In a box, which could be half the size, we find 100 cards and an instruction. The deck consists of dogs belonging to nine breeds and who know ten different tricks. For example, cards 0-9 are huskies, and cards 50-59 are German shepherds. On the other hand, a pet with a six (6, 16, 26 …) is loving, and with a four – clever. There are tricks associated with numbers, i.e. special abilities that are activated when the card is played. In addition, each race has its own unique ability, but we will use it only at the end of the game.
The last ten (90-99) are cats in disguise. When putting out such a card, we choose which column we want to add it to. From now on, the cat is a representative of this breed. Kittens know other tricks, but they are just as devastating to the lawn as the skills of dogs.
Preparation for the game takes only a minute. The appropriate number of cards should be taken from the deck, depending on how many people sit at the table. Then everyone is dealt three cards in their hand. Place the deck facedown in the center of the table and deal it next to it face up cards equal to the number of players +1 (e.g. four in a three-player game).
Everyone chooses one dog from their hand and, when they are ready, show it to the others at the same time. Then, starting with the person with the highest number, each player takes his turn – he places a card in front of him, uses a trick, and draws one of the face-up cards in the center of the table. The last player, with the lowest number, after selecting his new dog, takes the remaining card from the general pool and adds it to his garden, but does not activate the trick.
If we add a breed that is already in front of us, we cover the previous card so that we can see how many dogs from a given group we already have. The strength of a breed usually lies in the number of its representatives, so the more pets, the better tricks and bonuses at the end of the game.
And what our furries can do? Most often, play with bones, specifically burying, moving and turning. This is the source of our points, after all, so sacrifice a flower bed or two to give them an opportunity to gather supplies. When we have to bury the bone, we take a card from the pile facedown and place it under the first dog of the indicated race. On each side of the reverse there is a number that marks our final points (1, 2, 5 and 10). If the trick is to turn the dice, always do it clockwise.
When there are not enough cards in the deck to get the right number in the middle of the table, play the last round and activate race skills. They mainly consist in increasing the value of previously buried bones. After scoring the points, the winner is determined, i.e. the person with the most open garden.
Is The Best Dog Game the Best Dog Game? I certainly did not play all of them, but among the titles in which they are the main characters and I had the pleasure to get acquainted with them, I think so. It is not an outstanding game, rather a correct one, and I will not refuse the game, but I will not insist on it myself.
Certainly, after a few games, it gains the title. For the first game, we don’t know yet what the tricks and bonuses are, so it’s hard to predict what might be more useful. This changes as we get to know the waist better. However, this is when a lot of randomness comes into play because we never know what will come up among the cards for the taking. You have to deal with what we manage to take on hand and find the golden mean between the diversity of the herd and the number of dogs of a given breed. We must also be prepared for the fact that we will not be able to collect the specific cards we were counting on. It’s a good idea to have Plan B or Plan C in stock, so that you don’t end up with a completely random set of pets.
Visually, I like the game, although it has specific graphics. They do not reflect the realistic appearance of animals, but they are cute, cheerful, and their authors clearly focus on Japanese motifs.
I also had a problem with ending the game quickly. When my plans reached another five moves, it turned out that the deck was out and I only had to choose one last trick. Of course, you can freely change the number of cards that come into play and thus extend the game. It doesn’t matter if you have a smaller or larger deck – you still have to think about a limited number of rounds and adjust your tactics to it.
Best Dog Game is a decent card game for kids, novice players, and those looking for a light, simple title. It does not mechanically stand out from other representatives of its category, but for dog lovers or Japanese influences it will be just right.
