Miniature mini golf. My quest to find a way to bring crazy golf home away from the seaside and back home found a new target when this emerged on Kickstarter midway through the pandemic.
And after a few delays including some due to That Brexit (*shakes fist at sky*), Pitch & Plakks finally made its way over from Spain for this household to play.
Admittedly not without some trepidation: some early reviews had not been good, mainly beefing on the initial claim that the set would be 100% wood, as well as the less-than-round balls. But still, what a concept. So with an open mind, me and the kid opened the box to delve in...
There’s good news as soon as we open the box - the Plakks team had acted on early feedback and included an extra set of balls. A good thing too, as some pieces of the original set are somewhat on the bobbly side. But the rest of the components are good: the wood’s sturdy and everything fits together very nicely.
Plakks is played with standard golf/mini golf stroke play rules, but where it differs is the lack of club. Instead, players take turns to flick their way round their own course creations. A wipeable scorecard is included.
While there is skill involved, the game is uncomplicated enough for all ages. Both E and I get wrapped up in the action.
Even though the wonky balls may have been a design flaw, what becomes apparent is that the odd balls suit certain shots better than the smoother ones - particularly if you’re don’t want to flick it too far. It’s almost a shame that this wasn’t a built-in feature - with various ball shapes forming wood, iron and putters and numbered accordingly, and requiring the strategy of choosing which ‘club’ to play.
There are other flaws: most of the obstacles, especially the bridge, enhance the experience. However, the tunnel becomes unbearably frustrating and it’s more luck than judgement to get it through the rather ungenerous gap provided. Also, a bit of felt round the pin to form a ‘green’ might have rewarded accurate shots more, enabling an easier ‘putt’ for those closer to the tee. But these are minor quibbles.
Despite the seemingly troubled production – broken ‘wood’ promise, bumpy balls, and protracted delivery dates – Pitch & Plakks is a good family game. With a bit of finessing and careful thought, it could have been a great one. Maybe future expansions and editions will fix that.
E’s review
What do you like about the game?
“Just so good, all the parts are just wow. I just love that we can flick it and get to write down the number we do get.”
Is it difficult?
“It’s really tricky because there’s obstacles, but it’s good we can build our own ones.”
Marks out of 10?
“500/10”
My review
Advised age range
It says 3+ on the box, but might be better suited for a couple of years older than that.
Set-up time
Depends on the hole you build. But a matter of minutes at most.
Price
The Kickstarter with expansion was €49.
Practicality
The box – fairly chunky – has a handle, which is a nice touch. Everything fits back in after use – just. The balls could be lost pretty easily, so keep a close eye on those.
Fun for parents?
A good party game for indoors and out. And it’s a brilliant idea – but a few tweaks away from a brilliant game. Obviously, there are cost factors that stamp on further development, but it’s crying out for features that reward skilful play: a ‘green’, simulated bunkers and water features, as well as an expansion that puts the game on different levels – chutes etc. And surely no mini golf course is complete without a windmill. Just putting those ideas out there and letting them fly…