Product test

Parlour game tested: "Die Holde Isolde"

25.8.2016

Translation: machine translated

We have tested the card game "Die Holde Isolde" for you. An exciting and entertaining game in which your good strategy is rewarded. We would play it again in a heartbeat!

We, that's Christian and I, regularly test games for you. Christian is Product Manager Toys and is responsible for purchasing board games at Galaxus, among other things. I am responsible for the Marketing of toys. We both love toys, and board games even more so.

The first board game we tried out was "Die Holde Isolde". We played it for you and had so much fun that we don't want to withhold it from you. The game is also suitable for 2 players, but it's much more fun with 4 to 5 players. That's why we tested the game separately in a group with friends or with the family.

The game

But first the game itself: The story behind it (woo the heart of the fair Isolde with jousting and searching for the Grail) is good, but absolutely unimportant. The playing field consists of seven boards on which your score is scored differently. The cards in your hand decide how many spaces you can move on the individual boards. And that's where the fun begins. Everyone receives five cards, keeps one and passes on the other four. In turn, everyone puts their cards together for the corresponding round. It's really nasty when you keep exactly the card that your neighbour really wants. Or would you be better off keeping the card that you can really use? Then everyone plays their cards and you decide the order in which you play your cards. You don't want to reveal your best cards to everyone right at the start. At the end of the round, you receive (minus) points for the intermediate score on the game boards, which are scored in the respective round. After 6 rounds, the battle is over and whoever has collected the most points wins. In the video above you will find a detailed explanation of how the game works and here you can go directly to the game instructions

Card games

Schmidt Spiele The fair Isolde

German

Facts

Playing time: 30 minutes
Number of players: 2-5 players
Recommended age: from 8 years

Christian says:

"I like the game "Die holde Isolde" because of the high proportion of strategy and tactics. Swapping cards at the start of the game reduces the luck factor enormously. It's easy to get into the game, which immediately makes it a lot of fun. The design of the game is convincing with very nice comic graphics, only the game pieces are somewhat unkindly designed. Thanks to the many game variants, you can enjoy the game for a long time and there are always new opportunities to make life difficult for your fellow players with your own strategy."

Happiness factor: ★★☆☆☆☆
Strategy factor: ★★★★★
Complexity: ★★★☆☆
Replay appeal: ★★★★☆
Top: Very strategic game in which your own tactics decide whether you win or lose
Flop: The game pieces could have been designed more beautifully so that they also match the overall package.

Irene says:

"Brilliant, fun, exciting game! It's particularly interesting because your own points depend on your opponents' moves. So it's worth playing nasty against each other."

Happiness factor: ★★☆☆☆☆
Strategy factor: ★★★★☆
Complexity: ★★☆☆☆☆
Replay appeal: ★★★★★
Top: The game is addictive!
Flop: Nothing, I'm an absolute fan.

And these are the exclusive tips from the winner of my game round: "Make sure you don't get any minus points and make sure you get the points on the king's board."

More about board games:

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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

Header image: The game content

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Irene Portmann

Senior Brand Communications Manager

Irene.Portmann@digitecgalaxus.ch

I 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.

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