Dragon Inferno (2021)

About this game

Each player has 7 kingdom tiles (all one sided tetrominoes) in his colour (light or dark green), each containing a castle and a hole. 5 dragon tiles (pentominoes) are placed alongside the board and 8 dragon eggs are scattered on the board. Players take turn placing one kingdom tile on the board, either placed over a vacant corner or adjacent to an already placed kingdom tile of the same color. If a player places its kingdom tile in such a way that the hole in it surrounds a dragon egg, then he summons a Dragon and places a Dragon tile (pentominoes) over the already placed kingdom tiles, the aim being to burn opponent's kingdom, ie place it over the opponent's squares. When all kingdom tiles have been played or no more can be placed on the board, we count points: a visible square in a colour counts one point for its owner, a castle counts one point more. Squares that are below a dragon tile does not count points at all. Short games, around 10-20 minutes, requiring combinatorial and geometrical thinking.

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Strictly 2 players — no more, no fewer.
• Rules load. No complexity score has been recorded for this one.
• Age. The publisher suggests 7 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.