Small World is essentially Risk with extra steps but easier and much less serious.

Here I take a very quick look at the game along with my fave 5 races.

In Small World, players vie for conquest and control of a world that is simply too small to accommodate them all.

Small World is fantasy Risk on a smaller scale. You pick a fantasy race and stomp your way around a board. The good thing about this game is when you start to spread yourself too thin. Then, you put that race ‘in decline’ and start a new one.

A very fun game that is fiddly due to all the race counters, the iPad/Steam version is amazing though without the fiddly bits.

Rather than try to explain it fully, I’ll show you the video that brought it to my attention. This made me buy it almost immediately.

Steam Game Playthrough

Coming Soon!

I have to admit the setup and tear-down time is loooong so I maybe haven’t played it as much as I’d like. When you compare it to other games I have available to me, Arkham Horror aside, it’s a slow one.

That said I do like playing it, losing can be very unfun (As in you see you’re getting crushed and can’t find a way back) so try not to put yourself in that position. Apart from that, play it, enjoy it, have fun, kick ass and experiment!

Rating: 4/10 (iOS/Steam version 7/10)

Fave 5 Small World Classes

Class selection in Small World can be situational and can also depend on the ability attached to them for that game. This fave 5 will take them at face value without any other considerations.

 5 – Elves

Why? They don’t die!

Instead of returning an elf back to the box when someone conquers your region, you get to put it back into play at the end of that player’s turn! This allows you to strengthen your remaining territories before the next player attacks. Very handy.

4 – Trolls

Why? Lairs

A Troll’s Lair adds +1 defence to each region you capture, up to a maximum of the number of Lairs in the box. BUT! They stay in play AFTER the Trolls have gone into decline giving each in decline region +1 defence too! Every little helps.

3 – Orcs

Why? Bonus Victory Coins

When you conquer a non-empty region you get bonus victory coins at the end of the turn. Handy if someone has spread themselves a little thin at the beginning, handier once a few races have gone into decline.

2 – Ghouls

Why? In decline play

Having a race in decline is usually just points sitting there that your opponent eventually gobbles up. The Ghouls can attack while in decline and you leave them all on the board after going in decline too. 2 turns for the price of 1.

1 – Amazons

Why? Attacking boost

The Amazons have 4 extra to attack with each turn, but they must be removed from the map at the end of the deployment phase. It just means you can attack 1 or 2 extra territories in your turn for a couple of extra points. Great first pick and also great mid-game and end-game when there are a lot of in-decline races.

Jesta ThaRogue