Mindbug: Review
Information:
Mechanics: Head to Head
Player Age: 8+ Player Count: 2 Players Time to Play: 15 - 25 Minutes
Game Designer: Skaff Elias, Richard Garfield, Marvin Hegen, Christian KudahlGame Artist: Denis MartynetsPublisher: Nerdlab GamesYear Published: 2022BGG Weight: 1.97Disclaimer: A review copy for the game was provided by the publisher.
Player Age: 8+
Game Designer: Skaff Elias, Richard Garfield, Marvin Hegen, Christian Kudahl
Objective:
Each player had three lives where each successful attack will take one life away. Do you have what it takes to defeat your opponent with a random set of 10 creature cards? There is one small catch though, each player has two mindbugs which can be used once to take control of an enemy creature at the time it is played.
Game Anatomy:
Creature Cards:
Each creature is a creative hybrid of two things such as a bee and a bear or a plant and a dragon. On the top left is the power and name of the creature, followed by the gorgeous art, keyword, and then ability.
Keywords:
There are several keywords used throughout the game to keep the card rules quick and concise. They are frenzy, hunter, poisonous, sneaky, and tough.
Frenzy:
After this creature attacks, if it is still alive it may have a second attack this turn.
Hunter:
When attacking you may choose which enemy creature defends, however, you can not choose the enemy player themselves.
Poisonous:
The enemy creature will always die from combat with this poisonous creature despite strength.
Sneaky:
This creature is only able to be blocked by fellow sneaky creatures.
Tough:
This creature essentially has two lives. If defeated it becomes exhausted instead of discarded. If it gets defeated while exhausted it is now discarded.
Mindbugs:
Each player will have two of these mindbugs. These cards will allow you to steal a creature card that was just played as if you played it yourself. You will only have two instances where you can do this in the game so be careful to use this at the correct time. The mindbug can only be used in the card playing portion of a player's turn, not when a card comes into play through another means, or with a creature that is already in play, or with a creature that has previously been the victim of a mindbug.
Setup:
- Deal two mindbugs face-up in front of each player.
- Shuffle the 48 creature cards and then deal 10 cards to each player face-down as a draw pile. The rest won't be used during this game.
- Each player will draw 5 cards from their deck to create their hand.
- Deal 3 face-down cards to each player to act as their life points. You could use dice or tokens instead. The important part is that each player only has three lives.
- Each player reveals the top card from the unused creature pile, whichever player has the higher power is the first player.
How to Play:
Players will have turns back and forth until one player has zero health. On a turn, a player can either play a card or attack with a creature in play. Whenever the player's hand reaches below 5 cards the player will automatically redraw cards to equal 5 again.
There is no cost to playing a creature, simply put it on the field from your hand and resolve its effect if applicable. The other player will have this one opportunity to use their mindbug to steal this card for their nefarious plans.
Instead of playing a creature, the player can attack with an already active creature. The defending player chooses one of their creatures to block. They may also choose to not defend or if they cannot defend they will take one damage. In a battle whichever creature has the highest power will stay alive and the other creature will be discarded.
Final Thoughts:
- Amazing and wacky art for all creatures
- Compact package
- Fun theme
- Quick head to head
- Engaging challenge on when to use the mindbug or anticipate when your opponent will use theirs
Mindbug is an engaging fast pace head to head with only 10 cards and three life points per person. Players start with half their deck in hand so they have a good idea of which strategy to pursue. The twist however is that each player has two mindbugs that can turn the tide at a whim. Players will have to anticipate this from their opponent so any strong card in their hand should have a planned defence against in the event of theft. At the same time each player has to decide when to use their mindbug; save it for a strong creature or use it simply to gain more creatures for defence?
This is a fun back and forth game that makes players change the way they think to cater for this small but intriguing mechanism. If you enjoy head-to-head and like compact games that will instantly make you want to play again then this is a game for you.
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