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Clank!: Catacombs
Build a deck, rob a dungeon, and run for the exit before the dragon eats you.
Designed by Paul Dennen · 2022
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The best Clank! yet, and a fully standalone one, as long as you can forgive a tile draw that occasionally hands the game to someone else.
Best for: Deck-builder fans who want push-your-luck tension and a new map every single time.
What it is
Here's the pitch. You build a deck of cards while crawling into a dungeon, grabbing gold and artifacts, then you sprint for the exit before a dragon turns you into a smear. The twist in Catacombs is that the map doesn't exist yet. You build it as you go, flipping and rotating tiles into a new layout every game. Paul Dennen took a great series and made the board itself a fresh puzzle each time you sit down.
The catch
The tension is the whole point. Every artifact you greedily snatch makes the dragon angrier, and every step deeper is a bet you might not make it back. Players online consistently call it the sweet spot of the line. The catch is the luck. Reviewers are honest that a rough tile draw can leave one player flush and another stranded, and a game can tip lopsided fast. The tile rotation also stretches play time as everyone agonizes over placement.
Who it's for
So who's this for? If you like deck-builders with a heartbeat and you don't mind the dice-and-tiles gods occasionally picking favorites, this is a joy. It's standalone, plays 2-4 in under 90 minutes, and shuffling those cardboard chits at setup is the only real chore. Reviewers across the board rank it the best Clank! made, and honestly, they're right. Greed has rarely felt this fun.
What other players say
This write-up is grounded in real reviews and player discussion, not just one opinion. A few worth reading:
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