Game review 92: Drop It
Who knew releasing random objects on to other random objects could be a game-worthy skill?
Sometimes, it’s good to let things go. The unfulfillment of a love that’s long turned sour; the once-promising job that’s proven to be a toxic dead end; the resentment of a friendship that’s degenerated into petty jealously rivalry and back-biting.
But literally? There’s a skill to dropping things, but one that’s only seems to find a reward in dexterity board games.
We can all klutzily drop a catch in the outfield or watch distraught as our delicious ice lolly dive bombs off its stick on a sweltering summer’s day. But there’s no competitive angle for it, no officially recognised sport, unless you’re accruing memories for an overwhelming feeling of personal embarrassment remembered only as sleep beckons late at night.
But with the tabletop, with its fingertip buffet of fun, any hand movement can be deployed as a game. There’s DroPolter, for example, where the aim is to only release the right objects from your grip. Or Chicken Vs Hot Dog – tabletop’s dropping equivalent to Olympic diving’s falling-with-grace dynamic – where players flip and stick rubber models of a chicken and a hotdog, shaped in a way that’ll have you asking the vicar if they’d like some more tea, to victory.
And then there’s Drop It, which does exactly what it says on the tin. No fancy flourishes or flicks of the wrist here. Just… drop objects. But strategically.
So, how’s that a game, exactly? Well, players release coloured, wooden pieces down the plastic shaft of the vertical board, aiming for points, including special bonus circles situated randomly up and down the playing area, while avoiding the matching colours and shapes.
Most points after all pieces have been played, wins.
Initial rounds are fairly low in the stakes category – it doesn’t matter too much if you miss the opportunity to score one or two points, and these early stages almost serve as a warm-up.
However, tension mounts towards the end when anything up to ten points are up for grabs, and your choice of pieces played earlier in the game prove vital. Often, you’ll realise there’s no way of playing your massive square piece without it cascading down into one of your earlier-played components of the same colour, which will result in a big fat zero for that round.
And it’s fun and easy to pick up, exactly in the way that you know what needs to be done when you play Tetris for the first time. It’s a game that has a timeless appeal. In the same way that climbing was an absolute no-brainer as an Olympic sport when you realised it was the only basic human movement not yet included in the Games, there’s a lot to be said for the skill and satisfaction of releasing random objects on to other random objects. A basic human movement seeking a game, and has found it.
Sure, there’s luck involved. You can play what seems like a spectacular shot with, say a yellow diamond, only to see it trickle towards the edge of the same colour, causing a wipe-out.
But the escalation in points available as play proceeds ensures that younger players or newbies never feel like they’re out of the game – after all, one glorious nine-pointer at the end can change everything.
A couple of optional joker tokens add to the family-friendly vibes, meaning that if a potentially high-scoring round ends in disaster, you can play that card to get back what you would have earned.
All in all, it’s a surprisingly tactical game, more to do with when you play each place then it is but how you play them.
Simplicity, in both set-up and rules, ensures it’s a Dad favourite. And the same goes for why our kid loves it, too. Our games are often close, and done and dusted in 10 minutes, meaning we’re eager for a re-match, whatever the result.
Game facts and stats
Ages
8+
Year published
2018
Publisher
Kosmos
Designer
Bernhard Lach and Uwe Rapp
Player count
2–4
E’s review
What do you like best about the game?
“I just loved dropping things.”
Is it tricky?
“Yes. If it touches the same colour or shape we wouldn’t get any points.”
What would you do to improve the game?
“To make more of the shapes so we could have more turns.”
20/10
My review
Set-up time
About five minutes.
Price
Look for anything below £25 ($33) for a decent deal.
Practicality
A box that’ll fit a Kallax unit, shouldn’t cause too much issue for storage. Getting the plastic drop zone into position can sometimes be a slog, particularly for kids, so probably best to get a grown-up to do it.
Fun for parents?
Fun for all the family. It’s scoring system and skill/strategy/luck mix means its involved enough to appease the adults and open enough to give the kids a chance to win. It’s quick playing time also means it’s a good option for a games night.
7/10
If you like this, try…
Share The Generations Games? Ah, go on…
if you made it this far, you’re probably keen on family tabletop games, and games with a strong social theme. Forwarding to a like-minded friend can make a huge difference to the future of The Generations Games and our hopes to expand our output.