tabletoppingboardgames 
Postcards is one of those games that puts you on a bike and sends you across France. No rush, no pressure, just moving from place to place and picking up memories along the way. I mean, that’s the idea at least. In practice, you’re still trying to be efficient, because well… it’s a board game after all.
You travel through different regions, collect postcards, and slowly prepare them to send. It’s kind of funny, because it feels a bit like real holidays. You pick up nice things, tell yourself “I’ll deal with this later”, and then suddenly you need to actually finish something. At least here you’ll send your postcards on time. Probably.
👥 1-4 players, ages 10+
⌛ Playing time: 30-45 minutes
📝 Designers: Eric Dubus & Simon Kayne
🎨 Artwork: Crocotame
🏢 Publisher: 999 Games (Dutch version, review copy provided)
Gameplay Overview
Each turn is pretty simple. You play three travel cards, one by one, and for each card you choose whether you use it for an action or turn it into a stamp for your postcards. That choice is basically the whole game. Do something now, or prepare for later.
Moving around the map is straightforward. You go from one region to a neighbouring one, trying to line things up so you’re in the right place when your postcards are ready. It sounds like a big map puzzle, but honestly, it’s more about timing than about finding a good route.
Postcards are where your points come from. You pick them up, add stamps in the right colours, and once they’re filled and you’re in the correct region, you can send them. And you can do that whenever you want during your turn, which is nice. No awkward “oh, I forgot” moments.
When you send one, you get points and a gift card. Some of those are helpful right away, others are more for the end of the game. I guess it depends a bit on what’s on offer at that moment, which can feel good… or just okay.
Camps are a bit more interesting than they look at first. When you place one, you sometimes get to add a souvenir to a postcard, which gives you a small bonus. Nothing huge, but enough to make your turn feel a bit smoother. Over time, your camps also unlock extra effects from your player board, so they slowly build up in importance.
There’s also a small race element. If you manage to fill all camp spots in a region, you score points immediately. It’s not super competitive, but it does make you look at what others are doing and think, “hmm… maybe I should go there now.”
One rule I actually like is that you can use two cards as a wildcard action. It doesn’t happen all the time, but when your hand is a mess, it saves you. And yeah, your hand will be a mess at some point. It just happens.
The game ends when someone sends their fourth postcard. After that, one last round and you count everything. Even the postcards you didn’t finish still give a point, which feels a bit like a participation prize, but I’ll take it.
Artwork, Components, and Visual Design
This is probably where the game wins most people over. The whole thing looks soft and warm, like a travel poster you’d see somewhere and think, yeah… I should go there someday. The map is colourful but still clear, which is important, because you actually need to read it during the game.
The little wooden bicycles are great. I know it’s a small thing, but they add a lot. It just feels nicer moving a tiny cyclist around than a boring cube.
The postcards themselves are the highlight. Each one has its own look, and they really do feel like something you’d pick up on a trip. I caught myself just looking at them a few times instead of actually playing, which maybe says enough.
Everything else is clean and easy to understand. The icons make sense, nothing gets confusing, and you don’t really need to check the rulebook once you’re going.
Our Experience
This is a very easy game to bring to the table. You explain it once, maybe clarify a few things, and people are ready to go. Turns are quick, and that helps a lot. You play three cards, make a couple of choices, and you’re done. There’s no long waiting, and even when it’s not your turn, you can follow what’s happening without trying too hard.
There’s interaction, but it’s light. You take a card someone else might want, or you place a camp before they do, but that’s about it. No moments where the table suddenly reacts or anything like that. At two players especially, it can feel a bit like you’re both just doing your own thing.
The map looks like it should matter a lot, but it doesn’t feel that restrictive. You’re not really struggling to get somewhere. It’s more about whether you can be in the right place when your postcards are ready. That works, but if you expect something more about planning routes, it’s not really that.
We did like how the game moves toward the end once someone gets close to sending that fourth postcard. It keeps things from dragging and gives the last turns a bit more focus.
Our Thoughts
I guess the easiest way to describe Postcards is that it’s a good, solid game, but also a familiar one. There’s nothing here that really surprised us. Everything connects in a way that makes sense, but you’ve probably seen most of them before in some form. That’s fine, just don’t expect something very new.
What I do like is how everything connects. When a turn comes together, moving to the right region, placing a camp, getting a bonus, and finishing a postcard, it feels satisfying. Not in a huge way, just a small “yeah, that worked” moment.
Camps are probably the most interesting part. They tie things together nicely and give you small boosts that make your turns better. Without them, I think the game would feel a bit flat.
That said, not everything hits the same. Gift cards can be a bit hit or miss. Sometimes they fit perfectly, sometimes you just take one and think, okay… sure. It doesn’t break the game, but it’s noticeable.
Overall, it didn’t leave a strong impression after playing. We enjoyed it, definitely, but it’s not the kind of game we immediately want to play again the next day. More like, yeah, I’d play that again sometime.
In the end, it’s a game that plays smoothly, comes together nicely on the table, and plays without friction. It works well with families or mixed groups, especially if not everyone wants something heavier. And honestly, sometimes that’s enough. Not every game needs to be a full Tour de France. Sometimes a short bike ride with a nice view is just fine.
📝 We received a copy of the game from 999 Games.
