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Imagine this: Grandpa’s house, a charmingly creaky old place filled with mice, mysteries, and a cellar that hides a treasure trove of peculiar glassware. These curious contraptions are relics from Grandpa’s days as an alchemist, and they’re just too tempting to ignore. With your curiosity bubbling like a cauldron, you set out to gather ingredients and dabble in the magical art of potion-making. Let the adventure begin!
👥 2-4 players, ages 7+
⌛ Playing time: 20-40 minutes
📝 Designer: Matúš Kotry
🎨 Artwork: David Cochard, Štěpán Drašťák, Dávid Jablonovský & František Sedláček
🏢 Publisher: Czech Games Edition (review copy provided)
Gameplay Overview
Each player starts with their own setup: a screen for privacy, a tracker to log their discoveries, and three basic ingredients to kickstart their potion experiments. Armed with these tools, it’s time to dive into the first game with a little help from the companion app.
During your turn, you’ll mix two ingredients behind your screen, placing them into a special holder. The app takes over from here and reveals which of the three magical potions (Flying, Luck, or Fire) your combination creates. Once identified, you mark the potion on your tracker at the intersection of the two ingredients. Voilà! Your alchemy skills are already shining.
But there’s more to the day than just mixing potions. You can also head to the market to buy extra ingredients, boosting your inventory and helping you prepare for specific concoctions. Pro tip: Stocking up strategically can give you an edge, especially when market customers appear with their potion requests. If you can brew the potion they’re after, you’ll earn a tidy pile of coins in return. Cha-ching!
At the end of your turn, you’ll discard your used ingredients and draw fresh ones from the stack, keeping your options open for the next round. The game continues until the closed market tile is flipped, signaling the end. That’s when you tally up your coins to see who’s the ultimate potion master.
But that’s just the beginning! Little Alchemists is designed to grow with you. While the first game starts off simple, each subsequent session becomes more challenging and rewarding thanks to a campaign system. By playing, you’ll earn keys that unlock mysterious boxes filled with new ingredients, mechanics, and rules. The app will walk you through these steps when you hit the game end button, explaining the fresh additions and any rule changes. For those who prefer a physical reference, the sealed sections of the rulebook can also be opened when the app gives the go-ahead.
Game Info
Little Alchemists is a family-friendly deduction game that simplifies and streamlines the core ideas of its older sibling, Alchemists, which came out in 2014. That game had a reputation for being a real brain-burner, but this one is much lighter and easier to get into. It’s designed by Matúš Kotry, the same mind behind Alchemists, and published by Czech Games Edition. The game works for 2 to 4 players, ages 7 and up, and plays in about 20 to 40 minutes. Early games are quicker, closer to 20 minutes, while later ones with more unlocked content can stretch closer to 40 minutes. The best part? It grows with the players, easing you in with simple mechanics and then gradually cranking up the complexity as you go.
Components, Production, and Artwork
Let’s talk about the game’s pieces. The components are solid, and I mean really solid. The cardboard tokens and tiles are thick and sturdy, which is great if you’re playing with kids or, let’s face it, accident-prone adults. The player screens are also impressively robust, unlike the flimsy ones you often see in other games. These can stand up to curious little hands and even a few spills.
The potion bottles are a simple but nice touch. They come in player colors and are as cute as they are practical. You use them to mark customers when delivering potions, but honestly, they’re just fun to hold. The game also relies on a companion app, which works smoothly and is integral to the gameplay. However, if you’re not a fan of apps in your board games, this might not be the game for you.
Visually, the game is a feast for the eyes. The artwork is colorful, detailed, and full of charm, perfectly matching the magical alchemy theme. The player screens and other components are beautifully illustrated, pulling you into the whimsical world of potion brewing. And then there are the mysterious boxes. Six of them. Each one holds surprises that expand the game as you progress through the campaign, keeping everyone curious and engaged.
Gameplay and Deduction
Deduction games can sometimes be a bit tricky to explain, especially to kids, but Little Alchemists does a fantastic job of making it approachable. The first game is super easy to pick up, just enough to get everyone comfortable. After that, each game adds a little more challenge, slowly turning up the heat. It’s like cooking: low and slow to start, but eventually, you’ve got a full-on boil. The gradual increase in complexity makes it perfect for kids, who will start figuring out ingredient combinations and crafting potions with confidence. It’s sneaky, in a good way. They’re learning logic and problem-solving without even realizing it.
The game’s structure revolves around crafting potions. You’ll combine ingredients and scan them with the app to discover which potion you’ve brewed. Results are tracked on a personal deduction grid, so you can narrow down what works and what doesn’t. There’s also a market where you can buy extra ingredients. This helps you plan ahead and prepare for specific customer requests, although spending too much can cost you valuable coins and thus points, so it’s all about balance.
Customer requests are a fun twist. If you can fulfill them, you’ll earn coins, but if you’re really clever, you’ll start predicting what customers might want next and prepare in advance. As you progress through the campaign, new mechanics and components are introduced, keeping the gameplay fresh and exciting. The boxes may require replaying scenarios multiple times to earn sufficient keys, which might test your patience, but most players will enjoy the sense of accomplishment that comes with unlocking something new.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a fan of deduction games and want to share that love with kids or newer players, Little Alchemists is a perfect fit. The app’s fun storytelling, combined with the colorful art and the thrill of unlocking mysterious boxes, kept my kids begging to play again. Watching them go from hesitant beginners to confident potion masters was a joy. And yes, they were better than me by the third game. No shame in admitting that.
This game works wonderfully as an introduction to deduction games. It’s not one for heavy gamers looking for a deep challenge, but if you enjoy lighter, family-friendly games that can hold a child’s attention across multiple sessions, you’ll find a lot to love here. Those mysterious boxes really do their job of keeping everyone curious.
Little Alchemists offers a magical way to bring deduction games to life for families. Why not give it a try? Just be prepared to hear, “Can we play again?” more often than you might expect.
📝 We received a review copy of the game from Czech Games Edition.
