Fjords
Two Viking clans carve up Norway's coast, with tile luck first and Go-style tactics after.
Who it's for
You and a partner want a compact two-player game with a Go flavor and a clean Viking theme. Good for people who like thinking but not for hours.
Not for you if…
You want a big group game or a lot of table talk. Fjords is a quiet duel, and the tile draw can feel unfair in phase one.
Vibe's take
Calm, tidy and quietly cutthroat. The first half feels like a puzzle, the second half like a proper duel.
About this game
Fjords is a two-player duel over the Norwegian coast, with a surprising amount of Go hiding behind the Viking costume. Two clan leaders try to claim the best land. In the first phase you place landscape tiles and farms on a hex map, which mixes luck from the tile draw with skill in where you put them. In the second phase you claim fields by enclosing them, much as in Go, and now luck steps aside and it is pure tactics. A solo mode is included. Games run around half an hour, so a rematch is always within reach. It suits couples and chess-style duelists who want a compact, tidy, thinky board game with a little Nordic atmosphere.
Get it
Mechanics
By the numbers
Players
Duration
30 min
Ages 8+
Complexity
1.7 / 5 — LightBGG Rating
6.2/10
Rank #2,072
3.5k ratings
Published
2005
Designed by
Franz-Benno Delonge
Published by
Rio Grande Games, 999 Games, Hans im Glück, Grail Games
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