Designers: Scott Brady
Publisher: Smirk & Laughter Games
Abstract strategy is a foundational category of board games, extending back as far as Go and chess (if not farther!). What better way to get into games of that type than boop., a cute game of kittens trying to push each other off the bed? Getting three kittens in a row grows them into cats, and getting three cats in a row wins you the game! Just be careful, as placing a cat pushes all cats and kittens around it one space away (the eponymous boop).
Many members of the Committee found boop. delightful, both from a thematic standpoint (who doesn’t enjoy watching kittens duke it out on a bed) and also from an approachability standpoint. This game is simple to pick up and learn but has some fun and engaging strategic layers, making it a great game for a wide variety of gamers to enjoy.
What Our Committee Is Saying
boop. stealthily sneaks in with its silly theme and cute presentation and then pounces on you with its thinky gameplay. With just a handful of rules and no randomness, boop. is easy to learn and only gets more challenging as players get better at it, making it an excellent abstract for two.
Jessica Fisher
Don’t judge boop. by its cover! It looks cute, but I was delighted to find it’s one of those really lovely abstracts that you can play over and over again with anyone. It belongs with Shobu, Hive, or Abalone but happily lures you in with kittens.
Amber Cook
It’s a fun little game!
Ruel Gaviola
Photos courtesy of Nicole Brady. All rights reserved.
The American Tabletop Awards 