Little Tavern – Review

"I don't care where you go, but you can't stay here!"

If only you could have as much control in your board game tavern as you would if you were a real landlord! Little tavern is a charming, small boxed game for 2-5 players, where the aim of the game is to get more tips from the fantasy characters drinking in the local pub, than your opponents do.

Players take a turn by drawing a card representing a character in the pub, and choose whether to place it at their own table or at one of their opponents tables. The player who's table received the latest card, takes the next turn. The only other option is to pay one of your precious tips to any opponent, to draw an 'event' card. You can then use these to help yourself, or hinder other players by shuffling guests around, stealing other players big tippers, or lumbering them with a cheapskate from your table.

The result is a fast paced, highly interactive, but tactical game that has hilarious consequences when you mess with your opponents tables. It's as simple as the first player to 25 tips is the winner and so is quick to play, and very easy to rerack, that it merits a few quick games in a row every time you get it out.

The 'stars of the show' are definitely the cards, each depicting a unique character from a classic fantasy race and a short quote for flavour. The art is wonderfully drawn, and the vibrant, cartoon style does a great job of drawing you into the fictional tavern.

The only other components are 5 thick and colourful cardboard tables (complete with spilled ale, flowers and the odd coin) and the tips themselves which are good standard card coins which you are unlikely to run out of. The size of this game makes it easy to throw into a bag and take to the real pub for a moreish and light hearted blast with friends.

"So how do they tip?" I hear you cry. Each card will provide a tip of their own amount, directly to your table at the end of the round when all of the tables are full. Then you shuffle and begin a new round until someone reaches the victory threshold, it's that simple.

The different races (or clans as the game refers to them) all have their own scoring quirk, which is handily referenced by a player aid. Elves are antisocial and only want to sit with other elves but are stingy tippers. Dwarves are the opposite and want to sit with as many different clans as possible (except other dwarves). Witches aren't fussy who they sit with and give a bonus for every witch in the tavern. Nobody wants to sit with goblins and they score nothing unless they are sat with "Billy Billy" (the only popular goblin I guess..) then they score big! Nobles score well but they also want to be the only noble in the tavern and cost you coins for each other noble at any table! Adventurers must tell a good tale because they just score a set amount no matter

what (printed on their card). Finally romantics want to sit with their own kind (and provide big tips if you can oblige) but are the rarest 'clan' in the box with only four in the entire deck.

The puzzle of little tavern is deciding whether the character you've just drawn is better hindering an opponents table, or is it going to net you a decent tip? The risk/reward of the event cards adds hilarious randomness to the game where you may be able to steal a card that is going to win your opponent the game, or it may end up with you accidentally kicking someone good from your own table!