melpomene

General: A nice step up into “heavier” gaming for the casual gamer. Plays with a mix of luck and strategy. No science background needed.

Game board and pieces: Each player gets a “work bench” to store their elements, keep track of experiment levels, and hold tools they have earned. The compound cards are an odd square-ish size, but nice thickness and should hold up well over many plays. The elements are small odd-sided plastic pieces in five colors: clear, yellow, blue, green, red, and black. FYI – they don’t feel very good if stepped on with bare feet; not Lego level pain, but discomfort nonetheless.
There is also a scoring board that uses the periodic table of elements to keep track of your points.

Set up: Compound cards are dealt out onto the field, the remaining are stacked with lab fires spaced throughout.

Playing Mechanism: Players take turns drawing elements in an attempt to fill compound cards to gain points and level up experiments on their work bench, expand their lab abilities and become the reigning King of the Lab! Watch out for lab fires and exploding compounds. The game relies on both luck and strategy. Elements are collected through blind draws, but earned abilities can allow you to keep one from a completed compound, and gaining the ability to draw and retain more elements through leveling up.

Playing Time: 30+ min for 2 players, 45+ min for 3+ players

Expansion: Not at the time of this writing, but I believe one is in development.

Pros: I love the theme! I don’t think there are enough science themed games.
Also, I am extremely grateful that the designers included a mechanism to allow for two player play.

Cons: Many of the game components are quite small. Also, color discernment is necessary to play, the element pieces are only distinguishable by color. My color-blind gamer is able to play, but has a problem telling two of the element colors apart unless they are side by side.
There is a learning curve, so be sure your gamer friends have their patience when breaking this one out the first few times.

Overall thoughts: I really like this game and could play it every day. It is my first choice when asked what I want to play. The rest of my small gaming circle prefer games a bit lighter, but do not groan when I suggest it.

General: More dexterity than strategy, but some strategy will be necessary to accumulate more points than your fellow monsters.

Game board and pieces: A nice thick board; two halves that fold for storage within the game box. The same type of material makes up the floors of the buildings. 90 or so meeples in six colors. Four each of monsters, monster paws, and vehicles. Our set came with stickers for the monsters, monster paws, vehicles, and the meeples. I think the meeple stickers may be limited as they were given to us by the staffer at our FLGS and not included within the box packaging. Three small (in number, close to playing card sized) decks of Character, Power and Secret Superpower cards.

Set-up: Build the city using the meeples as supports for the building floors and place one on the top floor of each building. The top floor of the stadium gets four meeples. Deal each player a Character, Power, and Secret Superpower card. Each player looks at their cards and discloses their Character and Power (both useable throughout the game). The Secret Superpower is not disclosed and can only be used once during the game and then discarded.

Playing Mechanism: On your turn you get to take two of four types of moves: move, breathe, destroy, or toss a vehicle (if the neighborhood you are in has one).
Move: Flick your monster paw disc; don’t end up off the board or you will lose a tooth and won’t be able to eat as many meeple as you used to!
Breathe: Place your chin on your monster (yes, really!) and unleash your meeple laden breath upon the neighborhood of your choosing.
Destroy: Your monster paws must be touching the sidewalk of a building to attempt to destroy it. Pick up your monster, bring your arm to shoulder height then unleash the mighty power of a falling monster!
Toss a vehicle: If you and a vehicle happen to be in the same neighborhood, you can put it on your monster head and flick it towards an unsuspecting building (or if you have a special card, you can flick it at an opponent).

Once you have completed your two actions, it is time to chow down on the town! You are allowed to eat as many residents in the neighborhood as you have teeth (some cards allow you to eat more).

Playing Time: 30-45 minutes

Expansion: Not as of this writing

Pros: Easy to set-up, easy to learn and teach, easy to play.

Cons: This game is very light and does not require much in the way of strategy. Current rules and set-up only allow for 2-4 players, no version for solo or team play as of yet (pondering a house rule for team play).

Overall thoughts: My primary gaming circle consists of myself and two other players. This game is playable with 2-4 players and works just as well at any number, but 3-4 is probably best. The meeples in this game are red, blue, yellow, green, black, and grey; no problem for my colorblind gamer. Is it worth the price? For me, it is but I would recommend a couple of plays before committing if you aren’t sure.

General: 100 card deck plus one rule card. Cards are slightly smaller than playing card size, not as small as “Timeline” game cards.

Card Types: Goal: These cards dictate the requirements to win the game; they can be changed. New Rule: These cards alter the draw one, play one mechanic in a variety of ways. Action: These cards are a single time action that allow/require a player or group of players to do a specific action. Keeper: These cards are (usually) placed face up on the playing surface in front of the player they currently belong to and generally aid said player in achieving the goal. Creeper: These cards must be placed on the playing surface in front of the player they currently belong to and generally prevent said player from achieving the goal.

Playing Mechanism: Each player is dealt three cards. Play then follows around the table in the manner of most card games. The initial rule of “draw one, play one” continues until a player plays a “New Rule” card. Play continues until one player has a combination of Keepers and/or Creepers that meet the “Goal” card currently in play.

Playing Time: 0 minutes – ? Theoretically it would be possible for a person to win on their first play if they had a “Goal” card and the Keepers and/or Creepers required to win. I would say that generally, play lasts 10 – 30 minutes.

Expansion: Yes, “Castle Expansion.” This is a small set of six cards sold separately. Three Goal cards and one card each of Action, Keeper, and Creeper. Not playable on their own or with any other Fluxx version.

Pros: Quality cards that should last. Artwork that seems faithful to the spirit of Monty Python. Supremely easy to learn. Packs well for travelling; slightly larger than a deck of standard playing cards. Does not need a large surface for the playing area, even airplane tray tables will do. Plays fine with two, although I’d recommend three or more. No issues for those with color blindness (a big plus for one in my gaming circle).

Cons: English reading ability required, many cards are very text heavy. The theme; if players are not familiar with Monty Python this is probably not the Fluxx for you to break out. Also, if your gaming circle does not care for Fluxx I doubt the theme will make any difference in enjoyment.

Overall Thoughts: My gaming circle consists of myself and two other players. This iteration of Fluxx is our go to staple when we need something to lighten the mood or are too full of adult beverages to unbox something else! I would pick a different Fluxx if not everyone is a Monty Python fan.

Side Note: The last time we met at our local brewery to play our threesome quickly turned into eight!