- Designer: Devir
- Players: 2-4
- Playtime: 30 minutes
- Ages: 8+
Castle Party by Devir is designed for 2-4 players, ages 8+ and plays in about 30 minutes. In this flip and write game, players will place monsters inside their castles for an unforgettable party! The guest list includes various spooky friends, including skeletons, witches, and vampires. Even unicorns are invited to the bash! Frankenstein’s family is attending, and it is your job to make every last ghoul and ghost feel as comfortable as possible!
What’s in the Box?
- 4 Dry Erase Markers
- 50 Monster Cards
- 5 Monster King/Queen Cards
- 5 Unicorn Cards
- 20 Shape Cards
- 3 Clock Cards
- 4 Dry Erase Castle Boards. (These are double sided, which allows for 2 different levels of play.)
- Rule Book
Setup
Each player will take a Castle Board and Dry Erase Marker. Players will then decide which side of the board they are playing on. Monster Cards and Unicorn Cards are shuffled together, before three are dealt to each player. The remaining cards are kept face down in the center of the table. Shape cards are shuffled and spilt into 4 piles. A clock card is placed on top of three of the piles, and a single deck is formed by placing the piles together. The pile without the clock on top will become the top of the deck. This deck is also kept face down on the table. Keep in mind which side of the table you are sitting on, because this affects the orientation of the cards during the game. You are now ready to play Castle Party!
Gameplay
Castle Party starts with the player who most recently attended a party. In our case, we were all at the same party so we chose a random starting player. A player starts their turn by turning over the top shape card of the deck. Then, the player will place the card on the table in view of each other player. Players will work together to match the shape with a group of guests. The active player will decide which direction to orient the card, based on their Monster Card interests and place one of their Monster Cards lined up with the X on the Shape Card. In clockwise order, each player places one of their Monster Cards in turn, using the Shape Card as a guide. This continues until the players have reproduced their shape. Players replenish their hand each time they place a Monster Card.
After a shape is complete, Special Actions may take place. If there are no Special Actions, the group of monsters is added to the players’ castles. There is a grid inside the rule book showing which symbols the players should draw for each monster. If needed, part of a monster group may be drawn outside the castle walls into the moat, or upon the drawbridge. Drawing monsters in either location will effect scoring at the end of the game. After all players draw their symbols, the Monster Cards are removed and play moves to the next player. On a player’s Castle Board there are spots for three Special Actions. These actions may be used by each player once per game and include: Lights Out, Masked Ball, and Change in Orientation. Lights out allows a player to rearrange the monsters position in the shape. Masked Ball allows a player to draw one of the monsters in a group as a different type. Change in Orientation allows a player to change the shape before anyone draws it.
Play continues in this manner, with drawing Shape Card, playing Monster Cards, and drawing groups of monsters into the Castle Board, until the last clock appears.
Objective
The objective of Castle Party is to earn the most points before the third clock appears. Points are earned through the various groups of monsters, by the number of unicorns at the party, and with Special Actions. By contrast, points are subtracted for every monster left outside of the castle. Monsters drawn on the drawbridge do not score any points. There are additional rules and means to earn points if you choose to play the Rave version of Castle Party.
Final Thoughts
Castle Party is a hoot! Admittedly, it took some time for me to get a handle on the rules. However, once I had an understanding of the game, each turn played smoothly. This is a great game for smaller groups! It comes in a travel sized box and easily fits into a purse or backpack. I have put Castle Party on my list of games to bring to a brewpub.
The monsters may be cute, but don’t let them fool you. There is a lot of strategy packed away in this little box! I also enjoyed that Castle Party has a spooky theme but doesn’t inherently feel like a Halloween game.
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