Mind up from Catch Up Games and distributed here in the UK by HachetteBGUK feels like someone took 6 nimmt and added a bunch to it, mainly For Sale. And it’s not all bad.
Over the course of 3 rounds you’ll be adding cards to your scoring tableau. Each turn works the same way with players simultaneously selecting a card from their hand to place it in front of them after which cards are revealed and cards are placed in the centre. A bit like 6 nimmt, however, you take the card above the centre card where you card is placed. Cards are placed lowest to highest (left to right).
It’s that twist on 6 nimmt, in that you take a card every turn as you build effectively a collection of cards that you’ll score at the end of each round. As each card you take is placed onto a personal scoring card in front of you, starting with the left most scoring card. So the card you take first, goes onto your first scoring card.
You’ll repeat this until you’ve played all the cards in your hand, at which point end of round scoring happens. So you’ll multiple the number of cards in a column by its scoring multiplier. E.g. you’ve played 2 blue cards in the column with 5 points for each card. So you score 10 points.
Herein lies the twist, although it’s not as juicy as say the Faraway twist, but you probably don’t want to go all in on a certain colour or range of numbers. As the cards you collected become your hand of cards for the next round! Although I’m not sure it’s much of a twist really, the real Strategy is in watching your opponents accumulate cards and then having then pick up cards they don’t want. This becomes a bit more of a memory game in the later rounds, as you know the numbers everyone around the table already has in their hands the real question is can you remember them?
After 3 rounds you’re done. For me it’s like 6 nimmt, it’s the closest comparator. With a dusting of For Sale. For me Mind Up sits into the game night collection of those games, the light card games that are the perfect pre main game or post main game game. And a game that you can play a couple of games of. However, I’m not sure it’s as good as some of our existing go to games like 6 nimmt and no thanks. But then I am talking about a game I’ve played 7 times in comparison to games I’ve played over 80 times.
As you know, I rate games on a
– Buy or play
– Wait for sale or play if you like game XYZ
– Avoid
Mind up gets a solid Play if you enjoy games like 6 Nimmt, No thanks and For Sale. If you’re not a fan of any of those games, then Mind Up isn’t probably going to make you fall in love with small card games. And my preferred way to play is definitely either the scoring goals, they add that little bit extra that elevates this game for me. I don’t think I’d play without them. Overall I’ll be adding this to the game night library, it scratches that 6 nimmt, no thanks itch and It’s rules light enough to be able to teach to new players at game night.
Disclaimer: I was sent a copy of the game to review by HachetteBGUK. I wasn’t paid for this review.