If you’ve ever thought, “My dinner would be better if it involved more cardboard and fewer calories,” then you’re in the right place. Welcome to my review of the board game Pizza. I grabbed some friends, made sure everyone had clean hands (mostly), and we gave this cheese-and-sauce challenge a real test. I’ll walk you through the rules, the wild ride of competition, and, yes, I’ll let you know if you need to worry about greasy fingers ruining the art. Grab a slice (of the game, not the real thing) and let’s get started!
How It Plays
Setting up
First, everyone grabs a player board shaped like a pizza. Shuffle the topping tiles and place them in a pile in the middle. Each person gets a hand of topping cards (don’t eat them, they’re cardboard). Put the pizza cutter token nearby. You’re now ready to build the worst pizza your aunt will ever see.
Gameplay
On your turn, play a topping card to grab a matching topping tile and slap it on your pizza board. If you spot an action card, unleash its power to mess with your rivals or snag extra toppings. Watch out though—some cards will let you swipe tiles from others or block your best-laid plans. The game moves fast, and there’s plenty of shouting over who really needs that last anchovy.
Winning the game
The game ends when all the topping tiles run out or someone finishes their pizza board. Everyone counts up points based on set collection (like three pepperonis or a full veggie row). Whoever has the tastiest, point-packed pizza wins bragging rights—and maybe actual pizza if you planned well.
Want to know more? Read our extensive strategy guide for Pizza.
How To Play the Pizza Board Game: Rules That Are Easier Than Ordering Takeout
Alright, folks. Let’s talk about how to play the game, because nobody wants to spend hours reading rules when there’s pizza-shaped glory at stake. First, each player picks a color and grabs their matching pizza slice tokens. Yes, you finally get to hold pizza without worrying about grease stains.
Set the main pizza board in the center. Shuffle the topping cards—pepperoni, olives, anchovies (ew, but they’re in there)—and deal out five to each player. The rest sit in a draw pile. Each round, one player acts as the “Chef,” putting a topping card in the middle to start the pizza build. Clockwise, players must add a card that matches either the type or color of the topping. If you can’t, you have to draw until you can. I once drew so many cards, I started to regret my life choices.
The real twist? Some cards are “special orders.” Play one and you force your friends to swap hands or lose a turn. My friend Dave tried to play a double cheese card and I still haven’t forgiven him. Play continues until someone gets rid of all their cards. That player wins a glorious, fake pizza trophy (or bragging rights, if you’re cheap like me).
House rules can add fun, like demanding players name their favorite pizza topping before each turn, or eating a bite of real pizza when you win a round. Just don’t get greasy fingerprints on the cards.
Next, I’ll tell you why playing pizza with others can bring out everyone’s inner food critic and secret saboteur!
How Players Mess With Each Other: Pizza’s Secret Ingredient
Let me tell you, the player interaction in Pizza is almost as spicy as my friend Jake’s take on pineapple toppings. This is not a quiet, play-in-your-own-corner sort of deal. You’re all going after the same slices, trading toppings, stealing slices (politely, but with malice), and maybe even sabotaging someone’s almost-perfect four-cheese monster. If you think you can coast through this game without some lively table talk, you’re dreaming.
One of my favorite moments was when my buddy Sam, who usually wins at everything, built a perfect veggie pizza right under everyone’s nose. Beth, our resident chaos enthusiast, saw what Sam was up to and—using a sneaky card—swapped out Sam’s juicy tomato for an old boot. I have never seen such a real look of betrayal outside of reality TV. That’s the level of backstabbing fun you can expect!
The competition in Pizza is real. You need a thick crust—er, skin. Every move, every topping draft or trade, can put you ahead or leave you stuck making something you wouldn’t eat even for a dare. There’s always a tension around the table, the good kind, where you can see players eyeing each other’s pies with envy and suspicion. It’s loud, it’s goofy, and you’ll probably laugh more than you shout. Unless you shout a lot at boardgames, like my cousin Terry, who claims this is his “strategy.”
Now, before we slice any deeper, let’s see if your clever thinking will save you—or if Pizza is all about being lucky enough to grab the last piece of pepperoni…
Luck vs. Strategy: Slicing Through the Cheese
I have strong feelings about luck versus strategy in board games, and let me just say—Pizza gave me one heck of a rollercoaster. When my friends came over, we set up Pizza, expecting cheesy fun with a side of brain power. And honestly, this game walks the line between luck and strategy like a waiter at a busy pizzeria carrying a wobbly stack of pies.
On your turn in Pizza, you can try to plan a perfect move, stacking your ingredients just right and blocking your pals from snagging the last pepperoni. But don’t get too cocky. Sometimes the deck hands you all olives (no one’s favorite, sorry) or someone snatches your planned slice right from under your nose. I’ve seen my most clever friend try to outthink everyone, only to get sent back to square one by a surprise card. If you love games where every move counts and you can win with pure skill, Pizza might give you heartburn now and then. But if you can laugh at a little chaos, you’ll enjoy the unpredictability.
There is some room for smart moves—watching what toppings people want, guessing their next move, and hoarding mushrooms out of pure spite. But luck plays a big part. Will you draw the topping you need? Or will fate make you serve up a sad, olive-heavy disaster? For my group, this mix had us groaning and cheering in equal measure, but the luck-loathers grumbled a fair bit.
Now before you order a copy for game night, let’s chat about the next important bit: are the game pieces as tasty as the gameplay itself? Get your napkins ready…
Quality of Game Pieces and Design: Is Pizza the Real Deal?
Let me just say, the game of Pizza throws a whole feast onto your table—literally and figuratively. The first thing I noticed: the box looks good enough to eat. It’s shaped like a pizza box, which is both clever and has completely tricked me when hungry. More than once I’ve opened it hoping for dinner, only to find meeples made of cardboard instead of mozzarella. My disappointment was only slightly softened by how colorful everything looked inside.
The toppings and base tiles are thick and chunky, like a deep-dish slice. These tiles can take a hit (I accidentally dropped one in my dog’s water bowl—don’t ask—and it survived). The artwork is cheesy in the best way: cartoon pepperoni, grinning mushrooms, and slices that look ready for a party. Everything pops on the table and makes the set-up feel festive. Even the score trackers are shaped like delivery scooters! Who doesn’t want their points delivered with style?
My main gripe is with the cards—they’re a bit thin. After one rowdy Friday night, a few looked like they’d been used as actual napkins. If you’ve got greasy fingers from real pizza, you’ll end up with art that looks like a modern masterpiece. Also, the box insert doesn’t keep things in place. When I opened it upside down, it looked like a toppings explosion. So, maybe store the box flat, or you’ll have a surprise pizza salad every time.
Overall, I’d say the design cooks up the right vibe: playful, sturdy, but not perfect. If you love pizza and board games, you’ll want this on your shelf—even if you might wish the cards were a little more stuffed-crust strong.
Final verdict: Recommended (but keep some napkins handy).
Conclusion
If you love chaos, pizza, and maybe a little sabotage, Pizza is a treat. I laughed, I groaned, and someone threw a pepperoni at me. The game looks great—those pizza tiles are tasty for your eyes (not your mouth). Sure, luck sometimes steals the show, but there’s enough planning and backstabbing to keep most people happy. Setup takes no time and a round is faster than waiting for delivery. If you’re a lover of deep strategy games, you might want an extra helping of patience. But if you want fun that almost anyone can join, slice yourself into this game. And that’s the end of my Pizza review—thanks for reading, and remember: don’t actually eat the pieces.
