Dobble Connect

Today we’re looking at Dobble Connect, which is basically a slightly more involved version of Dobble (or Spot It! in some other territories). Since I’m in the UK, I’ll stick with calling it Dobble.

Now, Dobble is one of the most successful modern party games around. It’s always popping up on recommendation lists for quick, travel-friendly games. I’ll be upfront though, I’m not the biggest Dobble fan. Speed-based games aren’t really my thing, so if you are a Dobble superfan, you might see this very differently to me. Consider this a middling review from someone who doesn’t massively love Dobble.

So how does Dobble Connect differ? Well, it works in a very similar way, but with two big changes. First, instead of one shared deck, each player has their own set of coloured cards. Everyone is working to place their cards down into a shared hexagonal grid, almost like a tile-laying game. You play by finding a matching symbol with a card already on the table, then slotting yours in to connect it up.

The second twist is that you can choose whether to push forward with your own chain of cards or look for opportunities to block your opponents by matching symbols on their lines instead. That tactical decision gives it a bit more “game” than classic Dobble. Interestingly, I actually found it easier to pick a symbol on my card first and then scan the table for a match, rather than the other way round. It sped things up for me, which is unusual for Dobble.

One thing worth noting is that, unlike standard Dobble, this one takes up a fair bit of table space. It definitely loses some of that travel-friendly appeal. Games are still fast, frantic and a bit chaotic, though expect arms everywhere and some stretching across the table if younger kids are involved!

For me, it’s still not quite my cup of tea, but if you’re a Dobble fan, this might be the version that makes it feel more like a “proper” game. I won’t slap a maybe rating on this one—it really comes down to whether Dobble already goes down well in your home.

*If you are a massive Dobble fan you might like this more!