Chateau Roquefort is one of those games that looks like a game that is strictly for kids, but make no mistake, this game is cute, but there is a definite game under the hood. Generally I'm not a rules regurgitator, but I can do it in 2 paragraphs, so I'm going to, just to help.

The Short Version: Chateau Roquefort is a game where your cute mice-meeples navigate the rooftops of a castle filled with cheese searching for matching tiles to claim said cheese for their own. You can peek under the rooftops, but there is a memory element as the pieces shift and rooftops will go back on and you have to remember what is there. First person to X cheese matches wins.

Sounds simple, no? Nah, not really. Conceptually, it works just like that, you mobilize your mouse commandos into a castle filled with evil...I mean..cheese. You attempt to get two of your mice sitting on top of 2 matching cheese icons. The trick comes in, in the ingenious box design, where the floor is made up of 3 layers. First is the rooftops, which can be removed and replaced to hide chits. Second is the frame which never moves, and third is the cheese tiles laying under the frame. These cheese tiles can be moved by sliding the one extra cheese tile along any edge and sliding all the cheese in that row forward (and spitting out the tile that was on the end at the far side for future cheese pushing use)

There are a couple empty holes where mice can fall through, never to be heard from again. There's a very excellent feeling by sending opponents doe-eyed cute cheese seeking mice-missiles plummeting to their doom. MWAHAHAHA. Oh. Right. Ahem.

So, is this a good game? I think so. Chateau Roquefort is one of those rare games where you could play it with kids, I would guess around 7 or so, and you can seat 4 hardcore gamers (5 with expansion) around a table and have a very fun time playing the exact same game.

The Bits:
This is one of those games that brilliantly uses the box as part of the game, ala Niagra or Cleopatra. The mice are actually some sort of ceramic, and the tiles are good thick quality cardstock. A previous reviewer complained that putting the mice and chits in the "holes" is an unacceptable way to store the parts. I disagree, its an awesome way to store the parts. You know how you get the parts out of the little tubes without it taking 20 minutes. I'll share a secret ninja hint. TURN THE BOX UPSIDE DOWN. Gravity rules. Check it out sometime.

The Gameplay:
There is very little downtime, and the decisions are fast paced and interesting. There's very little AP because noone is trying to win this one like a train game, and while you could...anyone who did should be immediately castrated.

Fun Factor:
Chateau Roquefort is a game you just can't take too seriously (in a good way) and its short enough (30-45m) and whimsy enough to not be a stressful play. Everyone laughs when a mouse plummets to their doom. This game is a good time.

Replayability:
Chateau Roquefort is short, and fun. This lends the game to a great filler for between games, or a nice break from the "heavy" stuff. You won't play it 200x in one day, but what game would. This game has a definite home in my convention bin.

The Fiance's Opinion:
"It is a fun, challenging potentially evil game. It wasn't too easy, and it was challenging without being too hard. It wasn't like anything I had played before. I liked it."

My Opinion:
This game is light, fun, easy to learn and teach, but still challenging. I would not classify this game as filler, as its just a shade above it. Really good game, and a nice change of pace. Chateau Roquefort is cheesy goodness.

8/10