Small World (2009)

“Trevor’s highest board game rating has landed on Small World – 5 out of 5! But if you’ve got teens and pre-teens in your family that love to go after each other in a game, Small World is a blast.”

The reviewer, Trevor, enthusiastically rates Small World as his highest-rated board game due to its engaging gameplay, fun intensity, and high replayability, though he acknowledges its confrontational nature might not suit all players.

“I owe so much to this game. It is a game that, if a forever shelf existed, would be among the first games placed there for us.”

The reviewer highly praises Small World for its significant strategic potential and the high replayability offered by the numerous unique race and special power combinations that make each game feel fresh and engaging.

The reviewer highly recommends Small World as a classic, inviting, and highly replayable area control game with easy-to-understand rules, making it an excellent choice for both new board gamers and experienced players alike.

“In fact, Smallworld is this sort of game that has a great balance between lots of fun with enough thinkiness if you want it. It’s also relatively quick to play and therefore a great game to play as a warm-up or cool-down during a game night.”

“Small World is an engaging fantasy territory control game that offers significant replayability due to its numerous race and power combinations and a clever decline mechanic, making it ideal for players who enjoy light strategy and direct conflict.”

“Stellar production and slick design make this area control game sing with endless combos or race and special powers. Small World scales perfectly to any player count and is a joy to play whether you are a hardcore gamer or new to the hobby.”

The game 'Small World' is highly regarded for its excellent replayability and engaging blend of strategic area control with accessible rules, making it a compelling choice for both new and experienced players.

The reviewers highly recommend Small World, praising it as a fun, accessible area control game that offers enjoyable decision-making despite its aggressive nature, making it a great addition for those who appreciate interactive gameplay.

The reviewers found Small World to be a fun and easy-to-teach game with high replayability due to diverse race and power combinations, and praised its beautiful artwork. Despite minor balance issues with some race/power pairings and the potential for direct conflict, it was considered a favorite for its strategic depth and excellent rulebook.

The reviewer provides valuable strategic advice for playing Small World effectively, highlighting the game's depth and rewarding gameplay that encourages players to master its mechanics for success.

“Small World is a fantastic entry-level area control game that blends strategy, light-hearted combat, and constant action into a tight, engaging experience. It’s perfect for players who enjoy direct competition but don’t want the downtime or heaviness of traditional war games.”

“Small World is great. It presents a clean, tightly refined system with a great theme in a beautiful package and remains a consistent favorite at my gaming table.”

Tom Vasel highly recommends "Small World" for its fun and accessibility, noting its quick gameplay and how it makes a war game appealing even to those not typically interested in the genre.

“Smallworld is a game definitely worth playing, offering good scalability, strategic depth, and ease of learning, though its replayability is somewhat limited by the number of races and powers, and the battle mechanic could be more robust.”

“It's not going to replace our favorite Dudes on a Map games by any means, but for a conflict-driven filler, or a game to bust out on family night, it's a surefire winner.”

“Small World is a good game, especially for players who are new to board gaming (and kids from 6+) and have only played the likes of Risk. It offers decent strategic and tactical options, it’s set in a beautiful fantasy world, full of diverse races.”

The reviewer found Small World to be a brutal, high-interaction area control game with excellent replayability due to diverse power combinations, though their overall sentiment was mixed.

“Despite the fidgety-ness on the table, Small World is a rock solid game system deserving of its place in the tabletop universe—solid enough to engage the abundantly tactile production again and again.”

“It just feels a little soul-less. It’s fun, sure, but nothing more than that.”

The reviewer concludes that while Small World was initially a vibrant and enjoyable area control game, it has become less relevant over time compared to newer titles, and therefore is no longer worth playing.

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