License to Krill (2024)
Published by: Maka Games
Players: 2-5
Age: 9+
Play Time: 15-45 minutes
Overview:
What do get when you mix family weight set collecting, card drafting, and hot potato? In this case, you get License to Krill! In License to Krill players work to draft the optimal card to score the most points, while trying to avoid having their cards eaten by the whale plushie.
Main Mechanics:
Card Drafting
Set Collection
Hot Potato
Components Review:
License to Krill is a card game, so the components are very straight forward. There are cards, a rulebook, and a game box. Let's cut to the chase here, I'm fine with the quality of the paper components. The cards are fine, and honestly, probably the correct quality necessary for being stuffed in a plushie; If they were significantly better, I'd feel bad about it! The rule book is a simple leaflet, easy to read and understand. I'd actually like to see a card-like leaflet that could stack on the deck. The main event of the game components is the box. The whale plushie functions both as a game component and as the box, and it executes it perfectly. Some games that use the box, it seems to be overworked. License to Krill introduces a known mechanic in a novel way, that adds to the theme and the overall enjoyment for me. The whale plushie is great. I miss seeing it on my shelf! (I needed to share the prototype :( Easily the coolest game box I've owned!)
How to play:
Setting up and learning License to Krill is very straight forward, so I'll be barebones here, as the rule book is very short if there are additional questions.
To set up:
Deal each player 2 cards face up in front of them.
Create the river, 5 orange backed cards on top of whale actions (whale actions consist of 5 cards with a very clear spot for a card to be stacked on them)
Create draw piles for draw (orange back), discard, and whale cards (whale tail back)
Place the whale in front of the first player, determined by whoever has most recently eaten sushi (or randomly, but theme is always more fun!)
On your turn:
Draw a card from the river
Draw any of the 5 face up cards. Cards will have a point value and some a modifying action. All of them have fun flavor text!
Place the card face up in front of you and resolve any modifier.
Resolve Whale Movement - resolve the whale action corresponding to the spot your card was taken from the river
End your turn by drawing and resolving a whale card (whale tail backed)
Gameplay Review:
As already stated, License to Krill gameplay is very straight forward. You draft a card, resolve your card, resolve the whale and move on. But this is where License to Krill shines. It is easy enough to wrap your head around, that you can simply sit back and enjoy playing. In my playthroughs there was light player interaction. Being an adult, I might have wanted more, but being a dad, it's a great amount to introduce young gamers about drafting and set collection.
Final Thoughts:
I like License to Krill. It knows what it aims to be and executes it well. It's a light, family weight game that plays quick. It works well as a gateway, but is also fun enough to appreciate as is. I look forward to playing this with my kids once the Kickstarter fulfills.
Leave a comment with any questions you still have!
Learn more about License to Krill at krillgame.com
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