our intellectual efforts indefinitely). Although the game time is defined as “any”, some will feel in their element quickly, dedicating the technique and strategy to dispose of dog ranks, and for others it will be a challenge for a little longer. Nevertheless, there is no one correct solution here, each puzzle can be solved in many ways (sometimes even with a dog’s itch). The only limitation is the space where the thumbnails must fit.

Of course, the creator of the game doesn’t leave us without a solution. For players who are on the verge of endurance and have no patience, one of the solving options is shown on the back of the card. However, I urge you not to give up quickly. Just discard the existing patterns and try! It is our own creativity, deduction and persistence that make Dog Pile fun and engaging!

A perfectionist’s paradise

The multitude of combinations and various elements make me think of another game – Tetris , in which we also arrange blocks. In Dog Pilewe have a total of twelve dogs, with the help of which we can create various systems. They occupy more or less fields at different deviations and heights. For this reason, each puzzle has a specific number of layers that can be occupied by our dog blocks. In the photos below, we see a variant of one, two and three layers. Sometimes it is best to lay flat, other times individual dogs will be placed vertically – standing, lying, sideways or upside down. Much depends on the board itself, which can not only be larger and smaller, square and rectangular, but also creates original meshes with deviations and gaps. places.

The very description clearly shows that we are dealing with a logic game in which there are 48 puzzles, and the number of their variations is really large. We always have the solution drawn on the back of the card, and I noticed that it only coincided with my arrangement in a few cases. Replayability ranks high because you can solve each puzzle in several ways.

Dog Pile , like Tetris , could function as a computer game, but it is much more satisfying to arrange these small, colorful figures yourself and play with setting them up. Besides, dogs look better than asexual blocks. What’s more, thanks to this version we will play not only alone, but also with a selected number of people. Or even decide for yourself how we use the cards – sequentially, randomly or alternately? We can organize a tournament on time and amount, or treat yourself to a chill dog therapy and arrange small, colorful dogs on designated fields as a de-stress. The creators of the game broadly outlined the target age – from 7 to 99 springs.

Anti-stress therapy

Dog Piles are 48 cards of logic puzzles that force us to go beyond the box. The possible combinations make it hard to settle for just a few turns. You can have fun alone and with two, and the lack of negative interaction allows you to relax.