Table Top Game Reviews: Hanabi
Hanabi is a crazy fun (and sometimes frustrating) collaborative card game where you can't see your own cards! You can only see the cards of everyone else you're working with to try and win.
You can buy it on Amazon (currently selling for $10.35). It's got a 7.2 rating on boardgamegeek.com. Here are the main reasons I like this game:
- It's unique. How many card games have you played where you can't look at your own cards!?
- It involves a lot of strategic communication.
- You have to use your memory along with a process of elimination.
- As a collaborative game, there's no competition. You're all working together.
I first learned about this game at restfest.org where they usually have a table top game night during the conference. Leonard Richardson (author of RESTful Web APIs) introduced me to it, and I'm thankful he did.
The basic idea is you have to put cards down in order from 1 to 5 of the right color, but you can't see any of your own cards. As one of your turn options you can let another player know something about their cards: either a specific color or a specific number. That's it! The rest has to be figured out. There are limited number of cards of each number and a limited number of hints you can give before you have to start discarding cards to get more hints.
It's a fun game and different than most games I've played.
Here's a short video of my son and I playing:
It gets even more challenging with multiple players because the dynamics change when more people have more information, but fewer turns to take action.
This is my second game review. Do you like them? I always enjoy finding new games to play with the family, so I hope this is meaningful to someone out there.
Previous reviews:
Ha! I remember you being a big tabletop buff, so I had half-expected seeing you review your favorite ones here when I first saw you on Steemit. I'm glad that you finally came around to doing it. Nice insights regarding the game. I have to say that I've never heard of Hanabi before, and it's definitely something worth looking into. Thanks for sharing!
I've really been enjoying Hive as well (that's my other review so far). Been playing it every night with my son (he's 7). He beat me twice tonight. TWICE! I won 2 and he won 2. He's getting good.
Haha! Yeah I remember you telling me a story before about how your son is beating you in one game. I forgot what it was. Catan, perhaps? Not sure. However, I distinctly remember you emphasizing that you're not taking it easy on him and he's still beating you. Kids these days, huh?
Looks like a cool do you mind me asking what do you think the reply time for this. Because sometimes games get old after 20 or 30 times or if you don't got enough people. I love tabletop games but if ima get bored of it pretty quick id rather not waste the money.
That's a good question. I'd say it's not as high as some others I've played, which is probably why we haven't played it in a while. Games where you don't really "win" but just score higher than last time (or lower) aren't as fulfilling, I guess. I think Hive is more fun because so far we just keep playing it and playing it. The nice thing about both these games is they can be played with just two players.
Alright thanks ill check it out based on your recommendation
Tabetop game reviews are great! I've covered Fluxx, Oregon Trail, Frag, and lots of Magic: The Gathering stuff.
Cool! Followed for more.