Games from La Belle Province!
Authors: Kalinda Patton and Emily Bradshaw - June 22, 2020

If there’s anything we know about Quebecers, it’s that we are a proud people, with a rich heritage. AND we LOVE to have fun! But did you know that Quebec also boasts one of  Canada's most dynamic gaming board gaming cultures? That’s right, not only is la belle province home to some remarkable boardgame publishers, there’s also a vast choice of games out there with a Quebecois twist!
 
To help you celebrate our national holiday, we’ve decided to showcase a selection of games associated with our beautiful province. Whether they were designed and created by small Quebec publishers, or whether their themes are Quebecois, the products in our
​Blue Games selection will certainly give you the feeling of being immersed in Quebec culture, or the satisfaction of supporting local game creators.

QUEBEC STUDIOS

Next Move Games

Next Move Games is a boardgame publisher situated in the quaint little town of Rigaud, Quebec, most famous for its Azul series
of games.

Azul
2–4 players
Ages 8 +
30–45 minutes

Azul (which means blue, notably in Spanish and Portuguese) features Azulejos, originally blue and white ceramic wall tiles, adopted by the Portuguese when their king, Manuel I, visited a Spanish palace. He was mesmerized by the stunning beauty of the decorative tiles and immediately ordered that his own palace in Portugal be decorated with similar wall tiles.
 
Azul will immerse you in this exotic time and place, as you become a tile layer, hired to create the beautiful mosaic on the palace walls. Select colored tiles and place them on your palace wall. Points are scored based on how you place your tiles. Additional points are awarded for specific motifs and for completed sets. Be sure to not waste any material, as this may reduce your final score.
 
The Azul product line includes three additional games! Azul: Stained Glass of Sintra and Azul: Summer Pavilion, and Azul: Crystal Mosaic. And there’s the recently launched
5211: Azul Edition. 

Synapses Games

Launched in 2018, Synapses Games is a Quebec-based game publisher located in Les Cèdres in the Montérégie region. This prolific Quebec studio has already released three games, Incubation, Crazy Tower and the free Print & Play game, Match 5. The company’s fourth game, Coatl, is set for release this fall!

Incubation
2–5 players
Ages 8 +
30 minutes

Incubation, the first game published by Synapses Games, was designed by the founder of the company, Carl Brière. In the game, you can take on the role of dragon breeders and must acquire the necessary resources to help your baby dragons break free from their shells. How many dragons will you hatch? With the right combination of heat, water and gold, incubate your eggs, complete your objectives, and prove that you are one of the best dragon breeders out there!
 
Incubation is the perfect title to start your journey in the world of board games. Perfectly adapted for kids, this charming and beautifully illustrated game will provide tons of magical fun for the entire family!

Crazy Tower
1–4 players
Ages 8 +
15 minutes

In Crazy Tower, players work together to get rid of their blocks and build a safe, stable structure. All of them, except for one that is. One player takes on the role of the traitor, looking to deviously make a building that will collapse on another player’s turn.
​Will they succeed, or will the Tower stand the test of time? Either way, you can bet it’s going to be crazy!

Match 5
2–8 players
Ages 10 +
20 minutes

In MATCH 5, all you need to do is find a common link between 2 Word Cards. Use your imagination to find an answer to each of the 10 combinations … in 3 minutes! For now, Match 5 is available as a Print & Play but the full game is scheduled for release sometime in 2021.

Coatl (coming this fall!)
1–4 players
Ages 10 +
30–60 minutes

In Cóatl, players work to build the most beautiful and valuable serpents. The serpents, or Cóatl, are constructed with a head, a tail, and a number of body segments, each made from chunky, colorful plastic. On a turn, players will either take tiles from the central board to their personal board, or work to construct one of their Cóatls with the different tiles they’ve collected.
 
The end of the game is triggered when one player finishes their third Cóatl. Players receive points for fulfilling objectives, and the one with the most is named the new
High Priest! 

Totem, the company

Totem was founded in 2015, by a couple of friends from the Saguenay Lac Saint-Jean region, who wanted to create games with the power to lift people up and break down the communication barriers inherent in everyday relationships. Their goal was to develop games that show us the remarkable impact that our words can have on others. And simply, games that are built on the foundation of treating others with respect and compassion.
 
So, they set out to make a global impact by gamifying positive communication and self-development. Totem, the card game was
​the result!

Totem, The Feel-Good Game
​3–8 players
Ages 8 +
20 minutes

Totem is a feel-good game (that is actually the game’s tagline!) where all your friends get to tell you, one after the other, what they love most about you, as they build the totem that best reflects who you are. Each totem is created with an ANIMAL card associated to one of your strengths, and a QUALITY card that represents you. These two cards are chosen and explained by all the other players. Totem is really a fantastic way to show the people in your life why you love them.
 
And this positive publisher is just getting started on their path to spreading love around the world! They recently launched Totem Couples Edition, which allows you to enjoy an authentic moment as a couple or to create an inspiring group experience! Play alone with your partner and relive those romantic moments. Or, play as a group to be inspired by the other relationships around the table, and discover what others appreciate about your relationship!
 
Cultivate gratitude within your relationship and get ready for a wave of love that everyone will remember for a long time.

GAMES WITH QUEBEC THEMES

Timeline Quebec* by Zygomatic
2–6 players
Ages 8 +
15 minutes

Was the first Expos baseball game played before or after the opening of the Saint-Félicien Zoo? Well, it was before Cirque du Soleil was founded, but was it after the first episode of Bobino or after? With Timeline Quebec, these are the types of questions you’ll face every time you play a card.
​
In Timeline Quebec, correctly place cards on an ever-growing timeline. If you don’t place your card in the right place on the timeline, you will have to draw a new card and try again on your next turn. The winner is the first person to correctly place all their cards. Take a trip down memory lane … and maybe add in a dash of luck!
 
The Timeline product line includes a variety of titles, such as Timeline Canada, Timeline Inventions and Timeline Classic. All the products in the Timeline family include multiple themes such as historical events, music, sports, inventions, and more. However, Timeline Quebec holds a special place in our hearts because it brings back a lot of fond memories of our beloved province. A great game to learn about Quebec history, or to try and remember it!

Imagine Quebec* by 
Cocktail Games
3–8 players
Ages 1 +
20 minutes

Imagine was originally a French game, with very French references. However, the team at Asmodee Canada decided to adapt the game for the Quebec market. The goal was to have the themes in the game represent more of what Quebecers know and love, like the Olympic Stadium, Passe-Partout, and Boom Desjardins!
 
With Imagine Quebec, there are no limits to your imagination! With the help of
60 transparent cards, representing various shapes or symbols, players must illustrate
​one of a thousand topics listed on separate clue cards (movies, places, objects, people, etc.). Combine and overlay the transparent cards with each other and express your creativity (without talking of course). The sky is the limit to what you can create!
Finally, check out our store locator to find your local retail outlets and game cafés.
*Titles only available in French