I decided it was time I started learning the Gem Getter family, starting with Gem Getter. The series also includes Gem Getter Pro, Gem Getter Gets Better, Gem Getter Galactic and the inevitable Gem Getter Saves Christmas. (No, I'm not kidding) They all follow the same basic format (drawing shapes on grids and covering up symbols) but they all also have their own little twists.
And the original game is the simplest, to the point where I believe the designer recommends it for kids and that older gamers should skip to the other games in the series. Well, that sounds like the perfect place for me to jump in, particularly if I have had a stressful day and thinking hurts.
As I've already mentioned, Gem Getter is another game where you that you are drawing shapes in. This is a theme I see over and over again in Roll and Writes. I enjoy it but I literally wonder if I've played over a hundred games that do this. There are some that I really like, like Aquamarine from Postmark Games, but I'm at the point where a game has to bring something interesting for me to want to play it more than once.
In many ways, Gem Getter takes the idea and pares it down to the bone. Roll dice. Consult a table. Add shape to your board as long as it connects to a shape already there. Any symbol you cover up, check off on your score chart.
So, does Gem Getter do anything interesting?
Well, first of all, there are eight different boards. Just in the first game alone. Each one of an irregular grid, as opposed to a square or rectangle. There are some spaces you cannot cover but you can score if you completely surround it on all eight sides. And you get bonus gems for completely filling rows and columns.
In addition to having different boards, there are two different shape tables. On top of that, each table is actually two tables, one for a light die and one for a dark die. (I just use black and white, which makes me boring) However, you only get to pick one shape per turn.
And the different types of gems have different scoring conditions. The most common gems have to be collected as sets before they are worth points. Other gems aren't worth any points until you collect enough. One type will score negative points until you get more than one. Oil doesn't score points but lets you earn bonus shapes to add to the board.
Game lasts nine rounds. After that, you figure out your score and most points wins.
Okay. There is absolutely nothing new or innovative in Gem Getter. If you had handed me the game without any of the rules, I'd have been able to play it without any problems. The core mechanics are pretty much the absolute basics for this kind of game. Which does make the game very intuitive and easy to learn or teach. It also comes with a decent amount of content. However, I can point to a plenty lot of games that I can say the exact same thing about them.
However, the depth and complexity of the scoring (Well, as much depth as a nine-round fill in the grid game is going to have) is what made me keep playing Gem Getter. Figuring out what scoring options you can optimize creates a much better decision tree than I was afraid of when I first looked at the game. Playtime is short but engagement is high.
With that said, I had planned on waiting to try Gem Getter Pro but, when I found out I could play it online, didn't wait. With more intricate scoring and more complicated shapes, I do think Gem Getter Pro is much better. If you aren't a completist like me, starting with Gem Getter Pro is the way to go.
One thing I am, curious about is if you can mix and match the shape tables between the two versions. I do know you can have people play on different boards from the same game and still be competitive. That’s cool.
The Gem Getter series is very easy and accessible but also engaging with good choices. Gem Getter Pro is on its way to become part of my regular rotation.
