- Publisher : Sorry We Are French
- Designer(s) : Marco Canetta, Stefania Niccolini
- Artist(s) : David Sitbon
- Players : 1–4
- Playing time : 45–90 Min
- Weight BGG : 3.00
What's this?
Kingdom Crossing immerses you in the kingdom of Clearspring, a peaceful place crisscrossed by rivers and connected by seven bridges. But one problem remains: it’s impossible to travel the entire kingdom without crossing the same bridge twice.
How do you play?
A game takes place in 4 rounds , each divided into three phases:
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Morning phase
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Players collect their income through recruited characters and built structures.
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New birds appear on the board cards and offer bonuses.
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The Queen reveals her new card, bringing a special effect.
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Phase of the day
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The heart of the game: each player has Action tiles . On their turn, they choose one to rest (earn money) or work (move their beaver or use a special action).
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Movement is done by crossing bridges not yet used this turn, placing a marker to block them. The goal is to reach a region and recruit a character or build a structure.
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Characters belong to five animal guilds (Foxes, Owls, Bears, Boars, Deer) and offer resources, prestige, or various bonuses. Structures provide income or lasting effects.
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Players can also take advantage of bonuses from birds encountered and attempt to complete Queen’s Bridge Objectives to score points.
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A strategic option: the Hot Air Balloon, which allows you to cross a bridge already in use or move to another region… but at a cost in coins.
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Evening phase
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If a player ends the round in an area where he has built a house, he earns additional income.
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Everyone collects their Action tiles and markers for the next round.
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👉 The game ends after the 4th round. Players add up points earned through objectives, collected resources, cards, the Queen’s favor, and structures. The player with the most victory points is chosen by the Queen to lead the construction of the eighth bridge.
Is it good?
Behind its enchanting universe and charming illustrations, Kingdom Crossing hides a real depth of reflection and strategy.
Its genius lies in its bridge mechanics, which impose a movement constraint that is simple to understand but devilishly tight: you can never go over the same bridge twice during a round. This simple rule transforms each movement into a small puzzle that is both frustrating and exhilarating, where you calculate, anticipate, and optimize to maximize your gains. Some cards will require crossing few bridges, others, on the contrary, to cross as many as possible to maximize points: it’s up to you to juggle these constraints and make the most of each action.
Added to this are engine building with animal guilds, resource management, the Queen’s objectives, and some clever combos. The paths to victory are varied, which enhances replayability.
The material and illustrations are very nice, and the quality is there, as always with Sorry We Are French . Obviously, everything is not perfect: the theme tends to fade quickly and the very calculating side will not suit everyone.
But for those who enjoy well-oiled management games and demanding optimization dilemmas, Kingdom Crossing ticks all the boxes and stands out as an excellent surprise.
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