#55: Drops & Co.

Drops & Co.

• designer: Gunter Baars
• publisher: Haba
• date: 2004
• BoardGameGeek rank/rating: not ranked/5.75
• age: 5+
• # of players: 2-4
• print status: OOP
• cost: I could not find a copy for sale from a reputable online source (sorry!)

Some games work really well as "kid games" - in other words, teach 'em the game & then let them play it on their own. (Many of Haba's games have this quality.) Other games, however, work much better if an adult is there to supervise and/or play with the kids. Drops & Co. is one of those other games.

It's not that Drops is chock full of strategic or tactical decisions - it's basically a dice game played out on a near-vertical board filled with mini-conveyor belts. There is some look ahead (you need to set yourself up while avoiding helping other players) - but the real attraction here is the little wooden "candies" dropping down the face of the board and into the bins.

However, setting up the game is challenging, even for adults - the initial candies have to be placed just so to work - and then younger players have to be reminded about what they're doing. Still, though it's not a great game, it's a great gaming experience with younger kids (age 3-6) and I'm glad it's in my collection.