Matthew BaileyGame 39 of the “Bailey Family Summer 2023 Board Game Bonanza” is “Honeycombs,” played by Jack (8.) and myself.
“Honeycombs” is a tile-matching game that offers three different rule variants. The first involves each player receiving an equal number of tiles and racing to match them together to earn the most points. Generally, I’m not a fan of games that rely on speed, especially when played with children of varying ages. However, I can see this being potentially enjoyable with an older group. There’s also a friendly cooperative version where players take turns placing tiles to create a single large honeycomb and aim to score as many points as possible. This version is suitable for very young children.
The primary rules we played involved taking turns to place honeycomb tiles onto the grid, earning points for each matching icon on the tiles. To add spice, special tiles are included, such as “X2,” “Steal a Turn,” “Play Again” (which becomes a “Steal a Turn” in a two-player game), and a “Bee” tile that allows you to designate one symbol on your tile as a wild card. Some tiles also have Bee icons on them, and while we struggled to determine their exact rules, we decided to treat them as additional wild cards, which seemed to make the most sense.
The game continues until all tiles have been used, and the player with the higher score wins. The special rule tiles hold significant power, as they can shift the game in your favour. Typically, matches of two icons are the norm, with occasional threes, making the special tiles crucial for victory. Also, securing twos early in the game, when options are limited, is essential. Later in the game, it’s easier to achieve at least a two on every turn. In the game we played, both Jack and I were closely matched, with his last-turn three securing his victory.
The production values of this game are exceptionally high. The linen bag containing the tiles is well-crafted, and the tiles themselves are made from a phenol formaldehyde resin (similar to Bakelite), giving them a satisfying chunky, almost ceramic feel. If you’ve played games like “Hive” or “Cobra Paw,” you’ll recognise the material. A few tiles had minor marks even when new, which was slightly bothersome, but it didn’t significantly affect the overall experience. Although, I now know that the tile with a black mark is an “X2” tile.
I really like this package. It’s beautifully designed, well-presented, and visually appealing. The tiles are ergonomically pleasing to handle, and the game looks delightful when set up on the table. It’s rare for me to describe a game as “nice,” but that’s precisely what “Honeycombs” is – a simple pleasant game to play. It was a perfect choice for a pre-bedtime game after Jack and I engaged in a considerably more intense round of “Challengers!”
I would certainly recommend “Honeycombs,” especially considering its various rule versions, which make it suitable for playing with small children as a cooperative matching game.
Lovely stuff.
Disclaimer: A copy of “Honeycombs” was kindly provided by Gibsons Games ([https://gibsonsgames.co.uk/collections/family](https://gibsonsgames.co.uk/collections/family…)) for the purpose of review and also as a donation to the school at which I work. All of our thoughts and opinions are our own (try to convince an eight and five-year-old to not give you an honest answer, and you will see why this is definitely not in doubt).
