No Thanks review

Mayfair Games | Set collection | £12.99 | 3-4 players | 20 minutes | www.mayfairgames.com 

Complicated set up? No Thanks! Long rules? No Thanks! Taking all night to play one game? No Thanks! Would the original title of this game work for this joke? Geschenkt ...ist noch zu teuer!

Originally published by Amigo in Germany as “Even given as a gift, it is still too expensive!” No Thanks! is delightfully easy to learn and quick to play. Each players id given 11 chips, then all 33 cards, numbered 3 to 35, are shuffled, nine cards removed from the deck, without anyone knowing what their values are. The remaining twenty-four are placed in the centre of the table. Turn the top card over, then each player either takes the card, or puts a chip on it. If there are chips on the card, and you take it, you keep the chips. If you have no chips, you have to take the card. The winner is the person with the lowest face value of cards.

However, There are 2 rules that make this game a little tricky. Firstly, if you can string together a run only the lowest value counts towards your score. Suddenly, it doesn’t seem such a terrible idea to take the 35 card, could you snap up a run to 20 something? Secondly, all the chips minus one from your point score at the end. You may not want the number 16 card, but if it’s got 12 chips on it then, technically, it’s only worth four points. Overall it’s a snappy little game that will serve as a great filler until all players are ready to get into the main game, and one you’ll still play 10 years from now. Plus with such a low cost, and small size, you can’t really say No Thanks! (Millie Lavelle Twitter: @geekonradio)

Buy your copy here.

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