Review: Patchwork (10th Anniversary Edition)

8.8

What is Patchwork??

Patchwork is a charming two-player tile-drafting game with a quirky quilting theme, designed by Uwe Rosenberg. Our copy of Patchwork is the 10th Anniversary Edition, published by Lookout Games.  This game is aimed at players aged 8 and above with a price range of £15 to £20. Using colourful polyomino pieces, players take turns stitching together their own Patchwork quilt, aiming to cover as much of their board as possible while collecting buttons for points. With a playtime of around 20 minutes, Patchwork is quick to learn, easy to play, and surprisingly strategic.

What's in the box?

• 1 Time Board (Double Sided)


• 2 Quilt Boards


• 33 Polyomino Patches


• 5 Special Patches


• 1 Neutral Token


• 2 Player Tokens


• 1 Special Tile


• 50 Button Tiles (in Varying Denominations)


• 24 Automa Cards


• 1 Regular Rulebook


• 1 Automa Rulebook

The polyomino tiles (with illustrations by Carrie Cantwell and Cecilia Mok) make up the biggest part of the game, and we really like them. Each one features different artwork, and they’re genuinely nice to look at. Everything is clearly laid out, and the icons are easy to understand.

The Automa cards are also well designed, with clear instructions and charming illustrations that match the tone of the game.

The time board and player boards are sturdy and well-made. The time board is especially colourful, but still easy to read at a glance and track what’s happening during the game.

The tokens are wooden, and we think they’re a great addition. Our only small gripe is that the neutral token only has the sewing machine icon printed on one side—we would’ve loved to see it on both. The button tiles are clear and functional, with numbers printed on the higher-value ones to avoid confusion.

That said, since we own the 10th Anniversary Edition, we were hoping for something a little extra in the components. It still looks great, but it feels like a missed opportunity for a more premium touch. Of course, we understand they likely wanted to keep the game affordable.

How to Play Patchwork

To set up a game of Patchwork, start by placing the time track in the centre of the table. Each player chooses a colour—red or green—and takes the matching quilt board and player token. Both tokens are placed at the starting space of the time track.

Next, lay out all the polyomino tiles (the colourful fabric patches) in a circle around the time board. Find the 2x1 piece and place the neutral sewing machine token just clockwise of it, in the space between that tile and the next. This marker helps track which tiles are available on each player’s turn.

Each player also starts with five buttons, which serve as the game’s currency. On your turn, you have two options:

• Buy and place a tile: You may choose one of the three tiles directly clockwise from the sewing machine marker. To buy it, pay the button cost shown on the tile, then move your player token forward on the time track by the number of spaces indicated. Place the tile on your board, fitting it in however you like (as long as it doesn’t overlap or hang off the edge). Then, move the sewing machine marker to the spot where the tile you took was sitting.
• Advance and gain buttons: If you don’t want or can’t afford any of the three available tiles, you can skip your turn and move your token to the space just ahead of your opponent’s on the time track. You gain one button for each space you move.

Turns aren’t taken in strict alternation—instead, the player who is furthest behind on the time track always goes next. That means the same player might take multiple turns in a row.

As players move along the track, two things can happen:

• Button Income: Whenever you pass a button symbol on the track, collect income equal to the number of buttons shown on your quilt board (each tile may have one or more button icons).
• Bonus Patches: There are a few single-square patches along the time track. The first player to pass one gets to immediately add it to their board.

Players continue taking turns and collecting tiles until both reach the end of the time track.

Scoring

When the game ends, each player adds up the number of buttons they have left. The first player to completely fill a 7×7 square on their board, they also gain a special bonus token worth 7 points. Then, subtract 2 points for every empty space remaining on the quilt board. The player with the highest score wins!

Our Thoughts on Patchwork (10th Anniversary Edition)

Patchwork is an easy-to-set-up and simple-to-play two-player game. The pace is set by how quickly players make decisions, so the length can vary depending on who’s playing. Sitting on the lower end of the price range, it’s a great addition to any board game collection.

Learning to play Patchwork is as easy as opening the box and giving it a go—it clicks within the first couple of turns. With a simple ruleset and minimal components, it’s a perfect entry point for new board gamers. But don’t let its simplicity fool you—there’s a surprising amount of strategy tucked behind its cosy theme.

It’s the kind of game you finish and immediately want to play again. Setup and pack-down are so fast that there’s no real barrier to jumping into a rematch. The ever-changing combinations of available tiles keep things fresh, and adapting your strategy on the fly makes each playthrough feel different. It never gets boring because you never stop needing to puzzle out the best way to win.

The whimsical theme of Patchwork has a warm and cosy charm—you’re literally making a blanket, after all, and what’s more comforting than that? Each patch has its own character, and the button tokens as currency are a perfect thematic touch. It’s a well-thought-out and well-executed design.

The 10th Anniversary Edition also includes an Automa version for solo play. Designed and playtested by Lines J. Hutter and the team at Automa Factory, this Automa offers an opportunity for solo players to still enjoy Patchwork. The Automa has five layers of difficulty and we have both given a different level a go - the Automa itself is easily understandable and plays without too much deviance from the original game. Though we both lost our respective games, it was still enjoyable to play.

If we have one small gripe, it’s the game’s footprint—it takes up more table space than you might expect for such a small box. That can make it tricky to play in cafés or while travelling, so Patchwork has remained a home-only game for us.

That said, we love Patchwork. It’s a game that never gets a “no” in our house. We’d love to see a version that supports more players someday, but as a couple who enjoy gaming together, Patchwork is a lovely way to spend an afternoon.

Rob 8.8 - Jess 8.8