I recently had the opportunity to play the board game Echidna Shuffle for the first time. and I was pleasantly surprised by how much fun it was! It’s a simple game that is easy to learn but challenging to master, and it’s perfect for players of almost all ages.
What is Echidna Shuffle?
Echidna Shuffle is a race game where players compete to be the first to get three of their coloured bugs to their matching coloured home stumps. The game board is a large, colourful map of a forest, with paths and arrows indicating the direction that the echidnas can move. Each player has three bugs and three stumps, which are placed randomly on the board.
Key Features
- Number of Players: 2-6
- Playtime: 30-60 minutes
- Age: 6+
- Publisher: Wattsalpoag games
How to Play Echidna Shuffle
Echidna Shuffle Setup
- Place the number board in the centre of the table.
- Place the echidna die next to the number board.
- Each player chooses a colour and selects three bugs and three stumps of that colour.
- Place the bugs on the pickup spaces.
- Place the stumps on the board, making sure that each player has a stump in each of the three corners of the board.
- Place the echidnas randomly on the board.
Echidna Shuffle Gameplay
Players take turns rolling the echidna die and moving the echidnas according to the number rolled. Echidnas can only be moved in the direction of the arrows on the board.
If an echidna lands on a player’s pickup space, that player can pick up one of their bugs and place it on the echidna’s back. The player then moves the echidna and their bug towards one of their home stumps.
No two echidnas can share the same space so if there is one where you want to move an Echidna, you must move the echidna that is in the way to a different space first using one of your moves. This can obviously lead to some thinking of what needs to be moved before you can move the echidna you want to move. The first player to get all three of their bugs to their home stumps wins the game.
The game’s unique movement system is one of my favourite aspects. A special dice board determines your moves. Rolling a 2 on your turn guarantees a 7 on your next turn, and vice versa. This pattern applies to all rolls (2-7). You effectively alternate between rolling the die and moving the complementary value. This clever system ensures consistent progress for all players, minimizing the impact of pure luck and preventing anyone from falling significantly behind.
Tips and Strategies
- Plan your moves carefully. It’s important to think ahead and plan your moves so that you can get your bugs to your home stumps as quickly as possible.
- Don’t be afraid to block your opponents. If you see an opponent getting close to winning, try to block their path by moving echidnas in front of them. Or even moving them down the wrong path when there is a choice with the direction arrows.
- Use the number board to your advantage. The number board allows you to predict how many spaces you will be able to move on your next turn. This can help you plan your moves more effectively.
Overall
Echidna Shuffle is a fun and engaging game that is perfect for families and friends. It’s easy to learn but challenging to master, and it’s sure to provide hours of entertainment. I highly recommend it.
Don’t Just take my word for it. here are a few review videos