Wandering Towers review: "Good and crunchy fun"

GamesRadar+ VerdictUnder its accessible surface, Wandering Towers is a clever family game with a unique, whimsical approach. Even though it’s not the most replayable, there’s a lot more going on here than meets the eye.Pros+Family-weight rules lead to rich and ever-changing tactical decision-making+Spells add depth and variety as you get familiar with the game+3D cardboard towers look great on your tabletopCons-Tactical focus reduces long-term replay value-Included variants are largely worthless GamesRadar+ Verdict GamesRadar+ Verdict Under its accessible surface, Wandering Towers is a clever family game with a unique, whimsical approach. Even though it’s not the most replayable, there’s a lot more going on here than meets the eye. Under its accessible surface, Wandering Towers is a clever family game with a unique, whimsical approach. Even though it’s not the most replayable, there’s a lot more going on here than meets the eye. Pros+Family-weight rules lead to rich and ever-changing tactical decision-making+Spells add depth and variety as you get familiar with the game+3D cardboard towers look great on your tabletop Family-weight rules lead to rich and ever-changing tactical decision-making Spells add depth and variety as you get familiar with the game 3D cardboard towers look great on your tabletop Cons-Tactical focus reduces long-term replay value-Included variants are largely worthless Tactical focus reduces long-term replay value Included variants are largely worthless Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Jump to:Features & designGameplayShould you buy it? Jump to:Features & designGameplayShould you buy it? Wandering Towers was mentioned repeatedly as a possible contender for 2023’s Spiel des Jahres, the biggest prize in board gaming. In the event, it didn’t make the shortlist, which came as a surprise. Its designers are industry veterans, with Michael Kiesling being responsible for the brilliant family-weight abstract Azul and Wolfgang Kramer the recipient of several previous Speil des Jahres prizes, including the stone-cold classic El Grande. It also looks great on the tabletop with stacks of 3D cardboard castles. So, should you add Wandering Towers to your collection of thebest board games? Let’s dig in and find out. Wandering Towers features & design Swipe to scroll horizontallyPrice$49.99 / £49.99Ages8+GenreFamilyPlayers1 - 6Lasts30minsComplexityLowPlay if you likeCatan, Carcassonne Swipe to scroll horizontally Price$49.99 / £49.99Ages8+GenreFamilyPlayers1 - 6Lasts30minsComplexityLowPlay if you likeCatan, Carcassonne At its core, Wandering Towers is a race to the finish. Your goal is to be first to get all your wizards into Ravenskeep and to fill all your potion bottles (the number of which varies with the number of players, helping to keep play time to around a half-hour). Just another Tuesday for a mage, in other words. There’s a twist, though. Those potion bottles are filled when you trap wizards underneath one of the 12 cardboard towers. To manage all this, you’ll play a couple of cards each turn that allow you to move a wizard, a tower, or a choice of either the number of spaces printed on said cards. Because you have to move wizards an exact number of spaces to trap them, careful planning is needed. Still, you’ll be happy to pore over this board – Wandering Towers is a handsome game. It’s both a mix of old and new; charmingly retro wooden meeples meet outlandish buildings made from cardboard, and it’s all finished with an endearing cartoon art style. (Image credit: Matt Thrower) As with so many goodboard games for adults, there’s a degree of complexity under the approachable rules as well. Filled potions are not only a win condition, for example; you can also spend them to cast spells on your turn. The game suggests you start with the two most basic spells, which move a wizard one space or a tower two spaces. However, there are several more provided which do things like move pieces anti-clockwise, move Ravenskeep, or even peek beneath towers to find wizards. As you gain confidence with the rules, you can make more spells available, each increasing the strategic depth of the game. Wandering Towers gameplay (Image credit: Matt Thrower) When you first sit down to play Wandering Towers, you’ll have the mindset that this is a race game where you’re trying to get your wizards to the goal faster than everyone else. Moving towers has an obvious collective aspect because it’s difficult to get your wizards alone on top of a tower, so you’ll likely end up helping someone else. There are also times when you’ll want to take a suboptimal tower move, even one that doesn’t help your own wizards, in order to imprison other wizards and fill potions. So it’s a family-weight optimization exercise, basically, albeit one that looks fantastic on your table. As you gain confidence with the rules, you can make more spells available, each increasing the strategic depth of the game As you gain confidence with the rules, you can make more spells available, each increasing the strategic depth of the game While your card draw is random, and some cards have a die roll of movement rather than a fixed number for a little extra excitement, the game is otherwise deterministic. So you have plenty of control over where your wizards go and which towers you choose to move. At the same time, there’s a whole range of tactical possibilities you need to cover. Are you best off moving wizards or castles? Can you trap enemy wizards? Do you have potions, and will the spells help? Will you, or anyone else, hit the keep this turn and have it move, and if so, how does it destination fit in with your plans? At first, these are all straightforward things to parse – the kind you’d find in manyfamily board games. But as soon as pieces start swooping around the track, the number of variables, and the enjoyment factor of the game, increase in line. The more players, the merrier things get, especially given the longer times between turns during which you can forget where your trapped wizards are. Because you can only dunk one wizard per turn into the keep, the game is almost guaranteed to give you a close finish, with everyone hooting and hollering and hoping to be the one who worked out the variables and rode the luck well enough to claim the prize. (Image credit: Matt Thrower) Nonetheless, and as fun as it is, Wandering Towers does have one overriding issue – a lack of strategy. The game state can change so wildly each turn that there’s no value in a long-term plan: it’s all about making the best of your cards and dice and potions when your turn rolls around. These are good, crunchy, fun decisions, and their short-termism is a positive boon when it comes to family play, but they’re wholly reactionary. As a result, there’s little sense of development during or between games, and that missing feeling of building on your choices is a part of what makes people want to replay games. Instead, Wandering Towers offers you variety with all its game modes. They’re a mixed bag. The solo and cooperative versions are rather soulless optimisation games. The “mean” version can be lots of fun with the right group, but it opens rules questions about exactly when, and in what order, players can use spells and introduces elements of kingmaking into play where one player can essentially decide which other wins. The team variant is the best, with the ability to swap around cards and potions adding to the tactical depth of the base game. Adding spells is another great way to spice the game up and dispel that sense of familiarity. Should you buy Wandering Towers? (Image credit: Matt Thrower) While Wandering Towers is good fun to play, that lack of replay impetus is unfortunate, and it carries a vague sense of not quite fitting into a distinct taste profile. It’s tactical without being strategic, interactive without being vicious, exciting while still being deterministic. But at the same time, this exact lack of easy categorization is a pointer to the fact that this is a clever, novel design with a lot more going on than it initially appears. If that novelty arouses your interest, then you might well find this to your tastes alongside anyone who wants a cool-looking family game for their table. Buy it if… Don’t buy it if… ❌ You prefer heavier, less chaotic games with a lot of strategic depthIf you aren’t a fan of games where you’ve got to roll with the punches and act based on what you’ve drawn at random, Wandering Towers probably isn’t for you. ❌ You prefer heavier, less chaotic games with a lot of strategic depthIf you aren’t a fan of games where you’ve got to roll with the punches and act based on what you’ve drawn at random, Wandering Towers probably isn’t for you. ❌ You prefer heavier, less chaotic games with a lot of strategic depthIf you aren’t a fan of games where you’ve got to roll with the punches and act based on what you’ve drawn at random, Wandering Towers probably isn’t for you. ❌ You prefer heavier, less chaotic games with a lot of strategic depthIf you aren’t a fan of games where you’ve got to roll with the punches and act based on what you’ve drawn at random, Wandering Towers probably isn’t for you. ❌ You prefer heavier, less chaotic games with a lot of strategic depthIf you aren’t a fan of games where you’ve got to roll with the punches and act based on what you’ve drawn at random, Wandering Towers probably isn’t for you. ❌ You prefer heavier, less chaotic games with a lot of strategic depthIf you aren’t a fan of games where you’ve got to roll with the punches and act based on what you’ve drawn at random, Wandering Towers probably isn’t for you. ❌ You like to focus on a few games and play them a lotBecause there isn’t endless replayability in this one, it’s unlikely to become a staple of your game night sessions. ❌ You like to focus on a few games and play them a lotBecause there isn’t endless replayability in this one, it’s unlikely to become a staple of your game night sessions. ❌ You like to focus on a few games and play them a lotBecause there isn’t endless replayability in this one, it’s unlikely to become a staple of your game night sessions. ❌ You like to focus on a few games and play them a lotBecause there isn’t endless replayability in this one, it’s unlikely to become a staple of your game night sessions. ❌ You like to focus on a few games and play them a lotBecause there isn’t endless replayability in this one, it’s unlikely to become a staple of your game night sessions. ❌ You like to focus on a few games and play them a lotBecause there isn’t endless replayability in this one, it’s unlikely to become a staple of your game night sessions. How we tested Wandering Towers As with all review products on GamesRadar+, we played this board game multiple times to get a feel for its gameplay, longevity, and accessibility. You can find out more in ourreview policy, not to mention this guide onhow we test board games. 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“James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty 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adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton 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adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5 Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2 Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3 Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4 The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5 Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 1 Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 2 Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 3 Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 4 Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” 5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” 5 Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”