Second Look—Slapshot

When you of Columbia Games, you generally think of their amazing block wargames. That’s why when I heard about Slapshot, I was a bit taken aback.  A silly, family, card game from a company most know for historical wargames? Seems a bit odd.

It is. In a good way!

Slapshot is a simple game of wacky hockey. Each player plays a coach with a hockey team of 6 players. Each player has a number which indicates how effective they are. Each turn you can trade a player, draft a player, or call a game. Trading involves taking a card at random from another player, and giving them the same type of player you took. Drafting has you placing the player you want to get rid of at the bottom of their respective draw deck and taking a new one.

The meat of the game comes with the games. The player that calls the game gets the home stadium advantage, and automatically scores a point. The players then order their players into a pile, and flip them over one at a time. The numbers are compared and the highest number scores a point. A point can never be scored on a goalie, unless it’s another goalie or Tiny Tim, a special player. Along with those simple rules there are also players that are Bruisers. These players knock out the player they’re up against whether they score a point or not. At the end of the current game, the player who was knocked out is returned to the draw deck and a new one is taken.

Each game won progresses your token up the track to the playoffs. Win those, and you win Slapshot! There’s some additional advanced rules you can play with, and rules for playing in a league setting.

The game is a lot of fun with the kids, and they’ve already played it a ton of times since summer vacation started for them. It’s simple, quick, and portable enough to travel with you, too.

In the end, it may not be the best game for older players, but as a family game Slapshot really shines. It’s a fantastic game for me to leave on the kids’ shelf to play whenever they get the urge, and lately they’ve had the urge!

A copy of Slapshot was provided free for review by Columbia Games.