My Little Scythe - RFY / WFY
Review copy provided by the publisher
What’s the apple pie of board games? Well, if someone was to answer that nonsensical question, they might have to say My Little Scythe, the resplendent animal contest from design duo Hoby Chou and his daughter, Vienna.
It was originally a print-and-play game in 2017, but Stonemaier Games saw the potential and scooped it up to create a family-friendly adventure that riffs on some of the mechanisms from tabletop smash-hit Scythe while also showing off its own charm and sense of wonder for any players who weren’t maybe ready (or interested) in the heavier Euro cousin.
Players are introduced to the Kingdom of Pomme, which is home to numerous factions of furries, fly-ies, and other such animals. Using ambassadors for these adorable species, player must complete objectives faster than their opponents in order to win.
I’ve been diving into the world of kid-friendly board games now that my son is old enough and wants to join us around the table, so it made sense to look at My Little Scythe given my appreciation for the strategy game that inspired it.
Overview
Players are competing for trophies (I frequently call them objectives, but that’s Scythe and my rule-reading brain taking over). There are eight possible trophies that can be claimed, but once a player earns their fourth, the endgame will be triggered.
During play, there are three actions for players to choose from—Move, Seek, and Make. They can be upgraded over the course of the game, but players must cycle their pawn between these actions (just like you would with the player board in Scythe), so it’s a decision-making process to determine what order in which to perform actions.
Along the way, the game incorporates friendship (similar to Popularity if you’ve played the big box conflict fest), pies (a foodie—and delicious—way of engaging in combat), quests (because who doesn’t like a good quest?), and resources like apples, gems and even magic spells.
A whole mix of mechanics all jumble together in a jambalaya pot of board game silliness.
Theme
I’m going to be honest. I haven’t seen a board game start with a letter from Grandma before. It’s a definite first for me. And, typical for Grandma, she includes a history lesson in her appeal to the youth. It’s textbook G-ma. She always does stuff like that.
But maybe you should read it. It will tell you more about Pomme.
It’s a world of apples. A world of gems. Full of quests. And cute animals. But those animals are vying for the crown of Pomme. Someone will rise to the occasion… or the throne. It’s up to you (with maybe some advice from Grandma along the way).
Accessibility
There are several aspects of My Little Scythe which combine for a game that is friendly to young and new gamers alike, as well as anybody looking for fast-setup and variable player count.
One to six players can enjoy this zoological board game, expanding the common range of two to four players. A kid who knows the game well enough could play solo. Most families could all play it together. It has a lot of wiggle room for the size of your gaming group.
And I will also never pass up the opportunity to talk about Game Trayz inserts when they add to the gameplay experience. One separate tray helps players access the plastic miniatures and faction components quickly and the rest of the pieces are all stowed in the other insert, which you can keep out next to the board while playing for all players to reach if needed. It holds the board game components that you pull out for set up and it also contains the resource supplies that are used throughout the game. Something like the Game Trayz insert is always appreciated when it speeds up the time it takes to start actually playing.
Other than that, there are Personality Cards that help players finish certain objectives faster if you want to give any or all of the participants a leg up. It’s nice to consider when playing with both adults and younger players. The option of a handicap or advantage is great.
While there is combat in the game (in the form of face-smashing pie fights), there is also a strategic incentive to help other players through the form of gifting resources to their locations when foraging. That act grants a player an increase in Friendship, a game value that can contribute to winning a trophy. Ultimately, both players win something.
My Little Scythe includes multiple small gameplay mechanisms like this that make it easier for players to enjoy the game while also appealing to a wider (or different) audience than something like Scythe ever could.
Gameplay
You remember that famous line from Talladega Nights?
“Move, Seek, and Make!”
I think that was it…
Incidentally, that’s also how you play My Little Scythe. You move, and that’s the main part because it leads to combat, quests, and the end of pick-up and deliver missions. You also seek because that’s how you find new resources and quests on the map. And then you make in order to get new resources or Power Up cards that improve your moving, your seeking, and your making.
Moving has you carrying resources around with your animal ambassadors. Or starting a pie fight with another player. Or discovering a quest and completing it (or ignoring it). And then there are the pick-up and deliver missions, which reward players with trophies. And you can also move between the portals for faster navigation around the map. Moving is important!
Seeking uses a clever dice mechanism to generate certain resources in certain regions. Apples to the tundra! Gems to the mountains! A quest for you, and for you, and for you! Quests for everyone!
Making replenishes your pie supply with apples, crafts magic spells with gems, and bestows Power Ups upon players who give gems and apples in tandem.
And players will alternate their pawn between these three actions, creating a rhythm of moving, seeking, and making—though not necessarily in that order.
The winner will be the one that most efficiently shifts between those actions to claim four trophies out of the eight possible ones.
Modes of Play
You’ve got competitive play for 2-6 players.
And you’ve got a solo mode with the Automounties for any adventurous player who wants to go it alone.
Other than that, there aren’t many other options. However, if you like the game you could consider the Pie in the Sky expansion that brings airships and other factions into the mix. Are you a Scythe fan? Having déjà vu? Don’t worry. You’re not the only one. But it’s hard to hold it against this game because that means extra cute animals and more beautiful plastic miniatures.
Speaking of plastic miniatures, maybe that’s another mode of play???
The game comes with a painting guide and animal miniatures with very expressive, wide bodies, all of which means parents and kids could engage in another fun activity together outside of the main game!
Innovation
Hoby and Vienna have done a wonderful job translating a fan-made game into a popular print-and-play before finally arriving at this high-quality Stonemaier Games title.
It uses the bones of a heavy strategy game and fleshes it out with some original ideas, beautiful art, and accessible gameplay.
The inclusion of the custom-tailored Automa system, the high player count potential, and the careful scaffolding of core board game mechanisms in a digestible package all make the case for a successful game.
Pricing
My Little Scythe is pretty pricey for a kid-friendly game. There are a lot of “family” games that would be more affordable. You could even buy multiple ones for the $50 price tag on this strategy game.
But if you’re looking for something to bridge the gap between what your kids play and what you want them to play—or if you just want a light, fun game that features small levels of cooperation, pillow-soft conflict, and delightful production—then this is definitely a good option.
Stonemaier Games has a reputation for well-crafted, well-produced games. And this one is no different.
My Little Scythe is…
Right for You!
Check out what the community thinks on BoardGameGeek.
Learn more about other titles from Stonemaier Games.
Check out what Jamey's favorite mechanism in the game.