Products / Pack the Essentials
When packing for any trip you need to remember the essentials: clothes, underwear, toiletries, and of course, cats? This game is about packing cats (and those other essentials) into your suitcase. Players score points by drafting and placing tiles to pack items, cats, and kittens, collecting cat toys, and using the friendly neighborhood Pack Rat Service. You also score for completing randomized "To Do" list goals and for the largest single-color sections in your suitcase. The game runs twelve rounds, then the player with the most points wins. House rule: bonus points if you sneak in the cutest cat.
A light, playful pick for the whole family, see our thoughts on gaming with relatives for more on why a game like this works across generations. The tile-drafting format keeps everyone doing the same simple action each turn, pick a tile, place it in your suitcase, so a seven-year-old and a grandparent can play the same game without either feeling out of their depth. New to UnboxBoardom? Start here to see our subscription plans.
Ages 12+
1-4 players
20-30 minute play time
Q: Can I buy Pack the Essentials without a subscription?
A: Yes. Pack the Essentials is a one-time purchase for $33.99 plus a flat $6 shipping fee, no subscription needed. Through an UnboxBoardom subscription, the per-box price drops to as low as $29.99.
Q: What age is Pack the Essentials appropriate for?
A: Pack the Essentials is recommended for ages 12 and up. Its tile-drafting scoring and multiple goals make it a better fit for older kids and adults than for young children.
Q: What is the player count for Pack the Essentials, and how long does a game take?
A: Pack the Essentials can be played by 1 to 4 people, with a game taking 20 to 30 minutes. It's a light pick for family game night ideas, twelve rounds of tile drafting to pack cats, essentials, and "To Do" list goals for bonus points.
Q: Do I get to keep Pack the Essentials, or is it a rental?
A: You keep it! When you order Pack the Essentials from UnboxBoardom, the physical board game ships to your door and is yours for good!
Q: Why did UnboxBoardom pick Pack the Essentials for the lineup?
A: Pack the Essentials is fun, well-reviewed, and has a genuinely spatial, almost Tetris-like feel: you're fitting tiles into your suitcase to make the trip work, cats included. That cute-cats theme is exactly the kind of lighthearted twist that makes a tile-drafting game click with people who wouldn't normally reach for one.
