Did you know a group of penguins on land is called a waddle? In this tight area control game, that's exactly what you're building.
Players take turns placing penguins on a randomised hex grid, racing to form the largest connected groups and surround the most valuable fishing pools. Every placement counts — but so does when you play. Turn order in Waddle is tracked by marbles on a two-column track, and the decision to act now or Scout Ahead is just as important as where you place. Passing your turn moves your marble to the front of the next round, potentially letting you grab a key hex, connect a scattered group into one big waddle, or block an opponent's best move before they can make it.
Scoring rewards both area control (surrounding fish pools) and group size, so you're constantly balancing two competing goals with every placement. The board changes every game thanks to randomised map tiles, keeping things fresh across player counts.
At a glance:
- Players: 2–5
- Age: 7+
- Play time: 15–25 minutes
- Publisher: Allplay