Cost:$12.00 From: www.palabragame.com Players: 2-6 Playing Time: 20-60 minutes Type of game: Card/Word Complexity: 8 Skill level: 5 Summary: Geometric scoring system makes for dynamic, unpredictable games. Great for two players. Reviewed by: Peter Sarrett, Issue 1.2, October 1992
Word games have been around for almost as long as language itself. The immense popularity of Scrabble has inspired innumerable imitators, and as a result the word game has long languished in a rut of crossword-style games which require a significant amount of time to complete. Palabra, despite it's complex scoring rules, is a welcome departure from this mold.
In Palabra, "the word game of cards and colors," each card has a letter, color, and point value. Players try to form the highest-scoring plays possible from their 7-card hands. Plays are not limited to forming words, however-- scores are also awarded for straights (alphabetically adjacent letters) and flushes (cards of the same color). You can even get points for dumping a hand full of vowels. Flushes score double, but you can rack up even larger scores thanks to "bonus stars". Two or three stars appear on some cards. Words or straights which include these cards have their scores multiplied by the number of stars on the card. If more than one card has stars, you multiply the play by each card in sequence (so if one card has two stars and another has three stars, that play's score is multiplied by 6. If it's also a flush, it would be multiplied by 12!). Wild Cards can be any letter or color, but have no point value. Playing all seven cards at once is a "palabra" worth a 70 point bonus.
But wait, there's more. A key element of the game is defensive play, or "point-shaving." When the player immediately preceding you plays words or straights, you have the option to play letters which match those played by an opponent. You then subtract the value of the matching letters in your opponent's play (multiplied as appropriate) from your opponent's score and add them to your own score. Since you get to replace the cards you used with new ones from the deck, point-shaving is a valuable tactical move.
Also in the deck are a few Jokers used as a last-ditch defense. Anybody can play a joker on another player, cancelling out the score of the victim's most recent play. And that's still not all. You can build on opponent's words, exchange cards, earn bonuses or penalties at the end of the game, and of course challenge disputed words.
The rules for Palabra are easily the most complicated of any word game I've ever come across. Fortunately, they're not only manageable but rich in play possibilities. It takes a little while to get the hang of the game, but it's time well spent. Palabra's scoring rules make for exciting competition. The tide of the game can turn around with any play of the cards, as in one game where a single play earned over 1,000 points (compared to an average of about 30).
You have to admire the charm of a game that uses ponytail ties as rubber bands to hold the cards together. A fine game for any number of players, Palabra is particularly good with only two. The high scores and quick changes of fortune make for an exciting and rewarding time.