Grabolo

Grabolo is a pickup and play game for 2-4 players. In the tub you will get a set of instructions, 2 dice and 36 pieces. There are 6 different pieces in 6 different colours. These include rabbits, cars, pigs, ducks, trees and gingerbread men. But how do you play?

Grabolo!

Setup is super easy. Simply pour all the pieces onto a playing surface, mix them up and then throw the dice! The aim of the game is to collect a set number of pieces. For a 2-player game you will need 10 to win, for 3 you need 8 and for 4 you need 6.

On each turn, a player rolls the dice. Then, everyone has to find the coloured piece shown. The first person to grab it, then hides it behind them, adding it to their stash.

If the dice roll shows a piece which has already been grabbed, players need to remember who has it and shout out their name. The first person to do this correctly, steals it! The player who owns the piece can also shout out their name to keep it. However, get the name wrong and you will have to sacrifice one of your own pieces and add it back into the communal play area.

Its utter mayhem as everyone throws their hands in at the same time. With pieces hidden, it gets harder to remember who has what as the game goes on. This leads to each move feeling important as you don’t know how close someone is to winning.

Even though this game can be played at a table, I would recommend playing it on the floor. This way you have more space to spread out the pieces and everyone has an equal reach to everything. Plus, there are less bumped elbows as you pull your winnings out of the fray.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Grabolo is a solid family pick. It has a good age range, straightforward rules, quick setup and it’s in a portable package. Its runtime is only around 10 minutes which makes it snappy and replayable.

One draw back to this lovely little game is its reliance on colour. Due to its core mechanics, it is inaccessible for those who cannot distinguish colours. So bare that in mind before you purchase.

This pick up and play game is a crowd pleaser and suits families nicely. Younger players will especially enjoy trying to wrestle pieces from your grasp. I almost lost my fingers when playing with my nephew. If you want something quick, fast paced and perfect for a variety of ages you can’t go wrong.