Alpina
- Aditya Singh
- May 5
- 3 min read
Alpina is a lightweight tile-laying game designed by Luc Rémond, illustrated by Crocotame, and published by Helvetiq. The game invites its 2-4 players to imagine they’re piecing together a trail of photographs they would or could have taken while hiking through Parc Naziunal Svizzer in Switzerland.
Setup is simple: place a starting tile at the centre of the table to begin a 5 x 5 grid that players will build throughout the game. Each player receives some starting cards and a limited number of hiker tokens. Every card features one of three animals – frog, bird or goat – in one of three habitats – mountain, lake or forest. In addition to its illustration, each card includes a scoring criteria. These scoring conditions are the real heart of Alpina. They guide players' decisions and shape the direction of the game: you claim one by placing out one of your hiker tokens. While there are a fair number of different scoring conditions, they’re intuitive and the game’s clean iconography helps players grasp them quickly. A quick rules explanation is usually all that’s needed to get going.
At its core, Alpina is about maximizing your own score while occasionally (and gleefully) sabotaging others. You might be planning to complete a perfect line of mountain tiles only to have another player snatch that crucial corner space for a humble 2-point bird card. It’s the kind of light interference that keeps things interesting without ruining the fun. In my experience, Alpina leans more toward tactical than strategic gameplay. You often have to adapt on the fly, which makes it all the more satisfying when a multi-turn plan actually comes together. Since your supply of hiker tokens is limited and not replenished, choosing when to commit one to a photo is a critical decision.
Even when it’s not your turn, staying alert is important. Watching what others are trying to score gives you a chance to block or adjust your own plans. In every game I’ve played the final scores were close – once even ending in a tie for first place. It really drives home how much every point counts. I also have to mention the scoring track – it’s adorably implemented using the game box and a slider pawn: a charming and refreshing touch.
If there’s one letdown, it’s that the game doesn’t do as much as it could to showcase the beauty of the Swiss National Park that inspired it. Despite having nine combinations (three animals across three habitats), the visual variety feels oddly limited. Once you’ve seen a mountain card, it barely matters which animal is on it – it all starts to blur together. The same goes for the animals themselves. After the first few turns, you end up focusing entirely on the scoring icons while the rest fades into the background.
Bottom line? I've really enjoyed Alpina, and so has everyone I've played it with. The turns are quick, the gameplay is engaging and there’s just the right amount of friendly competition. While I wish it had done a bit more to bring the Swiss National Park’s natural beauty to life – perhaps that’s something an expansion could explore – this is a game I’d happily pick up and play in a heartbeat.
(Review by Aditya Singh)
