Capture the Goblins fast!

Squinting into the midday sun, stood upon your battlements. You see the army crest the hill: Goblins, just as your scouts reported, orks scattered amongst their ranks. You turn to your trusted lieutenant, a 4 year old human girl and scream "ARGGGGGHHHH" as you panic and run away leaving the defence of this castle in her more than capable hands!

My First Castle Panic is a kids version of the game Castle Panic (that to my discredit I am yet to play.) Wherein you are tasked with defending a castle from waves of enemies. Like the adult version the kids must work together if they're to defeat the approaching army. Capturing (not killing) the nearing invaders by matching symbols and colours. 

Turns are split into four easy to follow phases. Draw a card, play a card (capturing an enemy,) move the bad guys, play a new bad guy. It only took my daughter (4) a couple of rounds before she understood what she needed to do. Catching the little green beserkers is especially satisfying as the bottom of the box is designed as a dungeon where they can be flung, to think about their life choices! A simple design choice that adds spades to the theme. 

Talking of design choices, the castle itself is made of two large standees, a wall and a castle. If a goblin gets past your defences and reaches your wall it is destroyed and the goblin imprisoned. If another goblin reaches the castle behind your now demolished wall you have lost. On the other hand if you capture the entire army, you win.

Sometimes on your turn you don't have a card that can capture a goblin. In this case you can "ask team mates for help" borrowing one of their cards instead. I find this addition is a great one, it really introduces kids to 'tactics'. Saving that important green square card for later and borrowing a blue triangle from a friend.

Because you can borrow off anyone, when you are playing four players there is more chance of having the card you need versus playing with two. My daughter and I offset this by dealing two cards to each other at the beginning of the game, instead of one. This makes it easier but also a little more fun I think!

There are a few special enemies who run to the front or shove everyone along one lurking in the army. There are also two special cards that let you rebuild the wall or kick a goblin back into the pile. These special cards and units can very much decide your fate depending on where they are in their respective piles. 

This game is an easy recommendation for me because it teaches cooperation and strategy while remaining simple enough to understand the core gameplay loop. Plus it is dripping in theme! 

So stand strong, get your nets and ropes ready. And most importantly DON'T PANIC!