Skulls of Sedlec review

Components: 18 cards depicting five different types of skulls

Game Play: In Skulls of Sedlec players are monks digging up graves and moving those skulls to arrange them into a pyramid shaped ossuary. This is done by shuffling the cards, dividing them into several piles, the graveyard. Players have three options on their turn. They can dig – flip two cards from the piles faceup. They can collect – pick up one of the faceup cards in the graveyard into their hand. Or they can place a card from their hand into their stack, their pyramid. Players place their cards optimally based on the scoring restrictions for each skull type. High score wins.

Gameschool-ability: Skulls will reinforce addition skills. It requires matching and pattern recognition. It builds decision making skills and planning / optimization skills. History is the big positive here. This game is based on real historical events. The Sedlec Ossuary is a Roman Catholic chapel near Kutna Hora, Czech Republic. It is thought to contain as many as 70,000 skeletons, some of which are arranged as decorations in the church. Between 1278 and 1510, people were buried in the cemetery. In 1511, they began to disintur people and build the ossuary. There is more depth to explore about the history of this artistic treasure.

Final thoughts: I really enjoy Skulls of Sedlec. I like puzzly games and this one scratches that itch well. There is a light push-your-luck aspect with respect to when to place a card that allows for decision making. I like the proximity scoring mechanic a lot. There’s a lot of satisfaction when you can arrange your skulls well. The game is quick, it is easy to learn, and rewarding.

Links to the Sedlec Ossuary:

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