Kingdomino is a popular tile-laying board game that introduces younger players to strategy board games. Similar to a game of Dominoes, players will have to draw two-sided tiles in an effort to earn points and beat out the other players. While Kingdomino is a simple and fun game that’s perfect for families, they’ve also released a sequel called Queendomino that adds a few more challenging mechanics.
Kingdomino
In the game of Kingdomino, you’re a lord who’s seeking new lands with which to grow your kingdom. From wheat fields to lakes to mountains, you’ll have to work against the other lords to be the first to nab the best plots.
Laying Down the Dominos
Kingdomino pits players against each other in order to see who can build the best 5×5 grid of dominoes by the end of the last round. The board game comes with 48 numbered dominoes that get shuffled and placed into a draw pile for players to choose from. Each player gets to start with one square piece, then gets to draw one additional tile each round to add to their kingdom.
The tiles in Kingdomino are similar to traditional dominoes in that each one has two different ends. In Kingdomino, however, these ends represent different landscapes with which to build your kingdom. In order to add a tile to your board, you must place it next to another tile of the same landscape. Tiles of the same landscape will form properties, which can earn you points.
Gathering Crowns
While you’ll earn points by connecting tiles with the same landscape to form large properties, you’ll also earn points through crowns. The tiles in Kingdomino each come with a certain number of crowns on each end, which will help boost your points at the end of the game. When all of the tiles have been collected, players will calculate points based on the size of their properties, then multiply that score by the number of crowns on it.
Crowns also play a role in the order that you draw dominos. If you choose the tile with the highest number of crowns on it, then you’ll earn more points in the end. However, this means you’ll be one of the last players to choose the next tile. Choosing a low number tile with no crowns on it earns you the ability to be first in line to choose in the next round.
In order to place a domino on your board, it has to either touch your starting square or match the landscape of another tile. If you can’t legally place your domino, then you have to discard it and lose your turn. Your kingdom cannot be larger than a 5×5 grid of landscapes. However, if you’re playing the game with only 2 players, then you can each form a 7×7 grid using more tiles.
Queendomino
Queendomino involves the same gameplay as Kingdomino in terms of laying tiles, although it comes with a few more game mechanics that make it more complicated. This board game can be played independently from Kingdomino or they can be mixed together, allowing 4-6 players to play at once.
Buying Buildings
In the game of Queendomino, your task is to build your kingdom by claiming different landscapes such as wheat fields, marshes, and mountains. However, you can also add buildings to your land to earn even more points and win certain bonuses. Each player gets access to the Builders’ Board, which holds six Building Tiles for purchase.
The Builders’ Board will assign a different cost to each Building Tile at the beginning of the game. The longer you go without buying a Building Tile, the cheaper it will be. However, you don’t want to wait too long, or else someone else will nab it first. If you build one of the Building Tiles, then you can earn crowns, knights, and towers.
Collecting Taxes
Another new mechanic that comes with Queendomino is the inclusion of knights. Your knights will travel throughout your realm to collect taxes from your loyal subjects. By placing a knight onto one of your dominos, you can earn coins based on the size of your property. These coins can then be used to buy buildings to put on your land.
You can place up to two knights each turn, but you have to place them both on the same tile, taxing each terrain separately. However, if your tile features two of the same terrain, then you’ll earn twice the income from that terrain.
Towers, Queens, and Dragons
Some building tiles will earn you towers. Whichever player has the most towers in their kingdom earns the honor of hosting the Queen. This will reduce all of your building costs by 1 coin. If the Queen resides in your kingdom once the game is over, she’ll also add one additional crown to your largest property.
The dragon is the part of Queendomino that adds a bit of fun malevolence to the game. The dragon allows a player to burn one of the buildings in the market row, preventing one of the other players from getting it. If you lack the number of coins to buy a building but want to stick it to the other players, the dragon can help you earn some sweet revenge.
Build Your Kingdom with Kingdomino and Queendomino
Kingdomino is playable by 2-4 players. If you play with only two players, then you can build a larger 7×7 grid, while four players will have to stick to the standard 5×5 grid. This board game is suitable for ages 8 and up, as it’s easy to understand and fast-paced. Playing time lasts around 15 minutes, so you can easily knock out a couple of rounds.
Queendomino is also playable by 2-4 players, although you can play with up to six players if you integrate the two games. It’s also suitable for ages 8 and up, although playing time lasts a little bit longer at 25 minutes due to the added complexity.
If you’re interested in fantasy, strategy, and logic, then you’ll love Kingdomino and Queendomino. Consider one or both of these games the next time you’re looking to add a new board game to family game night. Buy these board games today and enjoy the prosperity of your kingdom!
