Criss Cross
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Description
Criss Cross is a super-simple and addictive game where players have to transfer the symbols rolled to the grid of the block sheet. The more identical symbols are grouped, the more points can be scored. The game is as simple as Sudoku and can also be played alone.
How it is played;
- 2 dice are rolled and each player has to draw these symbols into their sheet following very simple rules:
- the two symbols have to be drawn in orthogonally adjacent fields. (Single fields previously surrounded with symbols will never be filled.)
- as long as there are adjacent spaces, the symbols must be entered.
- The game ends when the sheets are filled or there are no legal adjacent spaces left.
- Each row and column are scored separately: 2, 3, 4 or 5 adjacent symbols of the same type score 2, 3, 4, 5 points PLUS 4/5 bonus points for 4/5 symbols.
The Grail Games edition of Criss Cross also includes "Advanced" rules which add a layer of complexity to the base game.
Criss cross is a 2017 release from designer Reiner Knizia and published by Grail Games. It is a super simple, yet very addictive, roll and write game that can be played in about 10 minutes. The game play up to six people as well as solo.
The Game
Players are given a sheet of paper with a 5×5 grid. There are two unique six-sided dice with symbols on them. Each player writes a different symbol in the top left corner of the grid. A player will roll the dice and then all players use these dice to draw the symbols rolled on to their paper. The two symbols must be placed next to each other and one of the symbols must touch an already placed symbol. Once all players have written the symbols the dice are rolled again and the process repeated until all players either have a complete sheet or cannot place anymore symbols.
Points are awarded for groups of like symbols in each row and column. The player with the most points is the winner of Criss Cross.
Final Thoughts on Criss Cross
I enjoy a roll and write and wanted to introduce my work group to this mechanism. Criss Cross is a great addition that I am so glad I picked it up. Rules are simple and easy to explain and you can be playing in minutes of unboxing. The game is very accessible to all players, has a quick playing time and can be picked up and played by almost anyone.
It’s a very light game, yet there are decisions that need to be made to maximise your scoring. Do you go for lots of sets of two symbols or sacrifice some dice to score big in one row/column? You can get hit with bad luck with the dice roll but everyone is working from the same “bad” dice. However, there is no mechanism to mitigate this luck so players are left with what has been rolled.
There is an “advanced” variant in Criss Cross. However, to be honest, I would start off with the advanced rules as it doesn’t add many additional rules to the game. Instead of scoring just rows and columns you score the diagonal as well. Any rows/columns that do not score give you negative five points. Simple enough additions to throw in to the game from the get go. I wouldn’t even tell people its the “advanced” variant and just teach as the base game.
For me, Criss Cross sits perfectly with my work group and people who are not traditional gamers. However, I can also bring this out with gamers as a light, quick playing filler game. Games last five to 10 minutes, it has a small footprint, small box and is light and engaging and can cater for up to six people. It also has a solo play which is a “get the best score” affair and makes for a neat puzzle when you have a few minutes to spare.
Zatu Score
You might like
- Easy to pick up and learn.
- A small box game.
- Quick game time.
Might not like
- Luck of the dice.
- Not dice mitigation.
- May be too light for some people.