Tabletop Game Review: Cartooner

Cartooner

Japanime Games

Players: 1-8

Play Time: 30-60 Minutes

I’m pretty iffy on drawing games. Most of them rely on some sort of expertise with a pencil in order to be enjoyable. If not that, then they rely on being an overly dirty party game (Like Scrawl) in order to be fun. Knowing this, I was a bit wary about Cartooner at first, though I did love the concept. Sequential Planet started as and still is primarily a comic book website. Cartooner is a tabletop game about simulating the fast-paced lifestyle of a comic book creator. With such a solid theme, does it live up to the expectations?

Yes. It really does. Cartooner is a fun, fast-paced game that often challenges the players and leads to quite a few laughs throughout. Despite being a comic book critic, I am by no means an artist (Or fiction writer for that matter). I don’t have good ideas, I just know what makes a good comic. Despite my lack of talent in comic books, I had a ball playing Cartooner. One doesn’t need to be an artist to succeed in Cartooner, they just need a bit of creativity and be able to think fast. A group of players able to do this is guaranteed to have a good night with Cartooner.

In Cartooner, each player plays as a comic book creator trying to achieve fame. Every player is given three themes that act as that player’s writing style. For example, I was given “A Mysterious Benefactor,” “Protests,” and “Giants,” which means that I need to try to include those things into my comic in order to maximize points. These themes stick with the player for the rest of the game, barring a few unique scenarios. In addition to the need to stick to the cards that they are given, players will also need to keep up with current comic book trends. These are represented by trend cards that affect all of the players, unlike the themes that only target individuals. By sticking to themes and trends, as well as a few other rules like minimal speech bubbles, players will earn fame. Whoever has the most fame after four rounds wins.

The fame system is what allows players of varying art skill to succeed in Cartooner. Winners are decided not by the quality of art, but by the ability to include a lot of things into their work. The various trends and themes keep things interesting, and it is fun to see where the constant changes take a story. Most of the comics in our games started off fairly grounded but soon became unhinged as we tried to keep up with popular trends. The end result is a lot of laughs amongst the group as everyone shares their works.

While there is a competitive element to Cartooner, most players will find themselves just having a good time as they play. It’s lighthearted and fun, and I always found myself looking forward to seeing what the next trend will be. I would always have an intricate comic mapped out for my four rounds, only to have things derailed every time. This might frustrate some players, but anyone with the right sense of humor will love the creativity that this game pulls out of its players.

Cartooner also gives an interesting perspective to comic book and manga fans who critique the direction that some of their favorite stories go. The rounds in Cartooner are lightning-fast, with 2-8 panels needing to be drawn in less than eight minutes. This simulates the deadlines that creators are constantly pressured by. Throw in creators trying to keep up with the pressure of what is popular and expected by society, and it becomes understandable why some comic books are the way they are. While Cartooner can be enjoyed by everyone, this game will especially be enjoyed by comic book fans.

Cartooner is a pleasant drawing game that can be enjoyed by just about anyone willing to be a bit silly. As a comic book fan, I was giggling through all of my plays as the game reminded me of some of my favorite works. It’s not too serious, still has a bit of competition in it, and scales well with all player sizes. I highly recommend bringing Cartooner to your next party game night.

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