POTION EXPLOSION
BOARDGAME
Theme: Family / Strategy
2 – 4 Players
Playtime 45+ Min.
OVERVIEW
Potion Explosion is a fun and engaging board game designed by Lorenzo Silva, Andrea Crespi, and Stefano Castelli, published by Horrible Guild. It is a family-friendly game for 2 to 4 players, where participants take on the role of alchemy students competing to brew the most powerful potions using a magical dispenser filled with colorful ingredients.
The game has a unique and highly satisfying “marble matching” mechanic, similar to popular digital puzzle games like Bejeweled or Candy Crush, but with a strategic board game twist. Players must collect ingredients (represented by marbles) and use them to complete potion recipes, gaining points and special abilities along the way.
HOW TO PLAY
1. Setting Up the Game
Each player receives two random potion recipe tiles from a set of different potions.
The game includes a marble dispenser filled with colorful marbles representing different magical ingredients:
Blue: Unicorn Tears
Red: Dragon Smoke
Black: Ogre Mucus
Yellow: Fairy Dandruff
Players also receive a small desk board, where they will store potions in progress and completed potions.
2. Taking Turns
On a player’s turn, they must perform the following actions:
A) Pick a Marble from the Dispenser
Players choose one ingredient marble from any of the five available tracks in the dispenser. If removing a marble causes two marbles of the same color to collide, they “explode,” and the player collects them as well. Chain reactions can occur if more marbles of the same color crash together, leading to even more ingredients being collected.
B) Using Marbles to Brew Potions
Players place collected marbles onto their potion tiles, matching the colors needed. Any unused marbles go into a personal storage area called the “ingredient pool”, which can only hold up to three marbles. Excess marbles must be returned to the dispenser.
C) Completing Potions
Once all required ingredients have been placed on a potion, it is completed.
Completed potions are flipped over and can be used for their special ability.
3. Using Special Potion Powers
Completed potions provide one-time special effects, which can be used at any time on a player’s turn. These effects include:
– Taking an extra marble.
– Stealing an ingredient from another player.
– Discarding ingredients from the dispenser to create better explosions.
– Reusing already brewed potions for extra power.
4. Earning Bonus Points
Players gain points for completed potions. If a player completes three potions of the same type or five different types, they earn a Skill Token, which gives bonus points. The game ends when a set number of Skill Tokens have been taken, based on the number of players.
5. Scoring and Winning
Players add up points from their completed potions and Skill Tokens. The player with the highest total score is declared the Master of Potions and wins the game!
WHY IS POTION EXPLOSION SO FUN?
One of the most enjoyable aspects of Potion Explosion is its satisfying marble mechanic. The physical interaction with the marbles, watching them explode and trigger chain reactions, adds a unique and engaging element to the game. The game also offers plenty of strategic choices, as players must carefully pick marbles to create the best possible explosions while planning their potion effects for future turns. Additionally, Potion Explosion has great replayability since there are a variety of potion types and different strategies to explore, making each game feel fresh and exciting. The beautiful components—including colorful marbles, detailed potion tiles, and the well-designed dispenser—help to create an immersive and visually appealing experience. Potion Explosion is also great for families and casual players, as the rules are easy to learn, making it accessible to both newcomers and experienced gamers.
