Castle Combo Review – Building a Kingdom on a Budget and a Prayer

Disclaimer: Castle Combo was provided for free by Pandasaurus Games, although the writing and opinions of this article are my own.

Welcome to Castle Combo, knave!

These bold words greet you from the back of the box, daring you to dive into Pandasaurus Games’ latest tableau-building adventure.

It’s been a strong year for Pandasaurus, with hits like Sea, Salt & Paper and Faraway. Now, Castle Combo marks their third small-box release this year to capture my attention. And thankfully, I didn’t have to wait long to get my hands on it.

With the hype swirling around this quirky castle-builder, it’s time to find out if it lives up to its regal promise.

How to play

In Castle Combo, the noble aristocracy and hardworking villagers set their differences aside to help you claim victory. Over nine rounds, you’ll build a 3×3 grid of interconnected, point-scoring cards. Along the way, you’ll collect coins, trigger card abilities, and aim to achieve the ultimate castle combo.

Each turn, you’ll draft a card from the game’s market, which is split into two rows of three cards each. One row contains Castle Cards, representing the snobbish royalty and overpaid guards. These cards offer big rewards but demand a lot of coins. The other row features Village Cards, showcasing the hardworking folk who keep things running. These cards are more affordable but come with more modest benefits.

However, only one row is active at any given time, as determined by the Town Messenger token. And while it’s not technically canon, I like to imagine the Town Messenger as a smug troublemaker with shifty eyes. Because whenever I play, they’re always in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Luckily, you don’t have to play by the Town Messenger’s rules. You can use one Key per turn to:

• Flip the Market: Move the Town Messenger to activate the other market row.
• Refresh the Current Row: Replace the three cards in the active row with fresh options.

Now, let’s talk about the cards themselves. Each has four essential features:

• An Action: Triggered immediately when the card is added to your grid.
• End-Game Scoring: A condition that awards points, such as bonuses for shield colours or card placement.
• A Shield Category: An icon that connects to various scoring opportunities.
• Change Market Icon: Found on select cards, this flips the Town Messenger to the other market row after drafting.

If none of the available cards suit your strategy, or your budget, you can draft a card and play it face down in your grid. This grants you 6 coins and 2 keys, giving your economy a much-needed boost.

Otherwise, be on the lookout for cards featuring purses. These can be a goldmine, scoring 2 points for every coin they contain. However, purses start empty, so you’ll need to find ways to fill them during the game. Or use leftover coins at the end to maximise their value.

Once all players have completed their 3×3 grids, the game ends. Victory points are tallied card by card, moving from the top left to the bottom right of each grid. Any unused keys are also worth points. The player with the highest total is crowned the Castle Combo champion!

A solid medieval puzzle

Castle Combo draws you in with its charming satirical take on the Middle Ages, from royal guards to plague doctors. Stéphane Escapa’s artwork is exceptional, giving each character exaggerated features and oddball expressions that are sure to make you smile.

But when it comes to gameplay, in a word, Castle Combo is solid.

It’s got everything you’d want in a great tableau builder: immediate card actions and long-term end-game scoring combine to create a satisfying puzzle that tests your tactical chops. But Castle Combo doesn’t stop there, it adds a few clever twists to keeps things interesting.

First, there’s the rotating market and the strategic use of keys. With so many options like switching markets, refresh a row, or grabbing a card with a Change Market icon you’re always on the lookout for a better option. One that benefits you the most, while cheekily putting other players in a bad position. However, with only one key to play with each turn, and any keys you save are worth points at the end of the game. Every time you spend a key isn’t free of remorse.

You can use this switching to your opponent’s disadvantage as well. If they’re broke and looking for money, send them to the castle row. Causing them to either spend big, spend a key, or end the turn with 0 points.

Then there’s the 3×3 grid, Castle Combo’s signature twist. Many end-game scoring conditions apply only to the row or column of the card you place. This means you’re constantly juggling scoring opportunities, which is both fun and maddening. It’s easy to draft a card thinking it’s perfect, only to realise later that placing it elsewhere would’ve scored more points.

Thankfully, the game lets you start your tableau anywhere, so the first card you place could be the centre card, the top right card, or anywhere else, giving you some early flexibility. But once you lock in three cards in a row or column, your layout is set for the rest of the game, which reduces your options for placement near the end of the game.

The final clever twist is Castle Combo’s tight economy. Your income is entirely tied to the cards you draft, and if the market doesn’t play nice, you’ll face some tough calls. Do you settle for weaker village cards to save money? Or splurge on powerful castle cards, even if it leaves you broke?

And when you’re desperate, flipping a card face down for coins and keys can bail you out. But at the cost of a big fat ZERO on the scorepad for that card. This financial challenge is one that will continually force you to adapt and rethink your strategy constantly. Especially after you purchase one or two castle cards.

All a little too familiar

I typically love tableau-building games. The joy of crafting an intricate web where every card pulls its weight is hard to beat. But with Castle Combo, while I managed to piece together some solid combinations, they were few and far between. For a game with “combo” in its name, that’s a bit disappointing.

There were flashes of brilliance, like someone scoring 20 points off a single card (in a game where 80 total points is the norm), but finding the right cards to fit my grid was a constant struggle, even with the market-rotation mechanic. The culprit seemed to be the card distribution; with too many different types of shields, compatible cards were annoyingly rare. As a result, the promise of chaining dazzling combos always felt just out of reach.

That said, patching together a functional grid from what’s available is still enjoyable. I just wish the combos felt more intentional and rewarding. Something Faraway nailed effortlessly.

One thing to note, for seasoned board gamers, is that while Castle Combo is clever and well-designed, it doesn’t really break new ground. Even with its unique mechanics, it gave me a sense of déjà vu, like playing a remix of games I’ve already seen before. Which is why I’m not so high on the game as I’ve seen some reviewers.

Still, Castle Combo is a solid game. For newcomers to tableau-building, it’s a fantastic introduction that captures the genre’s core appeal. Its multi-dimensional tableau mechanic adds a fresh twist, and the tight economy ensures every choice feels meaningful. So, if someone brought it to game night, I wouldn’t hesitate to play.