Bridges into the future

Hashi

Aficionados of simple puzzles like Sudoku or nonograms probably also know  Hashiwokakeros (from Hashikake, Japanese for bridge), which are often called Hashis in newspapers. This adaptation of the puzzle to a board game by Jeffrey Allers also uses this abridged name. So, lets turn to bridge building together.

Hashi is, of course, usually intended to be a puzzle for one person. You must connect points, representing islands, connect to neighboring points with one or two strokes, representing bridges. Each island shows a number which tells you the number of bridges that lead off that island. Aim for the player is to connect all islands with the correct number of bridges. Important in each puzzle is, too, that all islands are connected, there can be no isolated areas.

This goes for the solo puzzle, but how is that modified to a competitive game for several players? First, each player draws on his own board which shows 18 islands. At the start, your board shows one island with a number that was entered by your neighbor. Then 17 out of 18 cards are drawn one after the other - one card always stays out of the game randomly - and shows a number, which players must enter on one of their islands, and also a number of bridges which also need to be marked.

The rules for entering numbers and bridges result in restrictions, as numbers can only be entered into empty islands without a flag or into islands with a bridge. Bridges, on the other hand, can only be build off islands carrying a number. Those rules does not change the puzzle much, but you score bonus points if you are first to connect certain islands. So there is a continuous weighing of connecting islands nicely to score more points for completed islands or to connect islands quickly to score bonus points.

Hashi is a nice puzzle game, very well suited for solo play to try to build island groups as perfectly as possible. Even in a multi-player game is remains a solo game and the challenge is the aim to build better than the competitors. The game plays quickly and when all know the rules you can complete a game in ten minutes, as you know relatively soon at which points you‘d better not place a #1 island, as this blocks everything. This is also, in my opinion, the biggest weakness of the game as there are only two boards and you soon know how to best place and connect the islands. For a price tag of scant 15 €, the performance is superb nonetheless.

Players: 1-4

Age: 8+

Time: 20+

Designer: Jeffrey D. Allers

Artist: Oliver & Sandra Freudenreich

Publisher: nsv 2021

Web: www.nsv.de

Genre: Bridge building, result marking

Users: With friends

Special: 1 player

Version: de

Rules: cz de en es fr gr it pl pt

In-game text: no

My rating: 5

Chance (pink): 1

Tactic (turquoise): 1

Strategy (blue): 2

Creativity (dark blue): 0

Knowledge (yellow): 0

Memory (orange): 0

Communication (red): 0

Interaction (brown): 0

Dexterity (green): 0

Action (dark green): 0