A couple of new players (Dean and Tyra) join the group to try out a few games. Returning for a night of games is Dave as well as Dave W and Kern.

The first game up for the evening was SimplyFun's Walk the Dogs. Tyra happened to mention that she is a SimplyFun Consultant, and as I have been interested in this game, I asked if she could bring a copy to game night to try out. Tyra nicely agreed to so do. We were setting up the game when Dave W and Kern arrived, so Tyra stepped aside to let us play with 5.

A line of 63 dog figures (in 5 breeds) is placed in the center of the table. Each player will attempt to make a line of dogs in front of them with points scored for groups of identical breeds in a row. The more in the group, the more points that are scored. Dogs are taken from the center line via card plays. A player will draw a card from the deck adding it to their hand of 2 and then play 1 card. The cards allow players to remove 1, 2, or 3 dogs from the head of the line (or) 1, 2, or 3 dogs from the tail of the line (or) 1 dog from each end. The dogs are then placed in the player's line in any order and on either end.

Complicating the line development are a few cards to steal from the front/tail of another players line. More powerful is the dog catcher which removes the longest group from either end of each players line. So players are hoping to build longer groups, but before the dog catcher is dealt as that group would then be removed. Finally, there are a few "bone" cards given to the player with the shortest line and worth extra points at game end.

The game started with Dave W started with a pair of dogs while Dave started with 3 dogs to start their lines. Sabrina (joining Rich to be a team) took a pair of dogs as did Dean and Kern. It wasn't long before the first bone came out as Sabrina drew it. Dean had the shortest line (2 dogs) so gained the bonus points. Kern drew 3 dogs from the line, a pair of poodles to go with the poodle at the end of his line and then capping it with the boxer to protect it from the dog catcher. Dave W then draws a bone and keeps it (shortest line) and then another bone (keeping it again) before playing a dog card. Kern later would use the leash to take a dog from Dave W's line to reduce Dave W's pair to a singlet while making a pair in his own line.

It wasn't long before the first dog catcher showed up. Dean lost a triplet while Kern had capped his groups so lost only a single dog. The other players all lost pairs. Sabrina then could leash Kern's dogs claiming a Pomeranian to make a pair of her own. Dave W got a third bone. Sabrina could then make a triple and cap it. Which worked out very well for the next player (Dean) drew the second dog catcher. This play hurt Kern how lost a group of 4 dogs to this dog catcher. The next time around Sabrina made a pair and capped it again. And again Dean drew the dog catcher. As the game was approaching the end, it was noticed that Dave W had quietly built a chain of 4 chows. A 5th chow and he would automatically win. And there was a chow second from the front in the central line. But Kern took the chow out of the central line blocking the auto win. Shortly thereafter all the dogs were claimed and it was time to add the scores. A single dog is worth 1 point. 2 dogs are worth 4 points. 3 dogs are worth 9 points. 4 dogs are worth 16 points. Bones are worth 3 points:

Sabrina/Rich: 1+1+1+9+4+1 = 17
Dave: 1+9+16+1 = 27
Dean: 1+1+1+1+4+3 = 11
Kern: 4+1+4+1+3 = 13
Dave W: 4+16+1+3+3+3 = 30

So Dave W takes the win by virtue of a pair of dogs as both Daves had 4 dog chains. Dave had a 3 dog chain for 9 while Dave W had the 3 bone cards.

The attraction of this game is certainly the nice dog figures used to play the game. There might be some light strategic play during the game, but I felt the turn choices were pretty obvious each turn and strongly dependant on the luck of the draw. With 5 players not much control over the game. Might be a bit better with fewer players. But for kids or a game kids and adults might enjoy together, Walk the Dogs is worth some consideration.