Stupefy! (2022)

About this game

1, 2, 3… Stupefy ! It’s so simple, you can learn the rules to Stupefy just by playing. Combat plays over 8 identical rounds. Choose your spell. Point your wand at any opponent, at the same time as other players. Cast your spell, at the same time as other players. Then resolve spell effects. Unharmed players gain rewards from the center of the table and drop them into their House’s box. Spells and rewards Spells are represented by cards that players receive at the start of the game. There are Stupefy! cards and Misspell cards (it happens to the best of us). Be careful, you start with a limited number of Stupefy cards and must balance your Misspells to become your professor’s favorite, collect potions, or even point cards. Avoid being Stupefied by your opponents along the way, otherwise you’ll be known as the latecomer (penalty) of your House and miss the chance to gain extra rewards. After 8 rounds, once all the rewards have been claimed, the House with the highest score wins the game. Rounds are tense! You have to observe your opponents’ choices (have they used all their Stupefy! cards?), choose whether to protect yourself, attack, or claim all the rewards… And you have to decide quickly, in the heat of the moment! —description from the publisher

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 4 to 8.
• Rules load. At 1.3/5 this is a light game — explain it in a few minutes, good for a table that has not played much.
• Age. The publisher suggests 8 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.