Tricks & Deserts (2014)

About this game

Tricks and Deserts is a trick taking game where players play as cunning human authorities trying to obtain controls of magical species with powerful abilities. Each turn, players will be playing 1 specie card either face up or face down. The player that played the strongest card (usually the card with the highest number) takes all face up cards. Playing cards face down is called "passing," and these cards are abandoned to the desert. The play continues until all cards are played from player's hands. The face-up cards you take scores points, but the abandoned cards will affect your scoring, sometimes positively, and sometime negatively. You must choose wisely when to play and when to pass.

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 2 to 4.
• Rules load. At 2.0/5 this is a mid-weight game — expect a proper rules explanation before you start.
• Age. The publisher suggests 13 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.