Family games are supposed to help us connect, but his competitiveness causes bitterness and tension instead. Sure, its rules are kind of similar to The Game’s rules, but it has a totally different feel to it. The game looked vaguely reminiscent of, , another NSV title which received a SdJ nomination back in 2015. Everybody syncs, and gameplay continues. My eldest tried this route (I tried to explain 2 seconds per number is way too slow) and I found myself trying to convince him to speed up his delay time. Which sounds implausible until you twig that the gameplay involves repetitively repeating a mental countdown clock inside your head, playing your lowest card when your countdown clock goes off (eg play your 63 ten seconds after the 53 was played, or whatever other pace your team is playing at) and you’ll win if the pace of that clock is attuned and identical to your teammates. A must buy in my book (but I suppose you've already read my mind by now). I have to be honest: I didn’t think the central mechanic would work that well. ( Log Out /  See all details for Pandasaurus Games The Mind - Family-Friendly Board Games - Adult Games... © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. The first player lays a card face up and players in turn play cards that are on a line that matches that of the previous card. Support the Opinionated Gamers! You can still see all customer reviews for the product. The goal and rules are simple: A Heckin' Awesome Card Game. As Patrick mentions, one can try to succeed by managing to synchronize every player to the same timer clock and attempting to see if everyone can count at the same rate. The biggest difference is that there is no set turn order in The Mind; it’s all about figuring out what the turn order actually is each round. The Mind is a newly-released cooperative card game from publisher Nurnberger-Spielkarten-Verlag (NSV) and designer Wolfgang Warsch. By that I mean against the spirit of the game I want to play. I get you. In the two player game, you play over 12 rounds, but you only play 10 rounds with three players and 8 rounds with four. Another helpful tool are the throwing stars. The gameplay is tense and addictive, but most of all innovative. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. Much of my enjoyment lies in trying to get the “feel” of the other players as when to play and when to wait. Considering you have to do so much shuffling, and that any marking of a card would greatly affect game play, it's a shame that they aren't coated. Which to its credit is different from the norm, and worth playing for that alone. After trying it several times and failing, I've come to the conclusion that you should be playing it in a relatively quiet environment. Best Board Games Overall: Azul. Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2018. I like the art on the cards — much better than I like the art on, It’s fun to try this with different groups. The best line I’ve heard about this game comes from Eric Martin: “Playing it feels like you’re participating in a magic trick without knowing it.”  It’s a sentence that perfectly summarizes gameplay: I’ve played with several groups, and it is an amazing show of human perception that the cards flow as easily as they do. Another helpful tool are the throwing stars. You start with 1 of these, but you can earn additional ones by completing levels 2, 5, and 8. You can find the English-language rulebook on NSV’s site, and it is especially well written. We get it." It’s a … Today Will and Sara match up two card games from Pandasaurus Games: The Mind and The Game. Very cheap and flimsy. Eric Martin: I’ve played The Mind more than thirty times in the first month that I’ve owned it, and I have no doubt that I’ll be introducing it to dozens of other people over the course of the year. Reviews TantrumCon > Gamefound ... Tantrum House is a board game media group that seeks to provide the best reviews, kickstarter previews, and family-friendly hobby-hype possible! The moment when you stare at your friend unsure if you should play a card or not, and the feeling you have when your friend plays a card and it's higher than a card you have so you have to take away a life and discard some of your cards. All lower cards are discarded, and the team loses a life. Like you said, Matt, it just becomes a counting game, then. The Mind is more than just a game. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! This is a hell of a game and one of the strongest gaming High Concept seen in the past years (the closest coming to mind was Hanabi a few years ago). Some groups play fast, some play slow. is cooperative and played over a number of rounds depending on the number of players. I imported a copy of. Then, after everybody has put out their cards, they are returned to the deck, which is shuffled, and then the second round begins with two cards for each player. Excellent for families. Now there is no memory element in The Mind, but there is a bit of a waiting game. If there is agreement around the table, players each play their lowest card face up. 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This is suggested in the rules, and it is important that everybody knows exactly when gameplay is ongoing, since timing is everything in The Mind. You start with a number of lives equal to the number of players, and you can earn additional lives as a reward by completing levels 3, 6, and 9. At $15 for a box, The Mind is worth getting and playing a few times -- with the caveat that it is an existential nightmare if you cannot read non-verbal cues and facial expressions even in the best of times. Timing is everything in The Mind, and how well you judge the internal clock of your other players will determine whether you’re successful. Change ). To use one, a player interrupts play and suggests the use of a throwing star. Which to its credit is different from the norm, and worth playing for that alone. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. The team has to work in harmony. Not only are both games grounded in mathematics and odds, but they also require players to learn on the job through experience. Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2019. There's a problem loading this menu right now. They can … Continue reading The Mind in Card Games → and it all seems rather random. Feels like a game wrapped up in a mentalism experiment! Pingback: Chris’s Trip to the Gathering of Friends: Saturday/Sunday | The Opinionated Gamers, Pingback: Chris’s Trip to the Gathering of Friends: Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday | The Opinionated Gamers, Pingback: Chris’s Trip to the Gathering of Friends: Thursday/Friday/Wrap-up | The Opinionated Gamers, Pingback: The Opinionated Gamers (Try To) Predict the Spiel des Jahres and Kennerspiel des Jahres – 2018 Edition | The Opinionated Gamers, Pingback: Chris Wray: My Gen Con Most Anticipated List (2018) | The Opinionated Gamers, Pingback: The Opinionated Gamers (Try To) Predict the Spiel des Jahres and Kennerspiel des Jahres – Final Guesses of 2018 Edition | The Opinionated Gamers. If the 35 was just played, and you have the 37, you should play it relatively quickly, while still giving just enough time for the 36 to be played if it is out there. Reviewed by R C on May 23, 2019. In more detail, the deck contains cards numbered 1-100, and during the game you try to complete 12, 10, or 8 … Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2019. Not many games have intrigued me as much as The Mind has. I noticed The Mind after a friend Please make sure that you are posting in the form of a question. The two player game seems quite hard to complete. I have to be honest: I didn’t think the central mechanic would work that well. There is no counting. It brings a single mechanism to the table and offers a few restrictions that result in a fantastic trick. That’s not a skill I need to have, nor is it that enjoyable doing it time after time after time, so it won’t be a game I seek out, but will play if someone wants to experience what it has to offer. The Mind card game challenges your team strategy skills as you experiment and journey to defeat all the levels. Played this several times with my nephews. I could see this getting some recognition from the SdJ jury this year. The secret of the game is developing that collective feeling for “now is the moment”. Our The Mind Extreme review, what we have to say about the cooperative numbers laying and imperfect information card game. We’ve had a lot of sliding cards onto the stack just in the nick of time. ( Log Out /  In the event of a misplay — because a player has a card in their hand lower than the card just played — gameplay stops. ENTER CURRENT CONTEST. That said, the game progresses slowly enough that you may grow bored playing with a limited set of cards before you have a chance to experience the full game. The Mind Overview The game consists of a deck of cards numbered one to 100 and is played over several rounds depending on the player count (12, … It’s not from lack of effort as the app is well made, offline anyway, and has an impressive amount of AI work put into it, but the underlying game is a tough sell on mobile devices. 4.7 out of 5. Here's my problem: the actual cards are uncoated cardstock. Photo credit to Brandon Kempf. Set-up and learning is a snap; need to save the game? Add to Cart. One shuffle and every card is already showing pretty significant wear. The Mind is more than just a game. 3.0 out of 5 starsGreat game, flimsy cards. Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2018. If they cannot lay a card, they draw a card. The Mind is a newly-released cooperative card game from publisher Nurnberger-Spielkarten-Verlag (NSV) and designer Wolfgang Warsch. People naturally sync up, and it is engaging to watch. To use one, a player interrupts play and suggests the use of a throwing star. If, can garner a nomination (which it did in 2015), so can. I’ll try the American way next time I play and see how it works. PRO: A party game … This is one of the best values in board gaming. The first on our list of best board games for adults is Azul. But you can just as easily lose a life when there’s a jump in numbers to a close raft of cards, at which point (unless there’s perfection), it’s easy for them to come out just out of sequence (which may be a good time to call for a throwing star where everyone discards their lowest card!) But it does, and the first time we played it, I found it novel and fascinating. It looks like NSV and Wolfgang Warsch have a hit on their hands. Top subscription boxes – right to your door. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Some groups may not like this — I’m not saying it is for everybody — but it is unique and worth trying, and regardless, you’ll learn a lot about your teammates with, I love this game, and I could see it getting a nomination for the Spiel des Jahres. There is one quirk in the rules I wonder whether it is intentional or not? To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. The gameplay is tense and addictive, but most of all innovative. Throwing stars up front, level cards in the middle, and the lives in the distant back. Thank you to the inventor! Mis-plays are usually just as fun as plays that seem to just go right. It’s fun to try this with different groups. To find a game by Age, # of Players, Game Time, or our Average Family Rating simply click on the column headers to sort the games. after a friend pointed me to Eric Martin’s preview. Every group I’ve played with strategies how to use the throwing stars differently. At the start of each level players are dealt cards equal to the level i.e. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. That period when you KNOW you can’t go next yet everyone else isn’t doing anything can be frustrating. My daughter and I have played through this into its "advanced mode" and we still just kind of nod at each other from time-to-time as if to say "You get me. The cards are vaguely reminiscent of The Game, also published by NSV. Which one do you prefer more? The game itself is fun, original, and easy to learn. The bottom line is that I found it enjoyable with all three player counts as a game where we were all trying to play by our gut intuition alone. As the game moves to the higher levels, the chance of losing multiple lives on a single level increases. by Pandasaurus. The Mind is a really different game. The other components. is a newly-released cooperative card game from publisher Nurnberger-Spielkarten-Verlag (NSV) and designer Wolfgang Warsch. I watched Eric Martin’s preview, and then I read the rules. Easy to learn and has high replay value. It is a fun game to play as you wait for other friends to show up, or to connect with your partner on a "mind reading" level. Some groups play fast, some play slow. 4.7 out of 5 stars. We can work together to win! I understand that this would go against the ‘intent’ for developing synchrony. It helps if, before gameplay, everybody “syncs” by putting their hands on the table and agreeing to start. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Here's my problem: the actual cards are uncoated cardstock. I’ve yet to “win” a game but I find the game interesting and fun. The real challenges come in later rounds when — despite there being a large chunk of the deck in play — there’s a jump of 10 or more numbers between cards that need to be played. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Coiledspring Games The Mind Card Game at Amazon.com. ( Log Out /  No More Fights! Not going to be a hit with kids, it's more of a concentration game. It is a simple game with not a lot of bells and whistles. This is suggested in the rules, and it is important that everybody knows exactly when gameplay is ongoing, since timing is everything in. While that may end up being the best strategy (and I’m not yet convinced it is) I feel that it goes against the spirit of the game. I’ve done it. sold out quickly at many German game stores, and critics across that country have been praising its innovative gameplay. The Mind is one of those highly addictive games that you’ll want to play again and again. In more detail, the deck contains cards numbered 1-100, and during the game you try to complete 12, 10, or 8 levels of play with 2, 3, or 4 players. Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2018. By that I mean against the spirit of the game I want to play. The trick is that players can’t discuss anything about their own cards, or as the rulebook says, “no sharing of information, no secret signs.”. The Mind sold out quickly at many German game stores, and critics across that country have been praising its innovative gameplay. 253. The Mind Game Card Game Review. Amazing Game! three cards each for level three. Everybody syncs, and gameplay continues. Overview. The bottom line is that I found it enjoyable with all three player counts as a game where we were all trying to play by our gut intuition alone. Quick and Easy. It plays the same at all player counts, but is probably more fun with more players due to the wider sharing of good moments. Large gesturing is not allowed, so players must develop a silent language to communicate. In the two player game, you play over 12 rounds, but you only play 10 rounds with three players and 8 rounds with four. Fun game but for the current price the card quality is junk. Am I mis-interpreting the rules on this? It's a game you will not want to stop trying and beating it is very hard. Some groups have a bit of awkward laughter as they’re getting ready to make a big play, some groups sit stone faced. and it all seems rather random. If you’d like to find a board game or card game based on our individual family member ratings, check out our Family Game Ratings page. The Mind is one of the most intensely clever exercises in simplicity I’ve seen. This is exceptionally helpful: not only does it get cards out of the game, but it also can give you significant information about what your fellow players hold. If playing this game with AI teammates appeals to you, you will find a lot to like about The Mind on mobile devices. This simple-to-learn game challenges players to build the best train routes across North America, and it’s fun to play again and again. Request a Review. Pandasaurus: The Mind Card Game › Customer reviews; Customer reviews. I noticed The Mind after a friend pointed me to Eric Martin’s preview. Not going to be a hit with kids, it's more of a concentration game. It's an experiment, a journey, a team experience in which you can't exchange information, yet will become one to defeat all the levels of the game. I love the concept and I think it is really interesting. more than thirty times in the first month that I’ve owned it, and I have no doubt that I’ll be introducing it to dozens of other people over the course of the year. Lots of fun and amazing moments when you sucessfully complete a level, and whenever you lose you will want to try again. , which is every bit as innovative, addicting, and tense. But it does, and the first time we played it, I found it novel and fascinating. Why Blackjack and Poker are More Similar Than You Know by Sam Williams While blackjack and poker may look like two completely different games, there are many similarities between the two. The game ends when either the team has run out of lives (a loss) or has completed the last level (a victory). The throwing stars were an exceptionally nice mechanical touch: they reveal more information than you’d expect, since you get a sense of everybody else’s hand when the lowest card is revealed. If it wasn’t for that would recommend the game. But you can just as easily lose a life when there’s a jump in numbers to a close raft of cards, at which point (unless there’s perfection), it’s easy for them to come out just out of sequence (which may be a good time to call for a throwing star where everyone discards their lowest card!) Which sounds implausible until you twig that the gameplay involves repetitively repeating a mental countdown clock inside your head, playing your lowest card when your countdown clock goes off (eg play your 63 ten seconds after the 53 was played, or whatever other pace your team is playing at) and you’ll win if the pace of that clock is attuned and identical to your teammates. Drop numbers and throw some stars! Of course, time passes by “in the head” of each player, but this is normally quicker than one second per number and it changes depending on what level is being played. Wish List. That’s not a skill I need to have, nor is it that enjoyable doing it time after time after time, so it won’t be a game I seek out, but will play if someone wants to experience what it has to offer. It's an experiment, a journey, a team experience in which you can't exchange information, yet will become one mind to defeat all the levels of the game. This is such an awesome game for cooperative play. Every group I’ve played with has enjoyed this, and every group has asked to play it again. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. I started playing with my son and we could not put it down. It's an experiment, a journey, a team experience in which you can't exchange information, yet will become one to defeat all the levels of the game. Pandasaurus Games The Mind - Family-Friendly Board Games - Adult Games... Pandasaurus Games The Mind - Family-Friendly Board Games - Adult Games for Game Night - Card Games for Adults, Teens & Kids (2-4 Players). The Mind is a 2 - 4 player cooperative card game where players cannot talk or give hints to one another, yet must work together to complete rounds. In this week’s How to Play, host Becca Scott teaches The Mind from Pandasaurus Games. The experience of playing it is unlike anything else that I can recall, and it’s a great way to show people how different games can be from what you perceive them to be. Each game you do a little better. The best part of most dueling games is when you can get your large and powerful cards out and put them to use. The Mind is a quick-playing game, it is fun, it is tense and is super easy to play but hard to master. It helps if, before gameplay, everybody “syncs” by putting their hands on the table and agreeing to start. It's insanely fun and everyone immediately gets it. 5 star 81% 4 star 11% 3 star 5% 2 star 1% 1 star 2% Pandasaurus: The Mind Card Game. GREAT game for cooperative play! This is exceptionally helpful: not only does it get cards out of the game, but it also can give you significant information about what your fellow players hold. We’ve played ‘The Mind’ 10 times or so and really enjoy the development of synchronization between the players and the game overall. I’ve played half a dozen times with another experienced gamer. Mis-plays are usually just as fun as plays that seem to just go right. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Price. If the 35 was just played, and you have the 37, you should play it relatively quickly, while still giving just enough time for the 36 to be played if it is out there. Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2019, The game is great and a lot of fun. Similar to the original Mind, players are trying to play cards from their hand in order without talking to one another, trying to complete a certain number of levels and win. If the players have one or more lives left, and a player holds a very high card (say 95-100) it could be advantageous for that player to throw that card immediately and lose a single life, to force teammates to have to throw all of their lower cards and resume play with very few cards left in the collective hand. The winner is the first player to exhaust their hand. While that may end up being the best strategy (and I’m not yet convinced it is) I feel that it goes against the spirit of the game. , and how well you judge the internal clock of your other players will determine whether you’re successful. It plays the same at all player counts, but is probably more fun with more players due to the wider sharing of good moments. 5/5, Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2019. I was convinced Azul would get the SdJ this year before I played The Mind. Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2019. Now I am not so sure. In the first round, all players receive one card from the deck, which has values 1-100. Note: this game was gifted by Coiledspring Games, this has not affected our review. This is a real test of how well do you trust your friends. I’ve played half a dozen times with another experienced gamer. My son gets extremely competitive when playing games. Disabling it will result in some disabled or missing features. Patrick Brennan: (4 plays) The aim is to play your cards in correct sequential order as a team, without knowing what cards your teammates are holding in their hands. Every group I’ve played with has enjoyed this, and every group has asked to play it again. You don't like broccoli. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. High player interaction makes for the perfect Game Night. We bring this game with us everywhere, from the office, to weekend camping getaways. I’ve yet to “win” a game but I find the game interesting and fun. This page works best with JavaScript. Much of my enjoyment lies in trying to get the “feel” of the other players as when to play and when to wait. I would not enjoy being forced to play it as a cooperative counting game. Every group I’ve played with strategies how to use the throwing stars differently. I would not enjoy being forced to play it as a cooperative counting game. The Mind is a very unique card game experience. The rule specify that you must always play your lowest card. Don't let the simplicity of this game fool you. Finish a session and take a pic of the level card along with ninja stars and lives left. I imported a copy of The Mind, and it’s gotten quite a few plays with my groups in recent days, with several of my friends ordering copies. If there is agreement around the table, players each play their lowest card face up. That’s when you’ll find yourself using lives or, better, a throwing star. The Mind Overview. The team must become ONE! Some groups have a bit of awkward laughter as they’re getting ready to make a big play, some groups sit stone faced. : (4 plays) The aim is to play your cards in correct sequential order as a team, without knowing what cards your teammates are holding in their hands. 3,457 global ratings | 581 global reviews, Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2019. The game looked vaguely reminiscent of The Game, another NSV title which received a SdJ nomination back in 2015. A riot you and your friends will never forget. This is a game giving emotion of the highest level when everything goes fine and played in the right spirit. Also two drops of water touched one card and pretty much instantly destroyed it even my 2$ playing cards last longer. Overall, if you're looking for a game that is very easy to learn and quick to play, The Mind can easily be that game, if you're willing to sacrifice some of the interaction between the players; it's a great game to close the evening with, and simple enough to understand if … You can find the English-language rulebook on NSV’s site, and it is especially well written.