The Mind

This 2018 Spiel des Jahres Nominee by Wolfgang Warsch is a cooperative card game that is so brilliant in its simplicity - the players are dealt a card, numbered 1-100, from the deck and have to simply lay them onto the table in the correct numerical order. The big kicker is that no one is allowed to speak or indicate the number of the card they have in hand. You must simply stare at each other and then lay your card down when you feel the time is right.

Once you have completed the first round, in round two you are dealt two cards each, in round three you'll have three cards, and so on. If anyone places a card out of order then the game will stop briefly and the team will lose a life.

Reprieves come in the form of extra lives and Ninja Stars that allow players to halt a round in progress to let all players discard their lowest value card. But these bonuses are scarce and are awarded between certain rounds.

The game scales well between two to four players. You may start the game believing you don't stand a chance - but then you find some sort of cerebral rhythmic connection with your fellow players, and progress further than your collective wildest dream! But be warned, later rounds can get horrendously difficult.

The Mind is pocket-sized so there is no excuse to go anywhere without it!

Player Count: 2-4
Play Time: 15 Minutes
Age: 8+