Unassuming by name and design, The Quacks of Quedlinburg is the type of game that would be easy to overlook. But as the saying goes, one should not judge a book by its cover. Players take on the mantle of charlatans, otherwise known as “quack doctors”, in attempts to concoct secret brews, carefully navigating disaster.

The aesthetic of The Quacks of Quedlinburg is rather simple, along the same lines as a game like Broom Service. It’s not the type of game to ‘wow’ you with its design, but the components are solid and each part is effective at explaining its role in the game. The only drawback I see is that after several plays, I feel that the ingredient tokens may rub off and could potentially become difficult to read. Considering how frequently players will handle these tokens, a more premium upgrade would have been nice here.

Each player has their own board, representing a pot. Everyone starts the game with the same ingredients in their draw-bags. The rules suggest that drawing ingredients from the bag can be done individually, but we found that it was best when everyone drew each token at the same time. Starting from the centre of the pot, players will place their ingredients spiralling outward. The round continues until players either decide to stop or the pot explodes. The pot explodes if a player has drawn white tokens with a sum greater than 7. If a player’s pot explodes, they are forced to decide between scoring victory points or taking the gold to purchase new ingredients to add to their bag.

The Quacks of Quedlinburg takes place over the course of 9 rounds. After the first two rounds, additional ingredients are unlocked for purchase. Each player has a rat token, which acts as a helpful “comeback mechanic” for any players who have disastrous luck. Additionally, players may spend rubies to either move the starting point of their pot outward, or refill their flask - a one-time mulligan to undo the drawing of a white token.

Push-your-luck type games will always be a crowd pleaser for table top fans. The Quacks of Quedlinburg offers players the thrill of gambling, while giving just enough tools to mitigate their luck (or lack thereof). The different types of tokens provide unique strategic avenues for victory. And with 4 different configurations of tokens, there’s a lot to experiment with. It’s impressive how well they were able to combine “deck-building” elements into a push-your-luck game. There is little player interaction, but you’ll constantly find yourself observing your opponents boards. The game provides the illusion of engagement; a pleasant surprise. Personally, games that are more solitary experiences fall flat, but I really enjoyed every play of Quacks.

The Quacks of Quedlinburg is a great table top experience for all ages and experience-levels. After getting through the first round or two, it’ll feel like you’ve got a strong grasp on its mechanics. And the game has pace to it that is important for keeping everyone entertained. Since there are no turns, everyone can feel involved at all points in the game. Charlatans, experts and everyone in between will love The Quacks of Quedlinburg.