Post Office Board Game Review

Post Office

WBG Score: 7.5/10

Player Count: 2-4

You’ll like this if you like: Tile laying games with a twist.

Published by: Hobby World

Designed by: Evgeny Petrov

This is a free review copy. See our review policy here.

We previously reviewed the mini card game, based on this game. You can check that out here. And now, in a rather backward game, we are covering the OG. There are plenty of tile-laying games out there. There are also plenty of polyomino games to try. Not many have the mechanics set up quite like Post Office, though, where you will be laying the polyomino tiles on top of previously placed two-by-two tiles. It is an intriguing blend of tile placement that promises a first-class service. But does it deliver? Let's get it to the table and find out.

How To Set Up Post Office

Each player takes a player board along with all associated pieces. I have set them all up into four individual bags to make this easier. Inside, you should find three single stamps, the 16 polyomino shapes in the four colours, the four starter tiles, and the character standee. Place these all out in front of you, with the standee on the outer space on your board marked START, and the four starter tiles on the central spaces highlighted in yellow, placed at random.

Now place all the remaining stamps into a central area, along with the regular package tokens. You are now ready to play.

How To Set Up Post Office

The game suggests that you appoint one person as a senior employee, and they now pass two packages from the central reserve to each player. Why each player cannot simply just take two themselves, I do not know! Anyway, however you do it, each player checks their two package tiles and chooses to keep one, and pass one to the player to their left. Each player now moves their standee on their board one space clockwise and places one of their two tokens into a column or row alongside the location of their standee. If that column or row is full, simply move to the next available one. If your standee is in the corner, you can place the tile anywhere. If you want to move one row or column forward, you can do so at the cost of one Stamp. You can rotate the tile however you like but it must be placed face up, and you must place one tile.

Players can then, if they choose, place one of their polyomino "Tape" tiles over the spaces made by the package tiles. The tape tiles need to match the colour of the package tiles and can only be placed over fully formed package spaces that take up at least the same amount of space. You can place the tape tokens onto any space, not just one covered by a recently placed package tile. You can place a maximum of one tile each turn, two in total each round. When you place a Tape tile, if you cover a Stamp icon on a package tile as you do this, take one Stamp token from the main supply and add it to your own supply.

All players now move their standee one more space and place the second tile as per the same rules, adding a second Tape tile if they wish. This continues until each player has just one space left on their board. Play the final round just as you did before, but just placing one tile. All this is does simultaneously by all players.

At the end of the game, players will score points for each stamp in their collection, points for each uncovered symbol on the package tokens multiplied by the corresponding symbols on any placed tape tokens (four each of the four colours and icons); three points for each tape token that is touching the green packing symbol icon; and finally, five points for each square group of four packages in the same colour. Add all this up, either with paper and pen, or by using the stamps themselves. Most points wins.

So, in the above picture, this player would score 14 points for the light blue Wine glass symbol for example. Because they have two Tape tokens down, and seven uncovered matching Wine glass symbols currently in view. Also, they will score just three points for the one yellow tape token touching the green packing symbol in the middle.

Is It Fun? Post Office Board Game Review

There is something beautifully simple about Post Office. Games run quickly. Very quickly. I love simultaneous play, and in this game, it means, irrespective of player count, games will fly by. They suggest 30-45 minutes. I have had games in under 20. Newer players may take longer in their first few games, of course. But ultimately, on your turn, all you are doing is choosing between one of two tiles, and then placing it into what would be a maximum choice of five spaces. You then play place another tile on top, but not every time, and when you do, it wont take long to decide where. The whole process is so fast. And to fill a board, it only takes 12.5 rounds. Scoring takes another five minutes or so at the end, but is fun!

I enjoy simple games, particularly those that incorporate a clever twist to keep the gameplay engaging and thought-provoking. This particular game delivers on that front with its straightforward yet strategic mechanics. The core concept revolves around laying down tiles. Players have the option to add a tile on top of an existing one, or they may choose to leave it as is, which introduces an element of choice that can significantly influence the outcome of the game.

As you consider where to place each tile, the strategic implications become increasingly apparent. Every decision carries weight: will you gain more points by stacking a tile on top, or might you be inadvertently covering up valuable icons that could have contributed to your score? The tension between immediate gains and long-term strategy is palpable. For example, if you decide to place a tile atop a four-by-four arrangement, you must weigh the potential points you could earn against the possibility of blocking a scoring opportunity for this block.

I would recommend this game to anyone who enjoy tile-laying games, and is looking for something with a fresh take on the mechanic. The beauty of the game lies in its simplicity combined with the depth of its strategic possibilities. Every round becomes a delightful puzzle, requiring you to balance the risk of covering something up this round and reward of potentially making use of what you place now, with another tile later. The interplay of laying tiles and deciding whether to stack or leave them open creates an engaging experience that is both fun and mentally stimulating. Each game feels fresh as the dynamics shift with every decision, making it an enjoyable puzzle that keeps players coming back for more.