Are you ready to put your brain to a puzzley, abstract test? Think you’re prepared too think multiple moves ahead to outwit your opponent and score the most points? You can prove it in Mijnlieff! Your pieces affect your opponent’s next move, so choose wisely and see if maybe you can back them into a corner and come out ahead!
What Is It?
A 2-player abstract game where players are trying to create the most lines of 3 in their color. Players have 4 different types of pieces, each which has a different power affecting where their opponent can place their next piece – touching, not touching, any diagonal space, or any space in the same row or column. Though tricky, it can be beneficial to think a few moves ahead based on the current state of the board, and which pieces your foe has remaining, to set yourself up for great moves which may even block the other player from taking a turn. At the end of the game, the player with the most points wins!
Who Is It For?
- Ages 7 and up – might be tricky to master, but the concept of placing a piece following the previous placement rule is simple enough!
- Fans of abstract games
- Pairs who like to game on the go
- Fans of an autumn aesthetic
Components / Quality
Wooden Player Pieces – Thick and study, very nice quality. The different types of piece are easy to tell apart. The orange + brown really add to that leafy, autumn aesthetic that I’m a real sucker for.
The Board / Bag – Very simple grid on the back of the bag used for the board, makes it very convenient to pull out anywhere and play, though a bi harder to store on your shelf than a typical box. Nice quality felt bag.
Rules – Short and sweet, and leave you with no questions before playing – my favorite!
Modular Tiles – (Add-On) Nice quality tiles with clear grids and a vinyl feel.
Expansions
Modular Board Pack – 4 coaster-style grid boards that players can arrange in unique ways for more varied gameplay. A simple add-on, but it presents players with new opportunities for different strategies as they adjust to the newly shaped board. This comes with a sheet with a few suggestions for board set-ups, but you can probably try your own as well!
PROS
- Easily portable
- A lot of replayability / options for strategy
- Nice aesthetic appeal
- Unique powers for different pieces was cool and added a layer of depth
- Simple to learn / teach
CONS
- With so much to consider, can definitely cause player AP – wouldn’t recommend it to anyone prone to overthinking
- Never a big fan of the tie-breaker being “play again;” either having a tie-breaker or letting ties be friendly is fine.
Final Thoughts
A very neat and unique abstract game indeed in this little pouch! It has a nice table presence, and while I don’t game on the go much myself, I do appreciate that it’s easy to bring anywhere and doesn’t take up much space to play. It gives me a lot of AP personally, as I try to consider all options, which is always frustrating, but I think that also kind of shows what an engaging game it can be! I really like the additional tiles you can get to try different orientations, as it keeps the game fresh. But even without those, it’s different every time because you never know what your opponent is going to do with their tiles! If you’re big on 2-player abstracts, this one is definitely worth checking out!
My Final Ratings:
Overall Game – 6.5/10
Aesthetics – 8/10
Replay Value – 8/10
Difficulty – 2/10 to learn, 9/10 to master!
*I was provided a copy of this game to do this review*
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