I like abstract strategy games but my wife doesn't. Since she is my primary gaming partner, I have to search for AS games that might appeal to her! She likes Qwirkle and she sort of likes Blokus, so when I saw Cir*Kis (CK) in Target, I thought about it for a couple weeks then made the plunge.

I bought the game this past weekend while we were up north. It poured rain all day so we went to town and came home with a few things, including this game. I opened the box, read the rules, and we immediately started playing.

As a preliminary note, I definitely consider this game a cousin of Blokus. The game mechanics are quite different, but the principle of playing different pieces to a common, bounded board is similar.

The rules are clear, simple, and short. They comprise the front and back of one square sheet of paper. There are pictures to explain the rule when a rule may be difficult.

There are very few rules. Playing in turn (youngest starting), player one places their first piece so at least part of their piece is touching the inner circle/star of the game board. There are several differently-shaped pieces to choose from, and multiple pieces of most.

Play proceeds from this initial placement. The only rule is: your piece must be placed so it touches the last piece played. "Touch" includes where a segment literally touches up against the previous piece, or where points of pieces are touching. (Think Blokus, where only corners of your pieces may touch, but where you may slide up against your opponents' pieces.)

Play rotates until one player either plays their last piece, at which point the game ends automatically, or until all players are unable to play, at which point the game ends.

There are a few scenarios by which a player can receive a free turn: 1) If the player closes off the central star on the board; 2) If a player plays a piece and no adjacent space can be played on because all adjacent pieces are surrounded by played pieces; and 3) The first player to play their "sliver" piece gains a free turn. This last condition is more difficult than it sounds because there are only a few places on the board where a sliver piece can be played. When a player gains a free turn, that player may place a piece anywhere on the board as long as the piece touches another piece (following the rules of "touch"). The player does not have to touch the previously plaid piece, and the piece laid as the result of the free turn becomes the new "leader" that all plays must proceed from.

What makes piece placement difficult is both the scoring and the pattern of the game board. Placed around the board, which looks much like a mosaic, are 10 circles and 6 stars. When a player fills in this shape, scoring occurs. If the player who closes the last segment of a circle or star has the most segments with the circle or star, that player scores 10 points. If the player who closes the circle or star does not have the most points, that player still scores 5 points for the enclosure, while the player who "controls" the circle or star because they have the most segments scores 10 points. If a player reaches 40 points in the game, the game ends automatically.

Play can be difficult because the board is shaped in such a way that pieces must "snap" into the segments in the board. Thus, you cannot play any piece you want to; many times you will have to choose from just a few options which piece you will play. Smart players will play towards areas of the board where there opponents are low or lacking in the appropriate pieces.

My wife mildly enjoyed this game. The pieces are nice and tactile, and the color schemes are enjoyable. I thoroughly enjoyed the game. It plays quickly and provides for a nice strategic game. There is absolutely no luck in the game, so, like many abstracts, the thinkers and planners will tend to dominate against those who simply to play for relaxation.

We played only 2 players, but my sense was that 2 player, while enjoyable, was probably the weakest of all. The game is for 2-4 players and will likely scale well.

Overall, I recommend this game.

Thanks for the review -- I've been eyeing this game at Target for awhile. (I mean, I can usually find some CD or movie that I like there, so why not a boardgame?) In the comments someone wasn't happy about the oddly shaped pieces. I've had more trouble eyeballing where to place in GemBlo and Blokus Trigon than I ever had with Blokus - you didn't find the Cir*Kis shapes aggravating?

Interesting piece by the designer in More Info. I wonder if he's played DaVinci's Challenge?



with scoring like this:



BTW I liked your comment, "I'd consider it a cousin to Blokus, but like a 3rd cousin!"

I personally didn't find the shapes to be annoying. It took a few turns of playing each piece-type to see where they fit, but the board is laid out well. My opinion, though, and others may not like the different shaped pieces.

The coolest thing about the game IMO is the oddly shaped pieces, as they're interesting in their own right. They're based upon the nonperiodic Penrose tiles, which are pretty cool to play around with on their own.

http://www.uwgb.edu/DutchS/SYMMETRY/penrose.htm

Thanks for the link!

I would consider this game as something of a mash-up of Davinci's Challenge and Blokus, but being easier on non-gamers to get into. It also supports 3 players fairly well to, which only Blokus Trigon really has as a strength.

Good review. And good game.

I tried 2-player game and multiplayer. I think the game is better for 2 players. I don't like the 4-player mode at all.

I've played 2 and 4 player. By "weakest," I didn't mean to diminish the play. I prefer 2 player. But it seems to me that, since 2 player hardly fills the board, the game was intended for more players. Yet, quite unlike Blokus, it plays very well with 2 players.

It's a really good game that's growing on me more and more.