Kid Game Reviews: Click Clack

Click Clack

• designer: Birgit Hahnle
• publisher: Rio Grande/Queen
• date: 2008
• BoardGameGeek rank/rating: not ranked/6.15
• age: 5+
• # of players: 2-4
• print status: in print
• cost: $22.99 (Troll & Toad)

This is a BIG game - not Fireball Island big, mind you, but certainly the box (and the game, which is one of those "game in a box" thingees) is large enough to use as an end table if you put some legs on it.

It's also got a BIG price tag, which is probably my only hesitation about recommending this game to families. The MSRP is $59.95... ouch. Note, however, that the price link above! Troll & Toad has six copies for $23, which is an incredible deal!

The game itself is pretty simple: players are squirrels trying to store up food for the winter. In turn, they roll the big, chunky custom die & move to the area indicated. In each section, there are four holes, which may or may not contain food (metal chips). The bottom of the squirrels are magnetized, so when you do place your piece on top of food, it makes a satisfying "click clack" sound - hence the name of the game.

After your squirrel is placed, you rotate the board one notch in either direction - the entire board is, btw, a giant turntable. If you (or anyone else) finds food - which will be clear from the "click clack" noise - you get to keep it & place it in your tree.

The first player to get 4 of the same kind of food or 7 food (regardless of type) wins the game.

There's one slight wrinkle: the pig can show up and chase your squirrel off the ground & into the trees. If a player rolls a pig, they move the pig to any area and all of the squirrels in that area are placed on the tree in the center of the board.

That's it. Really, no worker placement, no tile-laying, no 18xx-style stock investment. It's simply a roll'n'move with an amazing boards & wonderful bits.

And that's enough when you're four years old and you can play a game that not only has pieces large enough for you to manipulate easily but also has a big cool-looking board & makes noise when you get stuff. It's also enough when you're a parent who likes kid games that are simple enough for a four year old to enjoy while designed so that they have an ending in a reasonable (15 min or so) amount of time.

I think the age suggested by the publisher is for kids playing without adult supervision. With adults playing, it wouldn't surprise me to see bright 3 year olds enjoying this game.