The Mandalorian: Adventures is a strategy board game with card play and a campaign based on the titular Star Wars show. It offers both cooperative missions based on early Season 1 episodes from the series, and a hidden traitor mode to unlock.
In The Mandalorian: Adventures, players will begin by working together to complete different objectives. You’ll strategically use unique character decks to perform actions on the board. The players’ actions can also trigger enemy activations, so you’ll need to make careful choices to avoid drawing too much attention.
Defeat enemies, herd Grogu around, earn new cards and characters between missions, and more. The Mandalorian: Adventures from Unexpected Games is available now. Here’s the official trailer for a quick look at the game:
As a longtime fan of the series, including the recent divisive season, I definitely enjoy the aesthetic in Mandalorian: Adventures. A brief comic precedes every mission, and I feel that artistry really captures the gritty attitude of Din Djarin and his world.
The maps fit well enough too, and they’re presented in a highly convenient spiral-bound book. My fiancee and I always agreed that more games should pick up this trend, and I’m glad to see it gain steam in the hobby. It reduces setup a lot, which is always useful for busy gamers, especially through the week!
The characters themselves each function exactly the way you hope they will. There are just enough distinguishing abilities with themed effects to make you feel like your character, like Mando’s “Whistling Birds.”
Fortunately, enemies feel the same way, with a couple of unique abilities of their own to shake things up. You’ll gain a newfound appreciation for those pesky, I mean adorable little mouse droids.
The objectives are equally thematic, and not just those that literally follow the story beats of the series. For example, enemies can capture Baby Yoda—ahem, Grogu—who also flees at times, and you’ll want to quickly recover the precious cargo.
I welcome the fan service in this game, which gets pretty creative and doesn’t feel like an afterthought at all, to me. Also, it’s probably one of the reasons you’re playing, anyway! This particular combination of IP, genre, and campaign gameplay were a big draw for my fiancee and I.
The action system is an absolute standout in The Mandalorian: Adventures. The ebb and flow of performing actions that also invite enemy activity is a great way to encourage teamwork. Your cards can greatly affect each other.
Pushing your luck to perform more actions, or stronger actions, at the cost of bigger enemy turns? That’s very clever, nudging players to time their actions. You also have the chance to anticipate enemy tactics, so players can actually plan ahead.
I personally enjoy turns that feel like a small cooperative puzzle, though some might prefer more random elements.
Discovering new cards for your deck and more characters to use is always a thrill. With hidden traitor mode, you’ll get a fair amount of content and replayability for the smaller price tag. However! Bear in mind that there are only a couple of maps, and there aren’t many missions. Don’t expect a sprawling epic that explores every episode of the show.
Final Thoughts
The Mandalorian: Adventures is just as breezy, action-packed, and friendly as the series. Its gameplay might be too lightweight for some, and the content itself is a little light, too. But the unique action system and character cards offer enough depth for both snappy and rewarding strategy. Notably, if you want a game that genuinely feels and operates like the show—this is the way.
Score: 8.5/10
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