Today in our game review series: In “Stella” players have to associate images with terms. But you only get points if you can guess how the other players tick.
As the publisher describes the game: Stella – Dixit Universe is a competitive game set in the Dixit universe where you have to associate pictures with a common word. Choose the same images as your fellow players to claim victory. Take calculated risks, but beware of free fall. Picture cards from the popular Dixit universe are laid out in three rows of five cards each. Four word cards are revealed, which are intended to evoke associations with the pictures on display. Everyone has a personal tableau on which they secretly enter which cards they link to the terms. You not only have to think for yourself, but also try to reach agreement with your fellow players. You only get both points if more than one player connects a card with one of the words. (…)
Review by Hunter and Melli: The picture association game “Dixit” has already brought generations to the table in many families and provided a lot of fun. The creatively and lovingly designed picture cards are the heart of the game, which has created added value with many expansions. Now the French game publisher Libellud is presenting a newly conceived game in Dixit style: In “Stella” Dixit cards are laid out in a 3×5 field. Here the players associate given terms with the picture cards on display and mark them face down with crosses on their tableau. In the next phase of the game there is an evaluation: If you have placed too many, i.e. the most crosses in the round, you only get half the number of points in this evaluation. Because in “Stella” it is important to have as many matches as possible with the other players. If you make it too easy for yourself with too many crosses, you have a disadvantage.
The starting player begins by announcing one of their own chosen picture cards. The players continue to keep their trays hidden. Everyone else checks if they have ticked the same picture card. There are now three valuation cases that can occur:
If at least three players have chosen the same association, a spark is created. All players involved then get two points for this picture card.
The special case Superfunken requires that exactly two players have crossed the corresponding picture card. You then get three points each.
The player goes into the fall if no one else has marked the announced picture card. The person is eliminated from this evaluation round and cannot collect any more points.
The starting marker is then passed on and the next player announces their own choice. The round continues until all crosses have been announced or all players have caused a fall. The first round is then over, one of the rows of picture cards is exchanged and the association terms are revealed again. The game goes into the next round and the players put their crosses again. The game ends after four rounds and the most successful star seeker wins the game.
Stella – Dixit Universe
Game designers: Gérald Cattiaux, Jean-Louis Roubira
Publisher: Libellud
Graphic: Jerome Pélissier
Age recommendation: from 8 years
Number of players: 3-6 players
Playing time: approx. 30 min.
Price: around €40.00
The series: The game experts Johannes Jaeger and Melanie I. regularly present board games in the FR. Video reviews of all Hunter & Friends games presented here (and more) are available at: www.hunter-brettspiele.de and on YouTube.
“Stella” brings several tactical tricks with it: How many crosses should I dare without betting the most and losing points? Which of my picture cards are my fellow players most likely to choose and should be announced first? The game stimulates creativity and the ability to form associations through its dreamily designed picture cards. And the assessment of the other players is trained.
“Stella” facilitates access to play even more than “Dixit” already could. Because you don’t have to think up your own terms, you just have to bring images together with given terms. Even preschool children can sit down at the game table and place their crosses.
The game material convinces with its high quality and the beautiful design. Only the game pack, which should have been much smaller for the content, gets negative points.
“Stella” is a successful family game in which young and old enjoy playing. The cards can also be used as an expansion set for existing “Dixit” games, bringing fresh variety to the beloved classic.
