Matthew BaileyGame 2 of our “travel games log” is also the second Alley Cat tin game that we’re going to be looking at, and that is “Tic Tac Trek”. The best way I could describe “Tic Tac Trek” is a game of noughts and crosses (yes, I know it’s called tic-tac-toe in America, which is why it’s called “Tic Tac Trek”, but noughts and crosses it is) crossed with a tile-laying game. It actually has quite a lot in common with games like “OK” and “Candy Hunters” that we have looked at in the last few years.
The game itself is simple. Each of the tiles in the game has a nought on one side and a cross on the other, and each tile represents a different biome such as mountains, forest, plains, etc. You start the game by taking two tiles out of the bag and placing them next to each other—one as a nought, one as a cross. Each player is then assigned either noughts or crosses.
You then take turns drawing a tile and placing it orthogonally adjacent to the existing tiles while matching the terrain type. Alternatively, you can place it next to a water tile, which acts as a wild card. On the off chance that there is no legal placement, you can put the tile anywhere.
When you achieve three in a row, you place one of your nought or cross tokens on the tile you just laid. These tokens are unbelievably cool, and I’ll talk about them in a second.
What makes this game really interesting is the scoring system. Rather than getting points for making a row of three, you score based on the number of gaps around the tile you just placed. This means that you might even score zero points, the maximum from a single placement is seven points.
This adds a really strong tactical element. It’s not just about setting up rows of three—it’s about making sure that the last tile you place is in the most advantageous area to maximise your points. Equally, you need to watch what your opponent is doing, try to second-guess them, and block them where possible.
I played this with Jack (9) and Toby (6), and both really enjoyed it. It’s a relatively simple game based on something most kids already know, but the added scoring system makes it far more strategic than just lining up three in a row.
For such a small travel game, the component quality is outstanding. The wooden tokens are really nice—well screen-printed and great to handle. The only minor issue is that two of the greens are quite similar; I think I might have preferred a yellow tile for better contrast, but it’s not a deal-breaker.
The real star of the show, though, is the noughts and crosses campfires—each has a little flame with either a nought or a cross, and they are extremely well-made. For a relatively cheap travel game, these really add a premium feel to the package, as does the nice fabric bag to store the tiles.
Games of “Tic Tac Trek” are just the right length, and I really enjoyed it. It’s a very different game to “Barbecubes”, which we reviewed yesterday. The fact that it is only for two players might put some people off, but if you’re looking for a quick, abstract strategy game with a really nice theme, great components, and one that’s perfect to sling into a rucksack, this is a really good shout.
The game is out now on Alley Cat’s website and should be available at wider retail from March.
Disclaimer: “Tic Tac Trek” was kindly provided by “Alley Cat Games” for the purpose of review. Caezar Al-Jassar from Alley Cat Games is an active member of our community. Our thoughts and opinions are, however, our own.
