Matthew BaileyI’m not usually a fan of party games, but recently I got the chance to try out “Oh My Pigeons!”, a new party game by Ravensburger. I have to admit, I really enjoyed it, and the boys absolutely loved it too.
The basic idea of the game is straightforward. Everyone has a bench, and the goal is to fill that bench with pigeons from a central pile. You play cards from your hand that allow you to do things like take pigeons from the middle, steal them from another player, or rotate everyone’s hands. The challenge is to manipulate the cards so that you end up with a full bench of pigeons.
One thing I really like about games like this is that even though they don’t play like traditional party games, you can still explain it in a way that makes sense to someone who’s only played classic party card games. This helps them feel comfortable, even if the game itself is a bit different.
At its core, this is basically a “Take That” game. Strangely, it reminded me of “Munchkin”, a game I haven’t played in years but was one of the first that got me into the hobby side of board games back in the late 2000s.
Aside from the pigeon-collecting actions, there are other things you can do in the game. For example, if you have two heart cards, you can play them together, doubling their value, which is incredibly powerful. There is also the “Oh My Pigeons!” card, which lets you roll a special dice with some pretty strong effects. These include taking three or five pigeons from the middle or stealing two or four from another player. You can even split the stolen pigeons between multiple players, which adds a nice tactical element. And let’s not forget the all-important “Take Cover Poo” dice!
If you roll the “Take Cover” symbol, you get to flick the dice from your bench towards an opponent’s bench in an attempt to knock off their pigeons. It’s completely unnecessary but in the best way possible. This mechanic adds an extra bit of fun to the game without turning it into a full-on dexterity challenge.
Over the past few years, I have really warmed to these kinds of simple party games. What I like about this one in particular is the variety of ways you can manipulate your hand. In one game, I was sure I had the win in the bag. I was comfortably ahead, and Toby hadn’t been collecting much. Suddenly, he played a rotate card, and my almost full hand ended up in front of him. He won in the very next round. It was such a surprise!
The components are of really good quality. The box art is lovely, the cards are made from sturdy cardstock, and the benches are well-designed. I also appreciate that there are different moulds for the pigeons. If I had to be extremely picky, I would have liked mini plastic pigeons instead, but that’s just a minor quibble.
I should mention that this game does contain some “Take That” moments, which can be tricky if you are playing with children who might struggle with losing or with other players doing things that feel a bit mean. However, despite that, this is a fantastic family party game with a fun and quirky aesthetic.
Overall, “Oh My Pigeons!” is a great party game that I ended up enjoying much more than I expected, and the boys absolutely loved it.
Disclaimer: A copy of “Oh my Pigeons!” was provided by “Ravensburger” for the purposes of review. Our thoughts and opinions are however my own (Toby(6) and Jack(9) aren’t going to have their judgement clouded I can assure you).
