I don’t cover very many party games here at BGQ, mostly because my regular game group size is 2-3 players. That being said, when something interesting drops into my inbox, I can be convinced to dive in for a deeper look. And the latest game for me is Qork. Published by The Op, it’s a quick-playing party game that will test your reflexes and maybe a little bit of math skills as well.
Gameplay Overview:
Playing Qork is simple. Your goal is not to get any points. The game ends as soon as a player has gotten 15 points, and then the player with the fewest points wins. But to start, each player is given a piece of cork connected to a string (super high tech, right?). The cork ends are placed on the mat in the center of the table, and one player is given the cup and pair of dice.
The player shakes the cup and rolls the dice. If the dice come up as a 7 or a pair, they must slam their cup on the Qork mat as quickly as possible, trying to catch the other players’ cork under their cup. If any player is caught, that player earns a point. However, if they didn’t catch anyone, they earn a point themselves. The other two ways to earn a point are if the cup player slams their cup down and it wasn’t a 7 or a pair, or if the players pull their cork off the mat when it’s not a 7 or a pair.
In any case, as soon as a 7 or pair comes up, the next player clockwise becomes the cup player. Turns continue like this until the game ends.
Gameplay Experience:
Qork may not sound like much, but it’s actually a hoot. I’ve played this with my kids, friends, and family, and it’s hard not to get into the chaos. The premise is easy enough to explain in seconds, yet after a turn or two, things can get heated.
One of our favorite things to do is to try to trick the other players. Especially as the cup player, you can fake going for the corks, or yell out 7 when it’s not really, and trick the other player into pulling their cord at the wrong time. To be honest, tricking someone into a wrong move is almost as much fun as catching them with the cup at the correct time.
I think the sweet spot for Qork comes at the player count of 5-6. While you can play it with as few as three players, it’s a bit too passive at size. With only 2 other players able to be caught any time, it requires a lot more luck to catch someone off guard. It also misses some of the excitement and good-natured ribbing that comes with the higher player count.
That being said, at 7-8 players, the table can get a bit too crowded. Unless you are King Arthur at the Round Table, chances are, players will need to be different lengths from the corks. This can cause sight issues, as you try to see the dice either from afar or from behind the cup, or force the cup player to have to reach far to get to the middle of the table.
While no player count was bad, I found that at 5-6 you had just the right amount of players to cause chaos but not have any table issues.
Final Thoughts:
There is not a ton to say about a game like Qork. Either it’s something you’ll enjoy, or it isn’t. While I’m not huge into party games, this one has been a hit with everyone I’ve played it with. My kids have always asked to play it again after one play, and almost all groups are quick to get into the excitement. The concept of Qork isn’t new, as it’s been done in games before; however, this implementation is probably the best I’ve seen so far. Definitely worth a purchase for those looking for a quick-playing party game that can be played just about anywhere.
Final Score: 4 Stars – A party game that’s easy to learn and can provide a good amount of entertainment.
Hits:
• Easy to learn
• Simple yet entertaining
• Everyone gets a chance at the action
Misses:
• Need 5-6 players for it to really shine.
