Rat Hot

I decided to write about a little, simple boardgame as my first boardgame post, leaving the more complex games for later. The game du jour is Rat Hot, published by Queen Games, is a game for two players who alternate in placing tiles with different kinds of spices while trying to gain points by putting the same spices next to each other.

Each player assumes one of the colours and each turn places two tiles - shelves with three parts that can contain spice, nothing or rats. When two spices of the same kind are put next to each other, the player gains a silver (1) point, when three or more are aligned in one line, the player gains a gold point (worth of 2 points). Each turn a player draws two random tiles and puts them alongside the already set tiles in whatever order he chooses to. The tiles can be added in a horizontal level, but they can be put on top of the existing tiles in a fashion that covers more than one tile beneath it.

The eponymous rats appear on some of the tiles along with the spices. Their appearance on the board can mean a sudden death for one of the players as if there are three rats of one colour showing at the end of a turn, the player of that colour immediately loses the game. So, what you are generally trying to do is create opportunities for yourself, while covering your rats (if you finish your turn with one rat of your colour showing, there is a possibility that the opponent will draw two rats of your colour) and putting your opponent's rats where it is difficult to cover them.



As with almost every game, new players seem a bit confused by the rules at first and they generally lose the first round but they are eager to play again. And again. That is probably because one round lasts less than 10 minutes, the game has clear graphic and rules that are easier in practice than they seem on paper. Also because it is fun :)

Do you know any other short yet sweet boardgame that is worth getting?