Patchwork: Halloween Edition Review

Just when you thought quilting couldn’t get anymore cutthroat or macabre along comes Patchwork: Halloween Edition. No longer are beautiful blue buttons sufficient. No longer are simple leather patches desired. No, our quilters require eyeball buttons and pumpkin patches (haha) to craft the perfect work of spooky art! Do you have the GUTS to collect the risky patches or will your quilt lack all the creativity and goo necessary to comfort your little hellion? Play and find out!

Patchwork: Halloween Edition is a slightly modified (14 patches exactly) version of Patchwork, but with a more interesting theme pasted on top. For this review, I will be explaining the rules using the wording from the original review we published, but will change the terminology to fit this version. My thoughts on this new version will be given at the end of the review. (Ok, I actually just read through my previous review and it is kind of a mess, so I will start over.)

To setup, place the Time Board in the middle of the table, shuffle(?) the polyomino patches and place them in a circl-ish shape around the Time Board. Within this shape also place out the 7×7 bonus Special Tile, the Eyeball Tiles (currency), and the Special Pumpkin Patches. Players choose their color, taking their board and placing their pumpkin Time Token upon the Time Board starting space. Place the Neutral Token (gravestoneeple) between the smallest patch tile and the tile next to it in clockwise order. The game may now begin with players wrestling for first player honors. Fine, that part isn’t in the rules, but it should be.

Patchwork is not played in turns, but rather the active player is they whose Time Token is behind on the Time Board. Therefore, a player may even end up taking several turns in sequence before the other player has a chance to take a turn. On a turn, the active player will either be selecting a patch tile to add to their board or moving forward on the Time Board to earn eyeballs (currency).

The Neutral Token’s placement is incredibly important throughout the game, and players’ tactics constantly change as a result. When a player wishes to select a tile to place on their board, they choose from the three tiles next to the Neutral Token in clockwise order. They take their selection to their board and turn, flip, and adjust its orientation to fit on empty squares on their player board. The player pays for the tile both in eyeballs and moved spaces upon the Time Board. The Neutral Token is then moved to the hole left by the chosen tile to be used for the next turn.

However, throughout the game players may be cash-poor and need a quick influx of eyeballs. To do this, instead of purchasing a tile from the table, they may instead move their pumpkin to the space just after their opponent’s pumpkin on the Time Board. The player then takes the number of eyeballs equal to the number of spaces moved and passes play to the next player.

Along the way players will cross eyeball income and special patches on the Time Board. When the eyeball income icon is passed, the player will count the number of eyeballs present on all the tiles upon their board and receive payment in eyeballs for that amount. The special pumpkin patches, however, are taken off the board when passed, by the first player to pass them, and added to the player’s board. These special patches are a 1×1 patch used to fill spaces on the player board, but have no real value otherwise.

Play continues in this fashion until both players have moved their pumpkin Time Tokens into the last space. At this time, boards are evaluated to see if a player has earned the Special Tile (a full 7×7 grid full of patches for extra VP). The players then count up their uncovered board squares (worth -2VP each) and add up their remaining eyeball savings. The player with the most net VP at the end of the game is the winner!

Components. Like its predecessor, Patchwork: Halloween Edition boasts some great components. The game is mostly a ton of thick cardboard and three wooden *-eeples. The cardboard tiles are great, and the eyeballs are creepy (especially when it feels they are all looking at YOU), and the wooden tokens are just fine. What I really enjoy about this version is the individual art on each of the patch tiles. They are all super-fun and heavily thematic without being gross and murdery. I appreciate that in a Halloween-themed game, especially when I play them with my young children.

Oh, did I not mention that I play this with my 5-year-old son? Yes, he’s a gamer’s offspring, but the mechanics in the game are easily grasped by younglings and they really enjoy the theme, but mostly the eyeballs. I do hope a component upgrade option will be offered for this version as well, maybe with googly eyes or squishy eyeballs or something. Maybe I can just upgrade it myself… hmm…

I was quite happy to have Patchwork in my collection from the moment I first bought it. The game is wonderful, and I have always had a great time every time it is played. However, I am a big Halloween fan, and if I can play a game that is nearly exactly the same, I think I will pull out Halloween more often. This version doesn’t really add anything new besides an updated paint job and some more-balanced tiles, but I think I can enjoy playing it even more. Yes, it’s still making a quilt using patches and such, but they are creepy patches and it features my two favorite colors as player colors: orange and purple. I mean, if that isn’t a slap in the face that this needs to be my favored version, I don’t know what it.

That all said, Purple Phoenix Games gives this a 10 / 12. I don’t foresee Patchwork (of any theme) breaking into my Top 10, but maybe once this gets a nice pimping it will gain ranks and get there. We shall see. For now, I am happy to have grabbed a copy and I can’t wait until the day I have to buy another copy because this one is worn out. Have a ghoulishly great time with your eyeballs, everyone!