Meeple Circus

RRP: £37.99
Now £22.63(SAVE 40%)
RRP £37.99
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Let the show begin! You have only one goal in Meeple Circus: Entertain the audience. The competition is tough, but you can create the most amazing circus by proposing incredible acts! Acrobats, horses, and many accessories are at your disposal. Be sure to undertake a good rehearsal, then with your remarkable dexterity, you can give them the show of their lifetime. Once the circus mu…
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Awards

Rating

  • Artwork
  • Complexity
  • Replayability
  • Player Interaction
  • Component Quality

You Might Like

  • Ace components.
  • You get to act like a big kid!
  • Brings together families and friends.
  • Wide Appeal.
  • Use of the companion app to integrate music and a timer to each round of play.

Might Not Like

  • Clowns…
  • Dexterity games can be difficult for some players to enjoy.
  • The ‘silliness’ involved some of the final round cards may not be for everybody.
  • May be difficult for younger children to play.
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Description

Ever fancied running your own Big Top? Now you can, thanks to Matagot’s very own Meeple Circus! Daring balancing acts are staple ingredients of any circus act. The crowds paid good money to be here tonight, and they demand to see something breathtaking! That’ll be you – trying to balance Carcassonne-sized meeples on top of one another. Meeple Circus is a dexterity game that takes place over three rounds. Players aim to build and balance wooden shapes in specific layouts to earn points. First they draft, where players take turns to select which circus employees they’ll use as part of their act. These could be barrels, balance beams, elephants and other animals, or blue, yellow or red acrobat meeples. (Or should we say, ‘acrobeeples’?) Then, in simultaneous fashion, players have to balance their pieces against the clock. Each round, four cards show specific set-ups (a seal balancing a ball, or two meeples holding a beam, and so on). Each are worth points, if you can complete said acts before the time runs out. Bonus points are up for grabs too, for placing different coloured starter meeples in specific ways. You also score points for how tall your act is. The higher you go, the more the audience clap. The more they applaud, the more points you earn. The timer mechanism works with a smartphone app (or visiting the website). It plays recognisable circus music. It might sound like a silly addition, but you’ll be amazed at how it ratchets up the tension. Everyone rushes to place their pieces to the beat of the slapstick riffs pulsating in the background. It’s the kind of game where passing observers of the game get just as much of a kick out of it as the participants! Do you like light-hearted dexterity games like Jenga? If so, then you’ll thrive on the intricacies at play in Meeple Circus. Player Count: 2-5 players Time: 45 minutes Age: 8+

Step right up! We have a great show for you fine folks this evening. We have high flying acrobats, balancing elephants and grown adults honking their noses to a backing soundtrack! One of the hits of Essen 2017, Meeple Circus has been available for a few months in the UK, so let’s draw back the curtain and take a closer look.

Meeple Circus – The Game

Designed by Cédric Millet, published by Matagot, Meeple Circus sees 2-5 players compete to stage the greatest spectacle across three rounds. The first two rounds are considered as ‘Rehearsals’, with play taking place simultaneously, culminating in a final ‘Performance Round’.

Each round is split into two phases, the first being selecting component tiles/cards and taking the objects from the supply. Players will take either one of the six available component tiles, or one of the ‘Circus Act’ tiles (number of players+1). They will then have to pick one of the other tiles from the set they did not select from first time round the table. Once all tiles are selected – and components collected – play moves into the second half of the round, that of the Rehearsal/Performance.

This is where the fun (read: stress) really ramps up. Players will need to build tower(s) of differing shapes and sizes in order to gain applause (victory points). It is recommended that this is done in conjunction with the free companion app that adds music and a timer to proceedings.

The first two players to complete their Rehearsal builds will need to shout “TADA” and claim any of the remaining speed bonus applause tiles. Once all players have finished, applause is tallied up. Different coloured acrobat meeples score depending on where they are in a player’s performance. Blue acrobats score one point each for being on the ground, yellow acrobats score one point each for being in the air (being carried) and red acrobats score applause dependant on how high they are from the ground – this is confirmed using a handy Measuring Ruler.

Bonus applause will also be handed out should players manage to match any of the four bonus cards on display (these can score multiple times over).

Once all applause has been handed out to players, the player currently in last place becomes the first player, and has a choice as to whether they wish to discard one of the bonus cards. Play then moves into the next round. Scoring tends to be relatively close early on, but all that can change in the blink of an eye!

The only major difference in the second round to the first is that the Circus Act tiles are replaced with those from the green stack, which will depict a bonus character meeple. These are double-sided, and the tile will denote how these will score that round.

At the beginning of the final Round (round three / Performance), the green Circus Act tiles are replaced with those from the blue stack. These generally alter the way in which the player that chooses them will have to act and/or build their circus. I won’t ruin the surprise by detailing these tiles, but let’s just say they may make you act out of character… Green Circus Act tiles from the second round of play will also score double for that player, so they best make full use of them.

The player with the most applause at the end of round three is the winner.

Thoughts on Meeple Circus

Despite being terrible at this game, I can’t help but come away from each play with a smile. I regularly witness fellow players pull out some incredible balancing skills that would make a physicist ask serious questions about life and the universe.

The rehearsal rounds can be tense, with players having to decide whether they want to rush for those all important few speed bonus points or use up the time allocated. I do find that the game shines in the final Performance Round. I’ve had people watching from afar and shouting their support and guffawing when it all goes terribly wrong.

In games that seem to thrive on their silliness, the greatest enjoyment will be derived by those that really get into the theme and lose themselves in the moment. For me personally, the ‘optional’ Performance tiles are a mandatory inclusion whenever I bring this to the table.

There is plenty of space in the box for possible expansions.  These would be well received, mainly to switch up the components and increase replay-ability. This isn’t a game you would necessarily play each and every week, but a great choice when you don’t want to engross yourself in something overly serious and time consuming.

Matagot have a real winner on their hands. I would highly recommend this for anybody looking for a dexterity game to add to their collection.

Zatu Score

Rating

  • Artwork
  • Complexity
  • Replayability
  • Player Interaction
  • Component Quality

You might like

  • Ace components.
  • You get to act like a big kid!
  • Brings together families and friends.
  • Wide Appeal.
  • Use of the companion app to integrate music and a timer to each round of play.

Might not like

  • Clowns
  • Dexterity games can be difficult for some players to enjoy.
  • The silliness involved some of the final round cards may not be for everybody.
  • May be difficult for younger children to play.