Dog Pile

The Pup-Packing Puzzle for 1 player aged 10 and up

I have a dog lover in our house so when she got the puzzle game Dog Pile she was excited. Not only does it fit her interest, but she can play it by herself when no one else is available. We already have the co-op game Lost Puppies that fits both of these and is a really great game so we were all looking forward to cracking open the box and seeing how to play.

The Dog Pile Pieces

First, there are the puzzle cards and the solution cards. Next, there are 12 plastic dogs. All the dogs are different colors and shapes.

The Object

The object of Dog Pile is to arrange the dogs to fit on a grid of a certain size.

Playing Dog Pile

First, a player needs to decide on what level she would like to play. There are beginner cards, intermediate, advanced and expert cards. Second, the player then pulls out all the dogs that are shown at the top of the chosen card. Third, the player then has to figure out how to arrange the dogs into the grid on the card. Every card has a different grid on it. As well, each card states how many layers are needed to complete the puzzle. The layers refer to how deep the stack goes when piling the dogs on top of each other. So a dog that is two squares tall can be placed either laying down or standing up. This adds a lot variety to the solutions.

Next, when you think you have the right answer (or just give up) you can find the solution on the solution cards.

What we Like

The idea of this game is quite cute. It’s a good challenge for one person and can keep you busy for a while. The dogs are cute. It is also good that Dog Pile comes with four different levels so that you can grow with the game. Also the quality is good with study cards and box.

We also like that even though it is a one player game, more than one person and help collaborate to find the solution.

What we Don’t Like

Unless you like logic puzzles, this game isn’t a lot of fun. It’s often too challenging. But that might just be me. I have not been a big fan of puzzles even though the idea sounds great. (This might be due to a slight learning disability.)

Another things that makes this a challenging game is that the dogs don’t lock together. That means when you have a four layer dog pile then the chances of them sliding apart and falling is quite high. Just getting the dogs to stay in the right places can be too much of a challenge.

Is Dog Pile Worth Adding to your Family Game Shelf?

Dog Pile is a well-made puzzle game for one player. If you like puzzles and logic special challenges we would recommend this game for your Family game Shelf.

If you’re looking for more fun games be sure to check out our game reviews and our recommendations page.

To get your copy of Dog Pile here. Canadians can get their pile of dogs here. Dog Pile is a Brainwrite game.

Rating:

If you have a dog fan in your family but don’t like puzzles, read our review of Lost Puppies.

To find other games for your Shelf, check out our game reviews here. And for more fun with cards and dice check out our sections on these games.