3-2-1 Countdown: A Tabletop Tales Review

On March 22, 2025March 31, 2025 By MitchenersIn Angela, Board GamesLeave a comment

Guys. Guess what? I won a giveaway!

Grandpa Beck’s is a pretty fantastic card game company. I love the “family feel” they exude, and I really love that their games come at such a great price point. (Our first introduction to Grandpa Beck’s was through a friend who gifted us a copy of Skull King, a pirate-themed, trick-taking game at its finest. I’m digressing, though. Let me leave that review for another post.)

Earlier this month, Grandpa Beck’s launched a brand new card game called 3-2-1 Countdown! I follow several board game accounts on social media, and three of them were offering giveaways prior to the launch date. I entered the giveaways with zero expectation of winning anything. (The last time I ever won a raffle was at a “Take Your Kids to Work Day” event with my grandma. I was 10.)

Well, the stars and the planets aligned for me or something because one of the Instagram accounts I follow messaged me: “Hello there! Guess what?! You won my giveaway for 3-2-1 Countdown! Congratulations!”

Eek! My 30-year “losing streak” is over, and I’ve won something so.majorly.cool. I’m all about games that are easy to teach, quick to learn, and fun to play. This checks all the boxes.

Speaking of boxes… Grandpa Beck’s games bring an added bonus: they come in small boxes! As a blossoming board gamer, I’m already finding that we’re running out of space for our growing collection. Compact games like this one score extra points in my book.

Keep reading if you’d like to check out some more details about 3-2-1 Countdown!

Number of Players: 2-8 / Recommended Age: 7+

Playing Time: 15-30 minutes

Object: Reduce the total value of the cards in your hand to 5 points or less.

Rules: Get a general idea of gameplay below, or you can check out this link to Grandpa Beck’s “How to Play” video.

For 2-6 players, deal out 12 cards to each person. The rest of the cards go to the middle of the table. Form a discard pile on either side of the draw pile.

On your turn, you’ll do two things. Discard first! Place one of your cards on either discard pile. (If you’ve got multiple cards of the same number, you’re allowed to get rid of the entire set.) Secondly, draw a card from the other discard pile – or from the draw pile.

The player on the right decided to shed her highest cards: two 10’s.

Take turns discarding card(s) and drawing a new card until a player has 5 points or less in hand. That player can yell, “Countdown!” and end the round. (Alternatively, you could win another way. If every card in your hand is the same number, you can discard all of your cards and call out “Blastoff!”)

All players will then add up the face values of the cards in their hands. The person with the lowest total receives 3 points, the second-lowest gets 2 points, and the third-lowest gains 1 point. However, you’ve got to be careful. If you call “Countdown!” but don’t have the lowest score, you get nothing. Zilch-o. Nada.

You’ll have to take some risks if you want to win big!

Ang’s Rating: 8.5/10

Buy 3-2-1 Countdown!

ANGELA15

Using the above coupon code when you check out will get you 15% off your order!

Skyjo: A Tabletop Tales Review

On March 14, 2025March 19, 2025 By MitchenersIn Angela, Board GamesLeave a comment

Cal walked in while I was uploading some pictures for this blog post and said, “Whatcha doing, Mom?” I told her I was getting ready to share yet another game. As she looked over my shoulder, she incredulously asked, “You mean, you haven’t posted about Skyjo yet?!” We all really, really like this one!

Whenever I’ve got a game night to attend, I often lead with this game. It’s easy to walk a person through a practice round without having to explain a ton of rules. I also love that up to 8 people can play, and the rounds are fairly short.

I can think of two other games that are comparable to Skyjo: Grandpa Beck’s Gnoming Around and Play Nine. If you already own either of those, I don’t think you need to buy this too. The mechanics of all 3 games are similar. I just happened to get introduced to Skyjo first; I fully own my bias.

I’m trying my hardest to come up with some kind of “negative” about the game so that I’m being transparent about the pros and the cons… but I’m kind of at a loss! It’s solid!

Number of Players: 2-8

Age: 8+

Playing Time: 30ish minutes

Object: Get the lowest score as quickly as possible by flipping, exchanging, and revealing cards.

Rules Rundown: Here’s a link to an unofficial copy of the rules – or follow along below for a quick run-through of how to play.

First, deal out 12 cards to each person. Every player will make a facedown 4×3 grid. Before play begins, flip up any 2 cards. Place the draw pile in the middle of the table. The person who has the highest point total showing will go first.

On each turn, draw a card from the draw pile or from the discard pile. After looking at that card, decide if you would like to keep it or not. If you want to add it to your grid, you must exchange it with one of your current cards. It doesn’t matter if the card is hidden or not. (Obviously, you are taking a risk if you decide to replace one of your hidden cards, but sometimes the risk pays off!) You can also decide to discard the card you chose, but if you do so, you’ll automatically flip up one of your hidden cards.

So far, looking good! (It’d be nice to get rid of that 6 up there…)

There is one special feature. If you happen to place 3 identical cards in the same column, they cancel out! Discard those 3 cards, eliminating the column and bringing your total score down.

I’m down to the wire! Just one more card to flip over.

The round is basically over when someone has flipped over all of his cards. (Any players who did not get to finish the current round are allowed to take one final turn.) Turn over any remaining hidden cards, tally up your points, and write them on the score card. *Important! If the player who went out does not have the lowest score, he must double his score. Yikes!

I hope you enjoy Skyjo as much as I do!

Ang’s Rating: 8/10

Buy Skyjo on Amazon!

Wizard: A Tabletop Tales Review

On June 21, 2024June 21, 2024 By MitchenersIn Board GamesLeave a comment

Today, I’ve got a relatively simple card game for you: Wizard. This trick-taking game is solid because it’s easy to learn, and the rounds are quick. However, there’s just enough strategy and luck to keep it fresh each time. Wizard uses a normal 52-card deck – with one exception. There are 8 additional cards: 4 Wizards (which beat everything) and 4 Jesters (which lose to everything).

At its base, this is simply a game of following suit. But before play begins, you must guess how many tricks you think you’ll take. I’m going to go ahead and say that the Deluxe edition of Wizard is the way to go. It comes with these fun little wheels that you can use to lock in your bids each round. You can play several different ways, and the wheels are extremely helpful for certain variations.

Wizard truly is the perfect game for a lazy Saturday afternoon with friends. We broke it out recently, and I don’t know why we don’t choose it more often. A relaxing, fun-filled day!

Number of Players: 3-6

Age: 10+

Playing Time: 30-60 minutes

Object: Predict the exact number of tricks you will take each round in order to earn points.

Rules: On the first deal, every player receives one card. (On the second deal, everyone gets two cards. With the third deal come three cards, and so on.) Flip the next card face up. That card’s suit determines trump for the round. If a Wizard is turned up, the dealer picks trump. If a Jester is turned up, there is no trump for the round.

After looking at the card(s) in your hand, decide how many tricks you think you can win. On your wheel, click that number into place. In the easiest version of the game, you’ll all reveal your bid to the rest of the table simultaneously. (A more difficult variation involves a “delayed reveal bid” – you don’t show your bid wheel to the other players until the end of the round.)

From here, the player to the left of dealer begins. All other players must follow suit if they can, unless someone decides to throw a Wizard or a Jester. Highest card in the suit wins – unless a trump card or a Wizard are thrown. The winner of the trick leads the next trick.

When the round ends, points are tallied. If you make your bid, you receive 20 points. For each trick you take, you gain an additional 10 points. (Let’s say you lock in 2 tricks on your bidding wheel and you make those 2 tricks. You subsequently gain 20 points for guessing correctly, and you get 10 points for each of the 2 tricks – a total of 40 points.) If you guess incorrectly and do not make your bid, you will have to subtract points from your score. (For each trick over or under your bid, you deduct 10 points.)

Ratings:
Scott – 8.5/10
Ang – 7.5/10

Buy the Deluxe Edition of Wizard on Amazon!

The Crew – The Quest for Planet Nine: A Tabletop Tales Review

On June 7, 2024June 9, 2024 By MitchenersIn Angela, Board GamesLeave a comment

Do you refuse to play board games in your house because they tear your family apart instead of bring everyone closer together? I’ve certainly experienced some tense moments when playing with particular friends or family members whose competitive genes run strong. (Yes, I’ve even endured the dreaded Monopoly board being turned over. Cue the PTSD for this conflict-averse lady right here.) I’m all about having a good time – it ain’t gotta be that way! Hah!

Drumroll please… enter The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine. This trick-taking game takes euchre-lovers to outer space – as a team! Instead of trying to beat each other, you work together to complete missions of varying difficulty. If you understand the concepts of following suit and trump, this game should be easy to pick up. Yet, it’s challenging and addictive. In our house, we have a hard time finding a good stopping point because we’ve got to complete “just one more mission”!

Number of Players: 2-5

Age: 10+

Playing Time: 5-10 minutes per round

Object: Complete 50 missions together as a team.

Rules Rundown: To start, here is the online version of the rulebook. Below, I’ll run through one particular mission scenario so that you can get a general idea of how to play.

First, evenly deal out the entire deck. (The deck contains 4 suits: pink, yellow, green, and blue numbers from 1-9. There are 4 black trump cards that override any of these colored suits.)

Identify who the Captain is for the round and set the Astronaut marker in front of that person. (In this example below, I am the Captain because I have the black 4 – the highest card in the game.)

Mission #10 in the Logbook asks the astronauts to flip over 4 random task cards (the smaller cards in the center of the table above). Starting with the Captain, each player must decide which of the task cards he or she could win.

I decided to take the green 8 as my task card, and I placed it in my area to remind everyone that I must win the green 8. (I chose that task card because I have the green 9 in my hand, which is the highest green card. Since I will begin the game as Captain, I can easily play the green 9 first. Everyone must follow suit, and my fellow astronaut with the green 8 should have zero obstacles to laying the 8 down for me to take.)

In the picture below, you can see two things happened. First, players 2-4 chose their task cards. Secondly, I decided to communicate something before we begin play.

Player 2 needs to win the pink 4, Player 3 needs to win the yellow 7 (currently in my hand), and Player 4 needs to win the green 5.

In The Crew, each astronaut has a green communication token. Once per mission, each player is allowed to give one “clue” to the others regarding a card that is in his hand. Simply place that card on the table face up. By placing the green token on a particular part of the card, you tell the others that the displayed card is your highest card of that color, your only card of that color, or your lowest card of that color. (Above, I communicated that the green 9 was my only green card – a move that was honestly unnecessary since I have the lead.)

Here, I communicated that the 8 is my **highest** blue card

Getting back to Mission #10. I led my green 9, and the other astronauts all laid a green card because they had to follow suit. And look! Player 4 played the green 8; I completed my task on this mission. Now I’ve got to help the other astronauts complete their tasks.

Oops! I should’ve flipped over my green communication token to the red side – I already used up my “clue” for this hand.

For time’s sake, I won’t play out the rest of the round in pictures, but the next move would be for me to lead again since I won the last trick with my green 9. (I could wait to see if any other astronauts communicate anything about a card in their hands to help me know what to lead. If no one chooses to communicate, I might assume that Player 3 has the yellow 8 or 9.) One option would be for me to lead with my yellow 7, hoping that Player 3 can take it. Of course, I am taking a risk, but that’s the name of the game!

Ratings:
Scott – 9/10
Ang – 9/10

Buy The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine

I think you’ll have fun with this one! (Until you try the sequel, that is. The Mitchener fam likes The Crew: Mission Deep Sea even better!)

Dutch Blitz: A Tabletop Tales Review

On May 24, 2024June 8, 2024 By MitchenersIn Angela, Board Games2 Comments

It would make sense that the first installment of “Tabletop Tales with the Mitcheners” would be a review of Dutch Blitz. This classic, fast-paced card game holds so many fond memories for me. My Grandma Vi introduced it to me when I was younger, and my brother and I quickly became obsessed. When we moved overseas, I was so happy to find that several of my fellow co-workers here in the DR also enjoyed it!

October 2015 – You know it’s a heated game when you have to stand instead of sit

While it’s not a hard game to pick up, Dutch Blitz is definitely one where speed, dexterity, and careful attention to what’s coming next are necessary. If you’re a beginner, you may want to start by playing with a partner: one person watches the “Post” and “Blitz” pile while the other person flips the cards 3 at a time that are in hand.

I like Dutch Blitz because it’s easy to play across language barriers. There’s not a lot of talking required (other than the competitive banter that WILL ensue if someone steals your play). Dutch Blitz simply requires a basic understanding of the rules. We got Yuleisy hooked on it and have had many a loud evening laughing together.

Number of Players: 2-4 (Buy the “Expansion Pack” to up the maximum number of players to 8)

Age: 8+

Playing Time: 5ish minutes per round / Usually people want to move on after 30-45 minutes of play, but I’ve spent hours at a time playing tournaments

Object: Be the first to empty your personal pile of 10 “Dutch” cards by playing on ascending number piles in the middle of the table. Oh, and score the most points.

Rules Rundown: Whenever possible, I’ll link the rules to the original game. But I also understand that learning new games can be overwhelming. I’ll do my best to explain the gist of each game as simply as possible.

The yellow 2, blue 5, and yellow 7 make up my “Post”. My “Dutch” pile sits to the right of my “Post,” and the goal is to get rid of those 10 “Dutch” cards. The cards in the foreground are the first 3 cards in my hand. I continue to flip cards over 3 at a time, looking for anything I can play into the center “Blitz” piles to accumulate more points.

Each player has 2 main “piles”: 3 cards in the “Post” and a 10-card “Dutch” pile. The middle of the table will hold multiple “Blitz” piles that are shared by the entire group. When play starts, anyone can begin or play on an existing “Blitz” pile using the top card in his hand, the cards in his “Dutch” pile, or the cards in his “Post” pile. Simply play the next number in the sequence that matches that “Blitz” pile’s color! The round ends when someone exhausts his “Dutch” pile. Each player then counts the number of cards in his or her “Dutch” pile and subtracts 2 from the score for each remaining card; however, each card played into the “Blitz” piles in the middle counts as 1 point. First player to 75 points wins!

Ratings:
Perhaps it’s simply for nostalgia’s sake, but I give this a solid 8/10. I really could play this any time – except when super tired. Heh. I’ll be honest – Scott and the kiddos are not huge fans of it. I don’t think they love the fast-paced chaos. To each his own, I guess.

Buy Dutch Blitz

Buy the Expansion

The only remaining question: which deck of cards will you choose? Team “Red Wagons” forever!

The Mitcheners

Tag: card games