Category: Card Game Reviews

Posted on

Arboretum – Card Game Review

Arboretum is a strategy-based card game for 2-4 players. The box recommends ages 10+, Maci has been playing since she was 8 and was able at that time to understand the basics of play and scoring. It takes about 25 – 30 minutes to play.

Arboretum card game box and contents
Arboretum box, score sheet, rule book and card/tree types

Gameplay Overview

In Arboretum, players begin with a hand of 7 cards. On each turn, a player must do 3 things:

  • Draw two cards (you can draw from the deck or any player’s discard pile, including your own)
  • Add a tree to the Arboretum (after the first turn, all trees must be placed orthogonally adjacent to another tree in the Arboretum).
  • Discard one card (each player has their own separate discard pile)

The game ends after the common draw pile is exhausted. The player who draws the last card finishes his or her turn and then scoring immediately takes place. To draw the game out, players can draw from the discard piles. Likewise, to move the game on more quickly, players should draw from the common draw pile. Usually players do some mix of the two depending on the cards each player needs.

Scoring takes place after the draw pile runs out. Scoring is just slightly more complicated than the turn-taking parts of the game. To score, the dealer starts at the top of the score pad and announces the first type of tree. Players reveal cards from their hands for that tree type. The player with the highest total earns the right to score for the given tree. Players can earn this right even if they do not have that tree placed in their arboretum, thus taking the ability to score from another player.

Arboretum card game score pad
Arboretum score pad

Points are scored by having trees lined up to make paths. The rules book clearly explains how to complete the scoring and includes examples.

The Dad Review

We bought this game in 2015, and some games just fall by the wayside, especially when the new hot game comes out. I’m glad we started this blog because we have been revisiting a lot of those games, and this is one I really enjoy. Arboretum is a solid card game where you’re basically building pathways showing off your sweet tree collection.  I know you’re sarcastically saying to yourself, “Oh cool, I get to build a tree zoo, that sounds like a really riveting action packed game.” Just to let you know, tree zoos rock.  

But seriously, the artwork is cool, and it’s another game where I’m learning about something. In this case, I’m learning different trees and what they look like. I will tell you though, with kids you need to play this a few times so they understand the scoring and gameplay or it will be frustrating.

You also have to pay attention to what everyone is doing, because you can prevent people from scoring. This sucks when it’s you not being able to score, and awesome when it’s not. In this case, Maci was super psyched to score some trees but I played some cards that trumped her. She did all she could to hold in all of those angry emotions. Her face looked like I ran over her family of ducks the first time they left the nest, that is if she raised a family of ducks. I will give her credit. She hung in there for the rest of the scoring, but needed to walk away after and grab a granola bar and things were better. I guess losing and hungry never mix. Gaming tip: don’t game hungry.  

In closing, this is a great game, especially if you like medium-weight strategy card games. It’s also affordable, and if you want a fancy wooden box and foil cards, you can spring for the upgraded set, which isn’t much more. 

As a family game, I rank this an 8/10.

The Mom Review

Arboretum is a game that I really want to like, but I actually do not like at all. I must admit that it is well made. The cards are gorgeous. The concept of laying out cards to score points for sets of trees is super cool.

Arboretum hand and tree layout
Arboretum hand and play space

However, I cannot stand that other players have the ability to keep you from scoring after all your hard work. This has happened to all of us, but it’s super aggravating to me and painful to watch happen to Maci. Also, I am too much of an empath to feel good about purposely keeping cards in my hand for the purpose of preventing another player from scoring. So, I just won’t do it. I don’t play like that. I’m aware I might lose because of it, but I’d rather be able to live with myself than win.

On a more positive note, the rules of Arboretum are simple and the basic gameplay is easy to teach. The rules for scoring are slightly more complicated to understand. If you are teaching the scoring rules to a young player or someone new to gaming, it would be helpful to lay out a sample and show how the scoring would work for that Arboretum.

The setup is very easy since it primarily consists of passing out the correct number of cards to players.

Overall, I give Arboretum a 6/10. The game provides a challenge, but I would like it better if I played with someone who didn’t get their feelings hurt so badly when someone steals their ability to score.

The Kid Review

I think this game is ok. First, I like that the trees are pretty. Next, I like getting trees and placing them for victory points. Sometimes when another player has a lot of the same type of tree and they have 1 through 6 and they have to have a high card to score and I have the 8 of that type, I know that person has the 7 and then at the end of the game they won’t get victory points for the type that they have a lot of.

In conclusion, I will give this game 8/10.

Posted on

Sushi Go

Sushi Go is a card drafting game for 2-5 players. The box states it is for players 8+, but due to the nature of the game play, even much younger kids can also participate. Sushi Go! is a quick game, taking only about 15 minutes to play.

Sushi Go! box
Sushi Go!

Gameplay Overview

Setup

Shuffle all the cards in the box. Deal cards to each player depending on the number of players. (Specifics are found both on the first page of the rule book as well as on the Quick Summary on the back cover).

How to Play

Sushi Go! takes place over 3 rounds. You start with the same amount of cards at the beginning of each round.

During the round:

  1. All players simultaneously choose a card from their hand and place it face down in front of them.
  2. Once all players have chosen their card, flip cards over and leave them face up in each person’s play area.
  3. All players simultaneously pass the remaining cards from the hand to the next player.

Continue with the above three steps until there are no cards left. After the last card has been passed, the round is scored.

Round End Scoring

Each type of sushi has a different scoring mechanism:

  • Maki Rolls – The player with the most gets 6 points. Player with the second most gets 3 points.
  • Tempura – Score 5 points for each set of two (a single tempura card does not score)
  • Sashimi – Score 10 points for each set of three (1 or 2 sashimi cards do not score)
  • Dumplings – See the chart at the bottom of the card. The top number is the total number of dumplings. The number beneath is points received. For example, 3 dumplings cards will score 6 points.
  • Nigiri – Score the points named on the card

Special Cards:

  • Wasabi – triples the value of the next nigiri taken by the player (does not score on its own)
  • Chopsticks – Use on a later turn to swap for two cards from the same hand (does not score any points)
  • Pudding – Save these until the end of the game (set aside at the end of each round). The player with the most pudding at the end of the game gains 6 points. The player with the least pudding at game end loses 6 points.
Sushi Go! Back cover of the rulebook
Back cover of Sushi Go! rulebook. Great to keep handy for reference during the game.

Game End Scoring

After the third round, complete the round end scoring as usual, then adjust the points for pudding (player with the most gains 6; player with the least loses 6).

The player with the most total victory points is the winner.

The Dad Review

We bought this game when Maci was 6 years old and she was able to pick it up and play with assistance. Now that she’s 9, this game is really easy for her to play. Sushi Go! is a great introduction to card drafting and I recommend it for families new to the hobby. The game pretty simple. You deal out 7 cards to everyone, everyone takes one card from their hand and passes the remaining cards to the person next to them and this goes on until all the cards are used. Then you score for the 1st round.  You then repeat the steps above until 3 rounds are completed. It’s quick and easy. 

I believe that you can still find this game at The Gaming Goat, Amazon, or Target, but it’s being to reimplemented to the slightly more complex Sushi Party. It is also available for purchase and uses the same mechanics. However, players have a broader menu of items to select from to put in the game. It’s not super complex but it is a small step up from the basic Sushi Go. If you can’t find the basic version, you can still play the party version with no problem.

As a family game, I give Sushi Go 8/10

The Mom Review

I like Sushi Go as a quick, easy to play pick and pass card game. It is very easy to teach to new players. Also, even if someone has no clue what is going on, they can just choose a card and keep going. They will usually figure things out after a round or two.

A layout of the Sushi Go! cards
Each of the 8 different Sushi Go! cards: tempura, nigiri, sahsimi, dumpling, chopsticks, wasabi, pudding, maki roll

With that being said, the rules are very simple to teach and understand. The rulebook also has a nice little cheat-sheet on the back to summarize the scoring and act as a reminder.

Setup is super-easy as you just shuffle and pass out the cards according to the rule book.

Sushi Go is a fun game, and the overall score can change dramatically from one round to another. So, if you ever feel behind, be patient. Things might just turn around for you!

I enjoy Sushi Go and give it an 8/10

The Kid Review

I like Sushi Go. First, I like all of the cards, especially pudding. I like that we pick a card and play it, then pass hands. Sometimes I don’t like having to pass the hand, because I love the cards I have and I want to play lots of them, and that’s a great thing. I love that I get victory points based on how many cards that I have of that type. I really like collecting sashimi for the thing that I just explained. I don’t like to eat sushi but I love this game, so I will give this game 10/10.

Overall Impressions

Our Overall Family Rating: 8.5/10

Sushi Go Game with Cards
Sushi Go! Game

Pros

  • Super easy to learn
  • Good player interaction
  • Lots of choices
  • Multiple ways to score
  • Easy to set up

Cons

  • If you’re looking for a deep, complex card drafting game this is not it. 

Other Card Drafting Games You Might Like

What is your favorite card drafting game? Do you have another game you’d like us to review? We’d love to hear from you!

Posted on

5-Minute Marvel – Card Game Review

5-Minute Marvel is a cooperative card game for 2-5 players ages 8+. You can play a round in as little as 5 minutes, or try to defeat more than one boss.

5-Minute Marvel box
5-Minute Marvel

Gameplay Basics

In 5 Minute Marvel, each player chooses a Marvel Character. Each character comes with their own, personalized special deck. Additionally, the players also receive an equal share of resource cards.

There are 6 bosses that the players work together to defeat. Each boss becomes progressively more difficult to take down in the five minute limit that is given. To keep track of the time, you can just use a timer, or you can download their free, themed app from the app or play store.

5-Minute Marvel timer app
5-Minute Marvel free app for keeping time.

The boss mat shows how many “door” cards need to be defeated before getting to the boss. Once a door card is revealed, players may play their special power cards or specific resource cards to defeat each character they encounter on the other side of the door.

After all the door cards have been revealed, the boss can be defeated. As long as your team completes the mission before the time runs out, you are victorious!

The Dad Review

Lets pop on some spandex and yell at each other, like the real Avengers! Like most cooperative games you may run into a highly heated emotional exchange once in a while, especially when the clock is ticking, and this game is no exception. If you’re playing this game as a family, make sure you have some rules for how to go about beating all of these villains. If you have a stage 5 card tosser, this game will not be as much fun as it could be.

5-Minute Marvel Superheroes
These are the superheroes available in 5-Minute Marvel.

What I mean by that is if someone is always just throwing down their cards and not letting the rest of the team play, this game can become frustrating and wear out it’s welcome quickly. But, if you all synergize and play as a well-oiled team, much like Thor’s biceps in Ragnarok, then this game is a lot of fun.

Pros

I like that each player can play as a unique powered superhero. This will definitely get kids and adults who enjoy the superhero genre involved.   The art work is great and I like that the game can be played on different difficulties. Not only by the boss level, but you can also add extra doors or crises that will make the game more difficult.  Another advantage is this game will not break the bank. This game is definitely affordable. Finally, when you defeat a villain together, it feels very rewarding, and you’ll want to play again right after. 

Cons

One issue is with the bossy pants alpha hero who wants all the glory, like I talked about earlier. Someone can really railroad this game and take over, which is not always great. Two other cons are balancing two decks along with your power. It may be a lot to take on at first. During the game you may ask yourself: What’s my power again? Do I go with the basic deck or the special deck? Do we really only have ten seconds left? Things like this can cause people to stress out. The last negative for me is while this game is fun, you have to be in the right mood to play, and it can become repetitive after a few plays, potentially causing burn out.   

For my family ranking it’s a 7/10.

The Mom Review

5 Minute Marvel has a fun theme if you are fan of the Marvel characters. It is also great for a short, quick gameplay experience. If you are new to playing games like this, I would highly recommend trying it once without a timer to get a feel for how the game works. The timer adds another element of stress that you just don’t need if you are trying to figure out how the game works.

It can also be helpful if you are playing this with kids or new players if you talk out strategies for completing the cards as well as choose your special characters wisely. It is possible to get stuck if you don’t have any characters in play that allow you to draw more cards.

The rules are straightforward and simple. Here are pictures of the rulebook:

5-Minute Marvel Rulebook Front
Rulebook Front
5-Minute Marvel Rulebook Interior
Rulebook Inside
5-Minute Marvel rulebook back
Rulebook Back

I enjoy playing this game and recommend it to people who love the theme and are looking for a game that can be both short and fast-paced. Overall, I give 5 Minute Marvel a 7/10.

The Kid Review

I like 5-Minute Marvel. I love defeating the boss and fighting the bad guys with my cards and not running out of time. Also, I like the characters that let you do things and the powers that they give you and the power cards. Hulk, Squirrel Girl and Black Widow are my favorite because they are cool and their powers are awesome. There is one more thing that I like about the game and it is that I don’t get angry when I play it.

5-Minute Marvel Boss mats, door cards, and crisis cards
Boss mats, door cards, and crisis cards

In conclusion, I will give this game 10/10.

Overall Impressions

We enjoy playing 5-Minute Marvel, but it’s not a game we would want to play every day.

  • Overall Ranking: 8/10
  • Setup: Easy
  • Rules: Easy

If you enjoy 5-Minute Marvel, another cooperative card game you might like is The Crew. You can check out our review of The Crew here.

Posted on

The Crew – Card Game Review

The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine is a cooperative trick-taking game for 3-5 players (with a 2-player adaptation included in the rule book). The age on the box indicates 10+. Maci is 9, and we had to play through a few rounds for her to get the idea, especially since trick-taking card games are new to our family. The box gives a 20 minute play time. Our family has finished a mission in as little as five minutes, or taken as long as 15 for a single mission. The missions do become progressively more difficult as they progress. Your group can choose to play as few or as many missions as they wish in a single setting.

Basic Gameplay

The crew, or players, work their way through 50 different “missions” which they either win together or lose together.

All the playing cards are distributed amongst the players. Then, the crew reads the setting and rules for the given mission. Each mission has one or more goals/tasks set for it in order for the team to be successful. The tasks increase in complexity as the game progresses, slowly introducing players to the various rules and components the game has to offer.

There are four regular suits of cards: pink, blue, green, and yellow as well as rocket cards. We appreciate that the designers included a different symbol for each suit for those who may struggle with visual color discrimination.

The four suits of cards in The Crew: pink, blue, green, yellow. Plus the rocket card.
The four suits and rocket cards.

At the beginning of the mission, after all tasks have been distributed, the commander begins the first trick. Going clockwise, each player then must play a card of the same suit, if they can, and the largest number played within the suit wins the trick. If a player CANNOT play a card within the suit, they may play a card of a different suit. When the alternate card played is a color, they will not win the trick. If the card was a rocket card, the largest rocket played automatically wins the trick.

The goal in each mission is to follow the rules or complete the tasks given. This is well explained in the rule book, and although the rules do become more complicated, they are introduced slowly throughout the missions, which we appreciate.

The Dad Review

Day 1 Bad Decision

Frustrating madness, that’s how this game started out. I don’t think we’ve ever played a trick style game or a game like this, before. After a long day of quarantine and work, this is not the game we should have played. But, we continued on, and just like teaching Maci how to ride a bike, and throw and catch a ball, it was a struggle. However, after playing a few rounds, the frustration started to dwindle and we began to understand the game.

Although our understanding improved, it was still frustrating and that’s mostly because I had a plan on how to win my trick and Ang had a plan, but it was not the same plan. So, we won the trick but it didn’t feel like a win.  I don’t know if this is just how trick-taking games work. I’m assuming no, because of all the positive hype this game is getting. I don’t think people would hype up a game if they had that same feeling.  

Day 2 Much Better

Now that we all got some rest, we tried this game again and it’s addictive. I’m enjoying it. Some of the tricks are more fun than others, but I like that you have levels you can try to complete. Personally, I want to beat all 50 of them and feel I could do that multiple times. This brings a lot of replay ability to the table. We have at least 3 groups of friends that will enjoy playing this game as well, which will be great as soon as we’re off quarantine and are allowed to play with our friends in person again. 

I think this game will hit the table quite a bit as a team-building filler. Or, we may play it all night to try to see how many levels we can complete. However, just don’t play if people are tired and cranky. Really, that should always be a rule when playing a game, especially a cooperative game.

In closing, this game is affordable and well worth adding to the collection. If you’re in Vegas I do recommend the Gaming Goat, if not hopefully your gaming store is adapting to the times and able to provide you with service, otherwise it’s a decent price on Amazon. 

For a family game, I rank The Crew a  9/10.

The Mom Review

I really enjoy playing The Crew. The missions go quickly, so it is great for people with short attention spans. I also really like that the rules change from one mission to the next. Don’t get me wrong, they don’t change in a way that makes it over-complicated to learn or teach. The rules change just enough to keep things interesting. Also, they do not introduce too many new elements into any single mission, which I thoroughly appreciate!

I definitely think that when playing this game with young or inexperienced players for the first time, it would be helpful to play a couple of rounds without trying to take any kind of score. Toss out a task card or two to achieve, but just get a feel for the game and how it works without stressing about trying to beat the mission quickly. Then, once you get the hang of it, start keeping track and go from there.

During each mission, players can use communication to share a card with the other players. The token can be placed in a way that shows if the card is that player’s highest, lowest, or only card of the given suit. Rocket cards can never be “communicated”. I appreciate this ability to share a little piece of important information with the other members of the crew.

Communication tokens used in The Crew
Communication tokens help players share information.

The rulebook is easy to understand. I would also recommend that whoever the rule-master is in your house reads the main body text through once, then goes back and reads the sidebar reminders. Once you read those two things, it’s pretty easy to lead others through the game.

Setup is very easy. The dealer shuffles and distributes player cards. Then, you lay out the task cards and pass out tokens. Your Crew is then ready to play.

Overall, I give the Crew a 9/10.

The Kid Review

I love The Crew. One reason is I love cooperating with my family. Also, I love the tasks and sometimes trying to have the biggest number or the smallest number. I also love doing the tasks and trying to win the round with my family. It’s cool having a task in front of me to win. I have a tip for you: when you get to mission number 5, if you’re the captain you cannot choose to be sick because you will have the number 4 rocket ship. So you will never complete every trick if you’re sick and you’re the captain. That mission took a minute for us to figure out, but the game was not very hard to learn, and I like that too!

The four rocket and commander reminder token
The four rocket card and commander reminder token

In conclusion, I will rate this game 10/10.

Overall Impressions of The Crew

As a family, we really like playing The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine, and I am sure it will continue to be a part of our regular rotation. We like to play a short game every night before bed, and I am sure that The Crew will be a regular contender for a bedtime game!

  • Overall Family Rating: 9.5/10
  • Setup: Easy
  • Learning the Rules: Easy
Proudly powered by WordPress