Raas: A Dance of Love^*

Raas: A Dance of Love is a light-to-medium strategy game by Mihir Shah and Shaleen Harlalka for two to six players aged 14 and up, published in German by Pegasus Spiele. You assemble a troupe for the Gujarati folk dance Raas by drafting dice dancers from a spinning, gear-driven board; games take 30 to 90 minutes.

What's it about?

The "gameboard" is seven discs linked by an intricate gear mechanism. Each disc holds six dice as dancers who specialise in different tempos and styles. You draft dancers from this central dance floor to train your own personal troupe.

How it plays

• Dancers spin around the floor with the discs, so you plan which ones you can reach and when.
• Matchmaking among your dancers moves you up the love track and unlocks powerful bonuses.
• Score by matching each round's song tempo, meeting sponsors' requirements, outfitting your troupe and covering the full range of dance styles and tempos.

What makes it special?

The gear mechanism turns dice drafting into a puzzle: every rotation changes which dancers are in reach. The theme – the energetic Raas dance from Gujarat – is rarely seen in board games.

Who is it for?

Groups of up to six who want a colourful drafting game with majorities, set collection and combos that isn't too heavy but rewards planning.