To Court the King

Did You Know?

• Players were also invited to submit title suggestions, and one of them, Um Krone und Kragen, was chosen.
• The game was published in German as Um Krone und Kragen, which translates to 'Around Crown and Collar'.

Description

The game includes 60 character cards with 19 different characters, 12 dice, 5 character overview cards, a starting player marker, and a rulebook. During setup, character cards are placed in the middle of the table. The first player receives the starting player marker and begins a round by rolling three dice. After the first roll, the active player may reserve any number of dice (at least one) and re-roll the rest, repeating this process a second time.

Once rolling is complete, the player may use the dice to claim character cards, each requiring specific combinations—for example, the Laborer needs a total of 15 or greater, and the Knight requires five of a kind. Each claimed card grants an ability, such as rolling more dice, extra re-rolls, or changing a die to a chosen number, but a player cannot own more than one of any character type. Claimed cards are placed face-up. Play then passes to the left.

After all players have rolled and claimed, the starting player marker moves to the right, and a new round begins. Abilities accumulate as players gain cards. The first player to roll seven identical dice acquires the king and queen, triggering a final round where each player may try to take the king by rolling a better result. If the king is claimed by another, the queen’s owner gets one last roll to win it back. The final owner of the king wins.

Reception

Games of Tradition rated the game 7.5 out of 10, calling it a good family filler with easy rules and competition suitable for children aged 10 and up, typically under 45 minutes, though not ideal for camping. On Reich der Spiele, Carsten Pinnow noted the game took about 10–20 minutes per person, so a five-player game could exceed 45 minutes, especially if players with five or six cards took their time. He praised the character cards' design but criticized the tiny pictograms, saying even people with normal eyesight might need a magnifying glass.

He concluded that with fewer players the game offered relaxed fun. Holgs Spieleteufel found the cumulative dice rolling hard for new players, causing considerable delays, and noted that character cards improve final-round chances but do not affect the final point total, leading to a feeling that a bad final roll could undo earlier success. Despite this, the reviewer liked the strategic dice card game but recommended no more than three players unless everyone knew the game well.

Starstpieler admired the high production values and artwork but found the game lengthy and difficult for new players to learn the character abilities, recommending no more than three players to shorten play time.