The Joy of Simple Solo Arithmetic and Birds with Piepmatz
Visit a busy backyard filled with beautiful birds ready to collect piles of seeds from the birdfeeder in Piepmatz.
Here it is! I set out to play through a bunch of unplayed solo games from A to Z, and finally made it! Maybe Piepmatz technically ends with the correct letter, yet I was so excited to complete this challenge with an intriguing game. After I spotted an unofficial solo variant for it, I couldn’t wait to try it out. How I do love birds and lovely nature games!
Game Overview
Game Name: Piepmatz
Publication Year: 2018
Designers: Ben Pinchback and Matt Riddle
Artists: Klemens Franz and Mike Langman
Publisher: Lookout Games
Solo Mode: Unofficial Solo Variant
Gameplay revolves around a lot of careful planning as birds of different strengths line up to collect seeds. Bird cards are collected, with bonuses for pairing males and females of the same species and strength. Watch out for the crows and squirrels, too! It’s all quite a fun challenge.
First Play
May 14, 2022
Complexity
2
Latest Play
May 15, 2022
Expansions
0
Setup Time
Almost None
Lifetime Plays
4
Play Time
15 Minutes
High Score
101
Game Area
34" x 18"
Low Score
62
Center Stage
Not surprisingly, the focal point is a little birdfeeder with just enough space for a pair of birds to eat seeds at once.
On the left and right sides, other birds must wait in line. Yet this all comes down to their individual strengths, ranging from 1 to 6 in both species and genders.
I thought it might feel like a tacked-on theme, yet it all made a lot of sense! The birds on the ground could only vie for the seeds if they had more combined strength.
This simple card also helped keep the general play area organized. I really enjoyed it, even before playing!
The Peanut Gallery
Take this example. The 2-strength Yellowhammer was merrily enjoying his seeds, but the 1-strength Bullfinch and Yellowhammer weren’t enough to dislodge him.
In this instance, though, the very next bird would allow the 2-strength Yellowhammer to be collected.
There were even cascading effects when plotted carefully. I definitely didn’t have it figured out as I watched the solo opponent pull ahead of me by way, way too much!
But there was something here. I can sometimes get lost with mathematical puzzles, yet this felt intriguing.
Help from the Critters
Before I actually began, this game was actually the only one I ever lost among my collection… It’s vast, but I usually know exactly where every box is located!
I enlisted the help of some Calico Critters, mainly because they were moved around the same time. What had I done with this box?! The search stretched on for a few days.
Yet there it was, stacked underneath some slightly larger boxes. Stealthy, but not at all charming like the elephants!
We had a grand little celebration as I started to catch onto the right strategies, slowly edging my way ahead.
Victory Birds
This gripped my attention for a couple of days as I worked out just what I was doing wrong. Points. I was giving away victory points with some hilariously bad moves.
Yet at last, the cards seemed to work in my favor! I found pairs, collected some of the higher-strength birds, and made sure to leave the solo opponent in the seed dust.
It wasn’t easy, and I had to give up some lucrative moves here and there. But such a lovely collection in the end!
I loved how the different mechanics melded together. No decision was that obvious, and I only won once.
When Simple Mathematics Strengthen a Game
I’m easily lost in simple addition problems at times, and calculating victory points mid-game often throws me for a loop. Although I love mathematics, I don’t always enjoy solving endless problems when I play a solo game. Often, I just want to get some enjoyment without having to think about the optimal way to score the most each and every turn.
At the same time, there are a handful of solo games I enjoy that center around constant addition. Take Bowling Solitaire, which I love! I believe I was a champion in the solo bowling league one year, which I know means everything. Ha ha! Yet figuring out how to knock over every pin and keeping track of my odds of a strike every frame are awesome.
In an even similar niche is Songbirds, which features adorable birds and a grid where up to 4 types of birds must have their strengths tracked with each move. There are times when it feels a little overwhelming, but it still provides a fun experience when certain rows or columns are cancelled out. Addition to the rescue! And so many cute birds.
Here, I had to constantly think a couple of steps ahead and consider what bird cards might go to the solo opponent. I figured out a useful strategy, but the randomness of the cards ensured that I had to constantly adjust. That’s one thing I like in these mathematical games, too: Unpredictability. I don’t want to just earn 2 victory points every turn.
Another benefit to these simple mathematics comes down to the numbers: In almost every example, sums use low numbers from 1 to 7, and Bowling Solitaire doesn’t get too complex with most sums rarely reaching 20+. By thinking and rethinking through the addition problems, I always feel like I’m getting a little better with mental arithmetic.
Birdfeeder Hobbyists
Of course, as all of us with birdfeeders know, there are the unwanted guests who show up incessantly! It’s no different with this game. Crows and squirrels abound!
Granted, I still love these animals, but they’re often nightmares for stealing seeds. Not to mention deer…
Seed cards provide additional victory points, yet some might be paired with a random pest. Each either steals collected seed or bird cards. Such a nuisance!
The solo opponent is immune to the crows… However, a carefully plotted turn might see the squirrel help out!
Defenders of the Seeds
I loved seeing all of the different wildlife! The squirrels were a little too keen about my collection, though, and I lost a lot of seeds to their greedy little paws.
Something had to be done. As I turned my back, the rest of the Calico Critter dogs decided to chase them off!
Not sure how successful it was since they never disappear for good. The effort was appreciated, though.
The better strategy was to simply make sums that forced the solo opponent to pick up the crows and squirrels, thereby paving the way for my lone victory!
Session Overview
Play Number: 1-4
Solo Mode: Unofficial Solo Variant
Play Details: Easy Difficulty Level
Outcome: 72-122, 72-74, 62-84, 101-96 (1 Win, 3 Losses)
What a challenge! I definitely improved, but not to the point that I could confidently win each time. So much to love! The artwork was lovely, yet the different strategies made this stand out for me. There aren’t a lot of math-based solo games with themes I love, so this was a pleasant surprise. Just need to keep an eye on those pesky squirrels… Ha! Definitely one I highly recommend!
%
1 Play
Affordability
Price & Value
9
Functionality
Challenges & Mechanics
10
Originality
Design & Theme
7
Quality
Components & Rules
8
Reusability
Achievement & Enjoyment
9
Variability
Distinctness & Randomness
9
+ Pros (Positives)
- All of the bird artwork is beautifully realistic, with each gender facing a specific direction for easy identification.
- There is a surprising amount of depth when considering what to do on each turn and which bird card to collect.
- Only about half the deck is used during each solo play, adding a lot of randomness and chance to gameplay.
- Simple addition problems make up a large part of the mechanics, yet these are typically quick and fun to solve.
- The unofficial solo variant is intuitive and easy to understand after a single play, and it offers a real challenge.
- Play time generally goes by quickly and keeps pace, never dragging on for long with quick steps to follow.
– Cons (Negatives)
- The rulebook is a little lengthy and some concepts have explanations that might have been a little clearer.
- Keeping all of the collected bird cards organized takes some effort, especially for spotting needed pairs.
- A certain degree of bad luck helps make gameplay interesting, yet a string of poor draws can be a bit punishing.
- Even though the crows and squirrels add some clever moments, their powers can feel overwhelmingly negative.
Victory Conditions
Score the Most Points
- Overall Goal Progress 100%
Goals and Milestones
Score at least 100 points.
Win at least 1 game at the easy difficulty level.
Continue the Conversation
Have you played Piepmatz? I loved finding out that I could play it with an unofficial solo variant! Are there any other games that prominently feature mathematics you enjoy? Board games are heavily rooted in constant calculations, yet I enjoy it when these are masked or otherwise made easy. Here, collecting birds and seeds just turns out to make sense!
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