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BOARD GAMES Dobble
Dobble Review
Posted: 8 weeks ago, last updated 6 days ago.
Author: Rob Prior, @GeekDadGamer, Jo Robertson and Rich Adams.
Overview
Dobble (also called Spot It!) is a card game where you race other players to claim cards by spotting symbols. Each of the colourful cards has eight symbols, one of which always matches a symbol of another card. You race to spot the match, call it out and place your next card. This makes for a game of careful focus, quick deduction and lightning reactions that bring the competitive instinct out of even the calmest of people.
There are five variations of play, but the most common is called "Infernal Tower". For this variation, play involves shuffling the deck and dealing a single card to each player. Then the remaining cards are stacked in the centre face up. Play starts immediately and players try to match any of the symbols on their card with the symbols on the centre card.This sounds simple, but under pressure it can be hard to spot which of the possible 57 symbols matches on the two cards. The first player to spot a symbol, calls its name and then takes the card from the centre. This continues until all the cards are claimed, with the winner being the person with the most cards.
Play becomes more competitive as players get quicker at spotting the symbols. Not only is there a race to spot and name the symbol, you also have to develop physical dexterity and speed to claim the card before your opponents. This mix of physical and mental challenge makes this a competitive and action packed game to play with all ages.
There are five different variations of set up and play, which give the game a freshness over a longer period of time. There are also a number of different versions of the game, that include:
There are five variations of play, but the most common is called "Infernal Tower". For this variation, play involves shuffling the deck and dealing a single card to each player. Then the remaining cards are stacked in the centre face up. Play starts immediately and players try to match any of the symbols on their card with the symbols on the centre card.This sounds simple, but under pressure it can be hard to spot which of the possible 57 symbols matches on the two cards. The first player to spot a symbol, calls its name and then takes the card from the centre. This continues until all the cards are claimed, with the winner being the person with the most cards.
Play becomes more competitive as players get quicker at spotting the symbols. Not only is there a race to spot and name the symbol, you also have to develop physical dexterity and speed to claim the card before your opponents. This mix of physical and mental challenge makes this a competitive and action packed game to play with all ages.
There are five different variations of set up and play, which give the game a freshness over a longer period of time. There are also a number of different versions of the game, that include:
- Dobble Harry Potter Edition - This set features imagery from the famous wizarding world.
- Dobble Animals - This set is designed with animal symbols.
- Dobble Collector Edition - This includes two different sets of cards, one with glow in the dark symbols and one with gold effect symbols.
- Dobble 360 - This set includes a 3D device that rotates the cards through 360 degrees to make spotting the symbols even more challenging.
Game Details
Skill Rating: 3-8 year-olds
Release Date: 10/03/2011, updated in 2019
Genres: Communication, Dexterity and Race
Accessibility: 31 features
Pieces: Cards
Players: 2-6
Lists
View our choice of games like Dobble. This game is good if you want to:
Duration
Learn to Play: This takes 5 minutes to learn. This is a very simple game to learn and requires no reading, so it is accessible to all ages.
Play Time: This game will take between 5 minutes and 15 minutes to complete.
Play Time: This game will take between 5 minutes and 15 minutes to complete.
Play Style
You can play with 2 to 6 players in the same room.
You can play this game in the following styles:
Age Ratings
Skill Rating
3-8 year-olds usually have the required skill to enjoy this game. When playing with younger children, adults may need to be limited in some way to re-balance play.
Content Rating
We rate this suitable for 3+ years-olds.
Costs
No cost data.
Accessibility
Our Dobble Accessibility Report documents 31 accessibility features:
This report applies to the latest standard version of Dobble, rather than the special editions and XXL version.
Although colour isn't a barrier to play, it is a key ways to identify matching symbols and would disadvantage a colour blind player. Although orientation is random, players need to process this quickly to perform well.
Similarly for those with a visual impairment, although the game may be playable because of the large contrasting images, they will be at a disadvantage in quickly spotting matches.
The game is playable without hearing, provided the other players signal their matches with a motion rather than just shouting.
Report informed by Meeple Like Us assessment which offers an extended review.
This report applies to the latest standard version of Dobble, rather than the special editions and XXL version.
Although colour isn't a barrier to play, it is a key ways to identify matching symbols and would disadvantage a colour blind player. Although orientation is random, players need to process this quickly to perform well.
Similarly for those with a visual impairment, although the game may be playable because of the large contrasting images, they will be at a disadvantage in quickly spotting matches.
The game is playable without hearing, provided the other players signal their matches with a motion rather than just shouting.
Report informed by Meeple Like Us assessment which offers an extended review.
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