Do you like dice games? What about pirate adventures? Think you know when to push your luck and when to pass? If you answered “yes” to at least 2 of the questions above or if you are interested in a fun and fast dice game, then Piraten Kapern is a great choice. Its dice are unique, its mechanics fresh and ho ho ho, it will take you in hostile waters, searching for treasures and fighting other pirates in the most entertaining way. Let’s break it down in our review!
Game Overview
Piraten Kapern is the German name of the game published by AMIGO Spiel, as it has yet to see a wider release in English-speaking countries. It has been designed by Haim Shafir, the well-known Israeli board game designer and was originally introduced under the name “Otsarot or Tsarot” by Shafir Games in Hebrew and English.
The game contains a set of pirate cards along with 8 dice. During setup, the pirate cards are shuffled and placed in a face-down pile in the center of the table. Each turn, the active player takes a card from the pirate card pile, reveals it, and places it in front of him. He then begins to roll the dice, taking into consideration the card he drew. The dice are not the normal ones, with faces numbered from 1 to 6, but they represent swords, coins, diamonds, parrots, monkeys and skulls. The object of the game is to collect as many points as possible by rolling sets of as many identical objects as possible. On the first roll, all the dice must be rolled. After that, the player decides how many dice he will keep and how many he will roll again trying to improve his score. Later, you can re-roll the dice you saved from previous rolls. A player can roll all the dice as many times as he wants, trying to make the best combinations, but here comes the problem: every time a skull is rolled, that die is set aside and cannot be rolled again. If a player gets 3 skulls cumulatively, his turn ends and he gets no points for the round. This means that a player must find a balance between his desire to score more and the threat of scoring nothing. Also, in each repetition, at least 2 dice must be used.
After the active player chooses to end his turn (or is forced to, having rolled 3 skulls), his points are recorded on the special score booklet provided by the game, his card is discarded, and play continues with the game. next player. On the left. When a player reaches 8,000 points, all other players are entitled to one more turn to try and reach a higher score.
There is a special case that allows players to deal damage to their opponents, by lowering their score, and this is achieved by getting at least 4 skulls on the first roll. In that case, the active player goes to Skull Island. He keeps the skull dice he rolled aside and re-rolls all the other dice. His goal now is to shoot as many skulls as he can. He can keep rolling, but he must get at least one skull on each roll to continue, otherwise his turn ends. On this turn, the active player gets no points, but all other players deduct 100 points from his score for each skull he got.
Now let’s see how the different pirate cards influence the game:
- Treasure chest. It allows you to protect your treasures. After each roll, you can put on this card or remove any number of dice. Even if you run out of luck and throw 3 skulls, you will still get points for the dice stored in the treasure chest.
- the sorceress allows you to reroll a skull once during your turn.
- Dirty game! All the monkeys and parrots you bring out this turn are grouped together and considered as one item. For example, if you get 3 parrots and 2 monkeys, you are considered to have “five of a kind”.
- Captain. Your score is doubled for this turn. If you go to Island of the Dead, opponents lose double points (200 points) for each skull.
- skulls. You start your turn with the number of skulls shown on the card. This counts towards the 3 skull limit for disqualification.
- Naval battle. You are involved in a sea battle. Your goal this turn is to roll the number of spades shown on the card to win the battle. If you are successful, you get the bonus points shown at the bottom of the card in addition to your normal score. Otherwise, you lose the battle, your dice are ignored, and you must deduct the indicated bonus points from your score.
- diamonds. You start your turn with 1 diamond. It counts both at face value and as a set.
- corners. You start your turn with 1 coin. It counts both at face value and as a set.
Components
The main components of the game are dice and cards. They are all beautifully designed, with bright colors and attention to detail. The cards are made of thick paper; however, sheathing them is recommended since the cards are shuffled at the beginning of each game. The dice are of high quality and have various symbols engraved on them. The score booklet provides an easy way to record scores, while the score card is an important aid in remembering how points are recorded. That leaves nothing to be desired, component-wise. 9/10
how to play
Piraten Kapern is a fast-paced dice game that will provide entertainment for all ages and all types of players. The game could be compared to Yahtzee, the classic dice game, but the only real comparison stems from the fact that in both games, players try to roll the best dice combinations. Piraten Kapern expands on this basic idea and enriches it with the random element of pirate cards that help you increase your score or make things harder for you or even hurt your opponents. Unlike other dice games, the outcome of each turn will not be entirely governed by chance. Players will have some control over their destiny (their score) through the game’s most interesting mechanic that poses a real challenge: the presence of skulls on the dice. Sometimes your turn will be practically ruined if you get 2 or 3 skulls on the first roll. Rolling 4 or more is of course excellent because you’re going to Skull Island. However, the most common situation is that you will get good rolls with 1 or 2 skulls and therein lies the big challenge. With 2 skulls and a decent score, will you get greedy and ask for more or can you hold back and vote for safety? The line between a ridiculously high score and total failure is a very thin one! Mastering this mechanic, i.e. knowing when to stop rolling the dice, will take time, but it will also keep you wanting to play this game more and more. Although Piraten Kapern is very simple, the designer has managed to include some player interaction through the Skull Island feature, which gives you the opportunity to turn your bad luck against your opponents and lower their scores. Such an effort should always be considered more than encouraged. 7/10
Learning curve
The rules of the game are very easy and efficiently explained in the 2-page rules booklet. Explaining them to a new player takes no more than 5 minutes. 9/10
Theme
The pirate theme is a perfect match for this game. It’s easy to imagine yourself being a pirate and playing this game on a hot and quiet night while waiting for your next big adventure at sea. The card illustrations and cute engraved dice go a long way in creating the right atmosphere. A great achievement for such a simple game. 8/10
Replayability
With easy rules and zero setup time, Piraten Kapern will often find a place on your gaming table. You can play it with friends, family, gamers and non-gamers. Due to its small size, it is an excellent companion for trips or even for a fun day at the beach. Just put it in your bag, bring your best friends and it will surely save you from getting bored at any given moment. A great filler too, heavier between games. It will put your mind on distant places and times and you will have a very fun time. 8/10
Fun:
Did I mention the word fun? Watching your opponents roll that third skull and get busted on the turn is sure to make you smile. But when they go to Skull Island or it’s your turn to roll the third skull someone else is going to have more fun than you. So it seems that throughout the game there will definitely always be someone having fun, which surely serves the purpose of the game. 7/10
Advantage:
- Challenging and original mechanics.
- Suitable for all ages and all types of players.
- simple rules
- Short duration
- Compact size, can be carried anywhere
Cons:
- Luck plays an important role in the game. If you want to be in total control, this game is probably not for you.