Tag: Take That

Games with a “Take That” mechanic allows players to take actions that actively hinder an opponent’s progress in-game.

All Aboard!

| T3d-1978

“We sink!” shouts the elephant, “That mouse is too heavy!” “Don’t worry!” whispers the lion, “If I eat the giraffe, we can lose a little weight.”

In All Aboard! you must get your gang of animals to safety in the different boats, but be careful not to exceed their capacity, or else they will sink. Designed by Paco Yánez and illustrated by Monsuros, this fun card game can be played as a couple or in groups of up to 5 players, from 7 years old, in games lasting about 20 minutes.

Before starting, each player receives a set of 12 cards with the 12 different animals in the game (mouse, peacock, fox, octopus, monkey, sloth, elk, zebra, giraffe, lion, bear and elephant). The game is played over 4 rounds and each one consists of two phases: boarding the boats and setting sail. In the boarding phase, players will place one of the animals face up in any of the boats, taking into account that there can be no more than 3 animals in each one. In the second turn, they will place a new animal in any of the available boats, but this time face down; Finally, in the third turn a third animal will board the available boats, again face up.

At the beginning of the setting sail phase, all animal cards that have been played face down are revealed and then a check is made to see if there are two or more animals of the same species. If there are 2, they both fall in love (and the players will receive points for it). If there are 3, they fight and the boat sinks. Next, the animals activate their effects and finally the sum of the weight of the animals on board the boat is checked. If the weight of the animals is equal to or less than the weight that the boat can withstand, the animals manage to set sail and will score at the end of the game. Each player takes their animals and places them in a pile of saved animals in their playing area. If, on the other hand, the boat sinks, the animals are discarded.

Knowing when to play each animal is one of the keys to the game. However, depending on how your rivals play the cards, unforeseen situations can arise on the ships. Each animal has its own power, which can unleash chaos or balance the scales. Will you be able to save as many animals as possible?

Game Mechanics:

  • Hand Management
  • Push Your Luck
  • Take That

Game Specifications:

  • 2 – 5 Players
  • ~20 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 1.60

Cover Your Kingdom

| T3d-1978

Cover Your Kingdom is an insanely fun, fast-paced, ruthless game based off of Cover Your Assets. In this game, each player will take on the role of a ruler to their own kingdom which, through some unfortunate accident, has lost all of its legendary creatures and therefore all of its magic. Your job is to recruit clans of these legendary creatures back to your kingdom, either in the Valley or the Mountains, by playing sets of the same creature. However, your rival rulers can lure your clans away from your kingdom by playing a matching creature, triggering a back-and-forth match battle until one person cannot or does not want to play another card. You can protect your existing clans by playing a new one on top of them, rotated 90 degrees from the previous one, as only the top clan in the stack can be recruited. 

Cover Your Kingdom also introduces Free Creatures, which do not join kingdoms but can be played to utilize their special abilities, giving you an edge over the other kingdoms. Whoever ends up with the most magic from the creatures in their kingdom wins the game!

Game Mechanics:

  • Hand Management
  • Set Collection
  • Take That

Game Specifications:

  • 2 – 8 Players
  • 25 – 40 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 1.83

Cover Your Assets

| T3d-1978

In Cover Your Assets, you have one simple goal: be the first to become a millionaire. You will do this by stacking sets of valuables such as jewels or piggy banks. But be warned, your assets are very vulnerable! On their turn, other players can play a matching asset to steal your stack. You can play another matching asset card to prevent the thievery, sparking a back and forth battle until someone runs out of cards. Alternatively, you could cover your assets by playing a new set which always goes on top of your previous one (or stealing one yourself). Now, people have to steal your new assets before they can get to your true valuables. Be clever, be careful, and be sure to cover your assets!

Game Mechanics:

  • Set Collection
  • Hand Management
  • Take That

Game Specifications:

  • 2 – 6 Players
  • 20 – 40 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 1.13

Coup: Deluxe Edition

| T3d-1978

Coup is all about who you know and how you use them. The game revolves around your “influence” – the face-down cards in front of you. Each card depicts a different character with their own powers that you can use. Each turn, a player will use their influence to perform various actions, all working towards removing other player’s influences. However, since no one knows what influences you have, you can lie to your hearts content – unless someone challenges you, making you lose an influence. Plan accordingly, avoid any coups, and be the last one remaining with influence left!

Game Mechanics:

  • Bluffing
  • Player Elimination
  • Take That
  • Hidden Roles

Game Specifications:

  • 2 – 8 Players
  • 15 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 1.36

Colt Express

| T3d-1978

It is July 11th, 1899, in Folsom, New Mexico. The Union Pacific Express has just departed, full of precious jewels, wallets, and suitcases – right into the trap set by you, one of many bandits ready to rob these citizens blind! A bandits life isn’t easy sailing, though. You’ll have to compete with other bandits to get the biggest score, not even to mention avoiding the Marshall and navigating the 3D train.

Colt Express takes place over 5 rounds, with two phases each round. In phase 1, “Schemin'”, you and your fellow bandits will prepare your actions a play cards to form a deck. Then, in phase 2, “Stealin'”, all the action cards are carried out as you and your fellow bandits wreak havoc on the train. Avoid bullets, and hope that no one else ruins your plans.

Game Mechanics:

  •  Action Queue
  • Hand Management
  • Memory
  • Programmed Movement
  • Take That
  • Variable Player Powers

Game Specifications:

  • 2 – 6 Players
  • 40 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 1.83

Claim 2

| T3d-1978

Board Game Overview

With the sudden death of the king and no known heirs, the kingdom is up for grabs! The only thing – you have to get the approval of at least 3 out of the 5 factions of the land to become the new ruler. And you’re not the only one wanting power. 

Claim 2 is a two player game split into two phases. In phase 1, players will play their cards to recruit followers from various factions to support their cause. In phase 2, players will use their followers to gain the favor of the different factions, giving them special powers to gain an edge over their opponent! Do you have what it takes?

Game Mechanics:

  •  Take That
  • Trick Taking

Game Specifications:

  • 2 Players
  • 25 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 1.60

Chili Mafia

| T3d-1978

Board Game Overview

Things are heating up in the Chili world, and you have all been assembled to come together to stop the reign of terror of the Chili Mafiosos. However, it’s not so easy to smooth over tensions, and despite holding a peace summit in Mexico, no one’s particularly interested in listening. That leaves one choice – you have to form your own chili gangs, overpower the Chili Mafiosos, and make them listen! In this fun set collection game, you’ll be forming gangs of different kinds of chilis – or all the same – using action cards to your advantage, and becoming more powerful than any of your opponents. Mafiosos don’t like ties, after all. 

Game Mechanics:

  • Set Collection
  • Take That
  • Team-Based

Game Specifications:

  • 2 – 8 Players
  • 20 – 40 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 1.83

CATtitude!

| T3d-1978

This playful game pits you and your friends against each other to see which cat can cause the most trouble by collecting cards and moving around the board to steal, knock over, and destroy various items throughout the house! But be careful, players will also get a chance to play as the human and try to catch casts in the middle of their devious acts! Use evade cards to frame others for your mischief or sneak away to safety, but whatever you do– Don’t Get Caught!

Game Mechanics:

  • Pick-up and Deliver
  • Set Collection
  • Take That

Game Specifications:

  • 3 – 5 Players
  • 25 – 30 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 2.00

Cats are Scientists

| T3d-1978

All throughout history, cats have theorized the idea of gravity. Now, cats from all over the world are testing the principles of gravity by knocking objects off of tables and recording the outcome. It is up to you to successfully conduct enough experiments to formulate enough evidence to prove the Law of Gravity. The cat who can successfully complete this task first will forever go down in history as the cat who discovered gravity!
The idea of the game is to collect 6 or more science points to be deemed the “Greatest Science Cat of All Time!” In order to conduct an experiment, you must knock a card off of the table using your Scientific Method. You then apply the rule on the card to the game and MUST follow it to the best of your ability. If you fail to follow a rule in play and another player calls you out on it, you must return a card back into the pile. See who can follow the most laws of science by stacking up more and more rules!

Game Mechanics:

  •  Take That

Game Specifications:

  • 3 – 7 Players
  • 15 – 45 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 1.00

CATastrophe: A Game of 9 Lives

| T3d-1978

Catastrophe is a game as spontaneous and unexpected as cats themselves.

Players start with 9 lives. Your goal is to survive the chaotic mayhem. The last cat standing is crowned champion! Power Cats will help guide you to victory with unique abilities. But, be careful, it’s no catwalk!

One second, you’re slapping down attack and curiosity cards, the next you’re rolling a die and playing fun catastrophic mini-games to determine your destiny. However, magical Yarn Balls may alter your fate. You are eliminated when you lose all of your lives. Beware of the villain, the Grim Reapurr, who is plotting your untimely demise and attempting to be the sole victor!

This is an all-out claws out kind of game with only one victor and many catfights! Will your strategy be to play with caution… or wild abandon… Either way, you’re in for a treat.

Game Mechanics:

  • Dice Rolling
  • Hand Management
  • Open Drafting
  • Player Elimination
  • Take That

Game Specifications:

  • 2 – 6 Players
  • 30 – 45 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 1.00