Qwixx Bonus

• Designer: not listed but assumed to be S. Benndorf
• Publisher: NSV
• Players: 1-4
• Time: 20 mins
• Times played – 5, with copy provided by NSV

Around here, we’re pretty big fans of Qwixx, roll-and-writes, and Steffen Benndorf.   We’ve played Qwixx through the years, and it’s always been one of our favorites. 

https://opinionatedgamers.com/2013/09/20/the-games-of-steffen-benndorf/

We have also played other versions in this family – Qwixx On Board –

https://opinionatedgamers.com/2019/12/12/dale-yu-review-of-qwixx-on-board/

At SPIEL 2020, NSV released Qwixx Bonus.  It is a set of two new sheets to spice up your games of Qwixx.  Both new versions use all the rules of regular Qwixx.   Thanks to the global pandemic, the sheets were mailed off right around the dates of the fair, but they did not arrive here until early January!  Despite the delay, we were still really excited to play the games.

The two new sheets are cleverly named “Version A” and “Version B”

Version A – here, there are 12 bonus boxes under the four colored rows.  If you look closely at the big rows, you’ll see that three numbers in each row are highlighted with a black box around the number.  Anytime that you cross out a number enclosed by a black box, you get to cross off the leftmost bonus box in the bonus row.  You then get to cross out the first available box in the row whose color matches that of the bonus box – you must cross off the first available box (i.e. the one directly to the right of the most recently crossed off number) in the row.  It is possible for you to create chain reactions.   If a color is closed out – all players cross off any remaining bonus boxes of that color as they cannot be used- because the regular rules do not allow for anyone to mark a number off in that row once closed.  The endgame scoring remains the same.

Version B – here, there are 5 pairs of bonuses scattered amongst the four colored rows.  If you cross out both bonus boxes of a type, then you get the special effect associated with it.  Some let you cross off the next box in each row while another lets you make 2 crosses in your row with the fewest crosses.  Other special effects give bonus scoring – doubling the score of the row with the fewest crosses or a simple 13 VP bonus.  The game ends and scores in the usual way.

My thoughts on the game

Well the short part of the review is this – if you like Qwixx, you’ll probably like these new boards.  If you don’t like Qwixx or you’ve never played the original, I’d not recommend these for you.  In the former case, I don’t think it’ll change your opinion of the basic game and mechanisms.  In the latter case, you should really experience the acclaimed base game first before venturing into these variants.

The two boards offer slight variations on the base game – adding a few more decision points, but both take away from the elegance of the original game.  I prefer Version A myself, and I have dubbed it “Ganz Schon Qwixx” because the bonus boxes and the possible chaining remind me a lot of Ganz Schon Clever.   I also prefer the way that a closed color from an opponent doesn’t cost you opportunity – you simply cross out all colored bonus boxes of the closed row and they become essentially invisible to you.

And while I have just said that I prefer the original, it is sometimes a refreshing change to play a familiar game on a new layout.  For that reason, I have already laminated a few of these sheets to add to my Qwixx box to allow myself the chance to play them when the mood strikes.

Ratings from the Opinionated Gamers

• I love it!
• I like it.  Dale Y
• Neutral.
• Not for me…