Board game tested: "The Portals of Molthar"
21.9.2016
Translation: machine translated
We tested the card game "The Portals of Molthar" for you. A mystical-looking game that is not only beautifully designed, but also requires tactical skill and is a lot of fun.
After Christian (Product Manager Toys) and I (Marketing Manager Toys) tested the entertaining game "Die holde Isolde" for you last month (here for the test report), this month we took a closer look at the card game "The Portals of Molthar".
Christian already knew the game and challenged me, a complete novice, to a duel. Because I'm so proud of it, I'll tell you right away: I won! And yes, Christian, I know I had the lion and when you have the lion, you almost always win. We'll play again, just so I can prove that I didn't just win because of the lion. That doesn't make any sense to you as a reader right now? Don't worry, here's the explanation of the game.
The game
Players travel through the portal into a world inhabited by creatures that are otherwise only known from stories and fairy tales. This sounds mystical and so is the design of the game, with imaginative graphics on all the playing cards. Collecting magical pearls and exchanging them for fantastic creatures in good time brings you closer to victory. Or to put it a little less mysteriously: collect the matching number cards, which you can use to redeem the actions on the two cards on your portal and score victory points. Whoever has 12 victory points first wins the game. The game mechanism is basically simple. The restriction to 3 turns per round and a maximum of 5 cards in hand add the necessary trickiness to the game. The game is explained in detail in the video above and here is the direct link to the game instructions.
Facts
- Playing time: 45 minutes
- Number of players: 2-5 players
- Recommended age: from 10 years
Christian says:
"The game "The Portals of Molthar" is my absolute insider tip. The individual rounds don't take too long, so you can play several games per evening. Whether there are two or five players, the game always shows new facets and you need different strategies to win. Great fun regardless of the number of players! The compact packaging also makes the game suitable for travelling. A must-have for every card game lover!"
- Happiness factor: ★★★☆☆
- Strategy factor: ★★★☆☆
- Complexity: ★★☆☆☆
- Replay appeal: ★★★★★
- Top: A very simple, easy to learn game.
- Flop: All the card shuffling!
Irene says:
"A good game that I also enjoy, although I'm not particularly interested in all these mythical topics. The 3-move limit requires a lot of tactical, strategic thinking and always presents you with tricky decisions."
- Happiness factor: ★★☆☆☆☆
- Strategy factor: ★★★★☆
- Complexity: ★★☆☆☆☆
- Replay appeal: ★★★☆☆
- Top: A good mix of card luck and clever tactics make the game exciting
- Flop: The many different character cards make the game unnecessarily difficult at the beginning, as you have to read and learn every meaning. On the other hand, this variety keeps the game exciting for longer.
Finally, my tactic tip (from a beginner for beginners): The fact that I tried to redeem two character cards at the same time, which require 4 different pearl cards, turned out to be clumsy. Because: At the end of each turn, you can't have more than 5 cards in your hand. And pay attention to which pearl cards are required by the player whose turn it is after yours. Sometimes it's worth exchanging all your pearl cards in one turn to counter your opponent.
More about parlour games:
This is how it was rated
- Luck factor: 1 star = luck has hardly any influence; 5 stars = game outcome is only determined by luck
- Strategy factor: 1 star = You hardly have to think strategically; 5 stars = You will only win with good strategy
- Complexity: 1 star = Easy; 5 stars = Challenging
- Replay appeal: 1 star = I don't have to play this again immediately; 5 stars = This is addictive
Irene Portmann
Senior Brand Communications Manager
Irene.Portmann@digitecgalaxus.chI love the strategy game “The Settlers of Catan”, the Ravensburger puzzle “Colourful Cupcakes” and the pink fluffy unicorn that sits on my desk (a birthday present from my workmates). Not only do I have a weakness for toys, I also get excited about good food and comedy TV shows.