Stats at a glance
Players: 2-4
Duration: 20
Difficulty: Easy
Published: 2012
Ages: 10 +
Publisher: AEG
Have you ever received a real paper letter from a crush? It was pure happiness, wasn’t it? We can all agree that this doesn’t happen often – mainly because now we have smartphones that can do everything instantly.
But if you feel that nothing can beat a real love letter and you’ve got game – then this is the game for you! (Pun intended.) Let’s dive into this smart and simple card game. Read the full Love Letter card game review below.
Brief Overview of Love Letter
Love Letter is a card game for 2–4 players about a princess who has locked herself away in her chamber in the castle as her mother has just been arrested for treason. You hear of this and feel that she could use some comforting.
You’re not the only one with that in mind, however, and there are several obstacles in your way. You can only court her with love letters but you can’t send the letters to her directly; someone will have to do it, someone close to the princess…
This is a very simple card game that has great depth to it. If you think you’ve got what it takes to sway someone – this game will make you prove it.
Unboxing Love Letter
Love Letter is a small card game – that means a small but very appealing box, visually. Hearing the game’s name and looking at the box, you can clearly see the connection. The writing font and visuals are great – you can see the old type of letter seals on the box.
When opening the box, you will see that it is very well packed and doesn’t waste space. This makes it a great party game that can be taken along with you very easily. The cards have a really decent feel to them and the tokens are pretty standard and what you would expect.
Inside the box, you will get the following:
- 16 game cards
- 4 reference cards
- Tokens of affection
How to Play Love Letter
Setup
This is an incredibly easy game to set up – after all, there are only 16 cards in the game. The cards must be shuffled and placed into a deck. Then they can be handed out. The number of cards that get dealt is dependent on the number of people playing.
This basically sums up the total preparation needed to play the game.
How the Game Works
The game is very easy to get hang of and quick (most games will only last an average of 20 minutes). The object of the game is to get as many affection tokens as possible. The number of tokens to win is dependent on the number of people playing.
An affection token is won by either being the last person standing in the round or having the highest card value if the card deck runs out.
The game consists of as many rounds as necessary to get the highest number of affection tokens. If it takes 5 rounds, it’s 5 – if it’s more, it’s more. It really doesn’t matter and the number can be changed according to player opinion.
A round consists of a player picking up a card and then discarding one of their cards. When they discard one of their cards, they must place it face up in front of them. Then whatever is written on the card, gets applied.
Gameplay
The person who has most recently gone on a date gets to go first. If, however, this is a challenge for you, feel free to make up your own rule!
Whoever can survive the round gets to have their love letter delivered to the princess and have it read by her. The princess then being enamored with what you have said will provide you with a token of affection.
Game Versions
Quite surprisingly, there are a large number of different versions of Love Letter. From various comic book universes to favorite book series, there will be a version of Love Letter for every fandom.
Some of the more popular versions include Batman and Lovecraft. If the style of gameplay interests you, but not the royal theme, you will definitely not have to look far to find a theme that you will enjoy.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Very compact game
- Easy to understand playing the first time
- Gameplay has a great depth to it
- Extremely portable
There is so much to recommend this game for. It is clever and has been very well designed. You’d be hard-pressed to find many faults. This is a fantastic game to take along for a casual game with friends and you wouldn’t need too many people to play it. If you have a few close friends that enjoy casual games – this is the game for you.
Cons:
- Not an all-round family game
- Theme is not for everyone
Love Letter is not a game that everyone would consider a family game, however, that is not the target audience. It can be adapted, but it would depend on the family. And while the royal theme isn’t for everyone, people could miss out on it by thinking it was the only theme – a little insider knowledge needed.
Conclusion: Verdict?
The game is surprising in that it looks so simple, but its gameplay feels otherwise. It is understated and over-delivers. There aren’t many games that do that. And what makes it a great game for everyone is the extremely large number of themes that are available – there is something for everyone.
Love Letter would be best suited for young adults who aren’t too serious about gaming but do know the enjoyment that comes from it. It is a must for the casual gaming collection – it’s great to have just sitting around waiting for a dull moment.
We hope you enjoyed our Love Letter review! This tiny card game has given Bryan and me endless hours of entertainment while traveling. Drop a comment below to let us know what you think of Love Letter and what other card games you like to play!
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Kendra has always been a hardcore fantasy nerd. Growing up in the worlds of Tolkien, Sanderson, Jordan, and Abercrombie, DnD & board games just came naturally. She and her husband, Bryan, started GameCows.com in 2018 as a fun passion project that just took over their lives. An avid board gamer since childhood and chronic DnD chronicler for more than two decades, she loves to play, write, travel, and learn dead languages.