Kings' Struggle (2018)

About this game

Welcome to Kings' Struggle, a negotiation-focused card game with elements of trick-taking and set collection. The game is mechanically simple, with each player playing just one card per round, and each game lasting only seven rounds. Over the course of these seven rounds, players vie to win cards and earn gold through various means, which will score the victory points required to win. While this sounds simple, what makes Kings' Struggle special are the unique card abilities that have been crafted to drive negotiation. The ability of a card you've played can be activated on your turn — or not. It's up to you. Just remember, your action or inaction is for sale! Analyzing who has the most to win or the most to lose from your current ability and leveraging it to your maximum benefit is the name of the game. You must learn to play the players, more than you learn to play the game. While anyone can learn to play Kings' Struggle in a matter of minutes, players who find success will not be those who craft the best linear card play strategy, or those who enjoy the most luck, but those who have mastered the art of negotiation. —description from the publisher

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 3 to 6.
• Rules load. At 2.3/5 this is a mid-weight game — expect a proper rules explanation before you start.
• Age. The publisher suggests 14 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.