Adventures for every age with Pax Viking and Pax Viking Junior

Are you into history based games? Are you a big fan of games that are based on trade and diplomacy and set in the 10th century? Then Pax Viking sounds perfect for you, and there is even a junior version for the younger board gamers in your life. So, prepare to set sail into a world of trade and exploration in the guise of Vikings.

Pax Viking Junior – A Cat Lovers Dream

Did you know that the Vikings were cat lovers? Not only were they useful creatures in keeping rodents and pests at bay, but they were sacred to the Norse Goddess Freja. According to legend, Freyja travelled across the heavens in a chariot pulled by two large cats; Bygul and Trjegul. You could say she was the original cat lady. Thinking of their love for cats, it comes to no surprise then, that Pax Viking Junior focuses on a family of cats travelling on a Viking ship over sea and through rivers.

Pax Viking Junior is a fantastic, educational adventure that introduces younger players to the world of board gaming and historical narratives in the most charming way possible. Players win by collecting a selection of silver, gold and jewels. Your family of cats must make friends with other animals across Europe. Pax Viking Junior is perfect for players aged 6 and above, and has specifically been designed for family play. This makes it the perfect choice for an all ages games nights; especially as it allows everyone to join in on the Viking adventure. There is a nice element of teamwork and with some competition, all of these things combine to make the game really enjoyable.

In Pax Viking Junior you win by collecting silver, gold and jewels and by making friends with other animals around Europe. It is a similar style of story to the board game of Flow. The exact combination you need differs from game to game, so you can play lots of times with different experiences.  The game encourages strategic thinking in a fun, accessible way. Every decision your cats make impacts their journey; teaching young players about cause and effect. With a shorter playtime than Pax Viking, and simpler rules, it's perfect for a chilled family game night. It beautifully balances teamwork with friendly competition, ensuring everyone, from young players to adults, stays engaged.

Introducing Pax Viking

Developed by Phil Eklund, the Pax series of games are a long standing series of games and feature games such as Pax Hispanica, Pax Illuminaten and Pax Renaissance. Each game tends to have historical themes, and so they are perfect for anyone with an interest in history. The games tend to be fairly complex but have proved popular over time. They aren’t just board games, they are rich, historical and strategic experiences, with trade and diplomacy playing central roles.

Pax Viking is set in 950 AD and focuses on Viking trade networks and their influence throughout Eastern Europe. It can be considered a historical strategy game which focuses on trade and diplomacy, there is even some collaborative map building which can evolve with every new game you play. (We always love a good map in the Chaos Cards office!)

Rather then focusing on more traditional Viking narratives, Pax Viking explores the eastern expansion of the Vikings, with the traders and resourceful explorers taking centre stage. In Pax Viking, players claim lands, find allies and trade resources whilst attempting to expand their empire. It is a slightly more peaceful narrative then the one we normally associate with Vikings!

Whilst Pax Viking levels up its complexity from Pax Viking Junior, it still remains fairly simple and easy to learn straight out of the box. Though some of its specific terminology might seem daunting at first, the core mechanics are surprisingly straightforward compared to other Pax titles. Once you grasp a few key terms, you'll be strategically expanding your Viking empire with ease. Much like Pax Viking Junior, Pax Viking is a really good game in terms of replayability

From Long Ship to Games Room

We love that both games build on a love of history and a rich narrative. Pax Viking Junior is the perfect introductory game for younger players, whilst Pax Viking is a great gateway to the complex world of Pax games. We particularly love how Pax Viking Junior focuses on cats! (If you like cats as well, don’t forget to check out our post on our top cat games from Chaos Cards!) Although both games offer great strategic play with a rich historical narrative thread, we believe they can be enjoyed by everyone! Have you played any of the other Pax games? What are your thoughts?

Let us know over on our socials which Pax Viking journey you'll be taking first! Skål!