Pyramid Review
Clocktowers
Published by Jolly Roger Games
Designed by Alan R. Moore & Aaron Weissblum
Art by Jacob Elijah Walker
66 full-color cards, rules, two to four players, $12
Given the state of the world today, you could be forgiven for thinking Clocktowers was a game about something else. Rest assured the Jolly Roger Games product is a simple, family friendly card game.
The object of the game is to build the most valuable structures in the city, scoring the most points.
The deck is really three smaller decks: Stories, Clocks, and Roofs. Everyone starts out with an identical hand of three cards, removed before everything else gets shuffled. The three decks are left face-up. Yes, this means everyone can see the next card to be drawn from each stack. Starting with the oldest player, everyone starts building.
On your turn, you play a card, then draw a card. You may discard one instead, but regardless you have to eliminate something from your hand. All towers start with at least one Story card (a single card may picture one or two levels). You can add as many floors as you like, but it won't be complete unless you have a Clock; once that's in place you can't play any more Stories. From there all you can do is finish with a Roof.
You may have as many towers under construction as you like (or feel you can manage), but you have to outdo your opponents in the same color suit (indicated by the color of the Roof) by going one better. If someone . . .
This article originally appeared in the second volume of Pyramid. See the current Pyramid website for more information.
Article publication date: July 22, 2005
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