Patchwork Review

Intro

Patchwork is one of those games that proves the best ideas are often the simplest ones. Designer Uwe Rosenberg took the cozy concept of quilting and turned it into a brilliant two-player puzzle that's been charming gamers since 2014. You and your opponent compete to build the most impressive quilt on your personal 9x9 boards, buying fabric patches with buttons (your currency) while racing around a time track.

At around 30 minutes per game, it hits that sweet spot where you can easily play multiple rounds without wearing out your welcome. The game consistently scores around 7.6 out of 10 with players and maintains a low complexity that makes it accessible to just about anyone aged 8 and up. Don't let that fool you into thinking it's simple though – there's genuine strategy hiding beneath those cheerful fabric patterns.

How It Plays

The setup is wonderfully straightforward. All the fabric patches get arranged in a circle, and each player starts with five buttons and an empty quilt board. On your turn, you've got two choices: buy one of the three patches available next to the marker, or pass.

Buying patches is where the game gets interesting. Each patch costs buttons and time. Pay the buttons, place the patch anywhere on your board (as long as it fits without overlapping), then move your time token forward based on the time cost. Here's the clever bit – whoever's behind on the time track goes next. Sometimes you'll take several turns in a row, other times your opponent will.

If you choose to pass instead, you hop your time token just ahead of your opponent's and collect one button for each space you moved. It's often tempting to pass when the available patches are expensive or don't fit your board well.

As you move around the time track, you'll hit button income spaces. When you do, count up all the button symbols on the patches in your quilt and collect that many buttons from the bank. You'll also snag bonus 1x1 patches placed on certain time track spaces.

The game ends when both players reach the center of the time track. Final scoring is beautifully brutal: you get one point per button you own, but lose two points for every empty space on your quilt board. The tightest, most efficient quilts usually win.

Highlights

The time mechanism is absolutely brilliant. Because the player who's behind on the time track always goes next, you're constantly weighing whether to grab that perfect piece now or let your opponent potentially take several turns. It creates this wonderful tension where expensive pieces might actually give your opponent more opportunities.

Spatial puzzles are satisfying in a way that's hard to describe, and Patchwork nails this feeling. Every patch placement matters, and you'll find yourself rotating pieces in your mind, trying to visualize how they'll fit with future purchases. When you manage to fill in a large section perfectly, it feels genuinely rewarding.

The economic engine is elegant and tight. Button income from your patches lets you buy better patches, which provide more button income, but you're always racing against that time track. Spending too much time early on might lock you out of the best pieces later.

Despite the simple rules, games feel genuinely different each time. The random arrangement of patches means you're always adapting your strategy based on what's available. Sometimes you'll focus on button income, other times you'll prioritize coverage, and occasionally you'll pivot mid-game when the perfect piece appears.

Criticisms

The biggest issue with Patchwork is that it can feel a bit multiplayer solitaire at times. Sure, you're competing for the same patches and your timing affects your opponent, but you're mostly focused on your own quilt puzzle. Players looking for heavy interaction might find it too gentle.

Luck does play a role in patch placement around the circle. Sometimes the pieces you desperately need will be positioned where you can't reach them, or they'll come up at times when you can't afford them. While this adds variety, it can occasionally feel frustrating when your perfect strategy gets derailed by bad timing.

The game can also suffer from runaway leader problems. If one player gets significantly ahead on button income early, they can often afford the best pieces for the rest of the game. The catch-up mechanisms aren't always strong enough to reel in a player who's built an efficient engine early.

Conclusion

Patchwork is perfect for couples, friends who enjoy puzzles, and anyone looking for a quick but satisfying two-player experience. It's become a modern classic for good reason – the combination of spatial puzzle, economic management, and unique time mechanism creates something that feels both familiar and fresh.

If you enjoy games like Azul, Splendor, or other elegant Euro games, Patchwork deserves a spot on your shelf. It's the kind of game that gets better the more you play it, as you start to recognize efficient patterns and develop your spatial reasoning skills. Plus, there's something wonderfully satisfying about completing a beautiful quilt, even if it's just cardboard pieces on a game board.