Spell is a compact head-to-head game of tile placement, area control, and pattern recognition from Nuts!, designed and illustrated by Jesus Fuentes. It plays in about 20 minutes (over up to 6 rounds), and the whole thing fits in a tiny box.

Get out your sonic screwdriver, because this game is definitely bigger than its box.

Gameplay Overview:

The goal is simple: reach 16 power (points) before your opponent does. Each turn, you and your mage take two actions. Move your mage, activate an adjacent tile, or perform an upheaval to rearrange the tiles of the board. Variants can adjust the actions and even the action count, but the core remains the same.

During the third round of tile turning and smart placement, you’re in a position to begin matching patterns on the board to the rune cards. Make a match, and you may claim the rune card, the points, and the spell(s) on the back. Depending on which level of rune you achieved, you can place a minion, take an extra mage move, or shove your opponent off their tile by casting your spell.

Helpfully, you may hold on to the spell and use it at a time of your choosing. As your turn progresses, you may be able to claim additional runes if you time the play of your tiles right. You may even get lucky and find that the runes displayed overlap in their patterns. You can claim one rune per turn from each of the 4 tiers. The advanced rune deck will make you work harder. An asymmetrical version of play casts a lively enchantment over the table.

Magician meeples start on opposite sides of the neutral tile

Gameplay Experience:

Spell is a bigger game than its tiny box lets on. The worker placement and tile placement, which then layers on pattern matching, is a fun puzzle. I enjoyed the brain buzz of spatial thinking this game requires. If spatial thinking isn’t your thing, my mage predicts you’re not going to enjoy it.

Round and score markers keep track of progress

Learn from my mistake: don’t play this game with someone who is casual about the mechanics or isn’t a spatial thinker. It will ruin your gameplay. The play turns defensive, and no one scores because no one is building patterns in the short 6 rounds you have to make those 16 points.

I enjoyed the solo variant of the game, and it’s likely going to keep this game in my collection for a quick 20-minute end-of-day reset. I even ventured out on my own and pulled in the asymmetry cards, and enjoyed the slight advantage it gave me (it’s hard to beat the machine).

Make a match with a basic rune card in the shop to score points and gain a spell

Expect low-scoring games. I think the game really shines after a couple of plays, once you introduce the asymmetrical features. With the asymmetrical addition, you’re exploiting your strength and making the tile movements work best for you despite your opponent. If you get in your opponent’s way while making a great move, so be it. I did not find this game to be as head-to-head as advertised.

On the visual side, Jesus Fuentes’ art was not to my taste and felt disconnected from the theme. I found the iconography easy to interpret. The rulebook does a nice job of walking you through the game while offering tips for a smoother first experience. The world-building woven into the rulebook feels a bit forced, and while it doesn’t get in the way, it’s not casting any spells.

Final Thoughts:

Spell is a fun game. If you enjoy spatial puzzles, area control-lite, tile placement and movement, and a little worker placement thrown into 20 minutes of play, you’re going to have a good time with Spell. With its straightforward rule set, it’s easy to get to the table and easy to teach. Get a couple of plays in, then move on to that advanced grimoire of asymmetry for more fun.

Final Score: 3.5 Stars – Spell is a good game for puzzlers and pattern recognition fans. You’ll find a lot to love in a small package. Just know your audience. Bring it to the table solo or with the right player, and it sparkles. Bring it to the wrong one, and it quietly fizzles.

Hits
• Puzzly
• Lots of game in a small box
• Easy to learn and teach

Misses:
• Art and theme disconnected from gameplay
• Not as head-to-head as described