Why I picked the game
As an ex-Lego aficionado and a uncle to a crazy imaginative Lego master nephew this game made perfect sense.
About the game
Concept by Luca Bellini, BRICK LIKE THIS! is a team Lego building game. This fast pace game will test your describing, listening, composure, dexterity and teamwork. Warning this game will turn you into Jim Trott from the Vicar of Dibley when a player puts a piece in the wrong place and you only response is “No no no no no no not there”.
Game play
2-3 player variant
Good starter mode/kid friendly/ less intense game. In this mode you work as one team against a 10-minute timer to see how may builds you can get.
Standard game
You split yourselves into up to 4 teams of 2 ( if you have an odd number of players you will keep switching out and observe) 1 person being the instructor, 1 person being the builder. The game is then played in 6 rounds with 3 actions per round.
Choose a shape card – The instructor chooses between 5, 6, 7 or 8. This reflects to the minimum number of bricks that will be used and the amount of points that can be won. This means that each team can go for different points at the same time.
Build model – Once the last player picks their card all instructors can look at their cards and start describing to the builders and start trying to recreate what is on the card. The first team to think they have finished shouts “done” and then starts the timer. The remaining teams then have 30 seconds to complete their build. If they don’t, no points. Warning not to trap your skin when speed building and, we are not a competitive family but, flailing limbs from the other builders when grabbing the bricks.
Get shape points – when the time is up you then compare the model to the card. If it matches, you keep the card. This led to the line from my nephew “let’s check because you know how incompetent you are”. You then swap roles and play a remaining rounds. At the end of the 6 rounds you add up the cards, highest total wins.
Challenge cards
You can also play using challenge cards, this creates a more hectic game to test your creative thinking . Game play is the same except to start you reveal a challenge card for all teams to use. In rounds 1 & 2 you play level 1 difficult worth 1 extra points for the team that shouts done. Rounds 3-5, level 2 and round 6, level 3. Some of my favourite challenges are; not being able to say “on”, not being allowed to use your thumbs and build whilst balancing a brick on your hand. If you fail on any of these challenges you must disassemble your model and start again.
Artwork: The illustrations by AMEET are basic but that’s not what BRICK LIKE THIS! is about. It’s Lego
Complexity: Simple to understand and simple to play. it’s Lego.
Replayability: Short game play means you can easily play a few games at a time and the style of game means it’s something you won’t mind playing again. Like Lego.
Player interaction: This game is all about player interaction whether being the communication with your team mate or watching out for the other team cheating. This is not a solo game, unlike Lego.
Component quality: It's Lego, you stand on it you’ll break.
Comeback ability: As long as you don’t let the other teams ahead you should be in it till the end. It’s a marathon not a sprint, like Lego.
Family game: Even the non Legoists of our family enjoyed the game. Especially when the challenge cards came out. What’s not to enjoy, it’s Lego.
Final thoughts
For the simple nature of the game, BRICK LIKE THIS! is actually quite well rounded interesting of the skill set it uses and the age range that it is fun for. 83/100
