11 Quick & Exciting Boardgames for Newbie Players at Dyce N Dyne Board Game Cafe

6.) Halli Galli

Gameplay

Halli Galli is a speed action game in which players watch for sets of exactly five fruits. The deck contains 56 playing cards showing four kinds of fruit in groups of 1 to 5 and a bell. The deck is distributed evenly between the players. All players hold their deck face down and take turns dealing one card face up in front of them. As each player reveals her next card, the instant you see a total of five of one kind of fruit on the table, hit the bell. If you’re correct, you pick up all the played cards and put them into your deck; if you’re wrong, you pay the other players one card each. When you run out of cards, you’re out. When two players are left, they play until the bell is struck once more, then the game ends and the taller deck wins. Keep in mind that a five-of-a-kind can occur both when cards are revealed and when they’re covered. If, for example, cards showing 3, 1 and 4 bananas are on the table and the 3 is then covered by a non-banana card, suddenly five bananas are showing and somebody better be reaching for the bell.

This is how the table looks like when you start playing Halli Galli. Once you spot that there are five bananas are showing, hit the bell.

Why We Recommend It

This game requires you to be very quick and alert. Every time someone lays down a card, there’s a possibility that you have to hit the bell. You don’t have time to rest or pause. You have to be on the constant lookout–counting and taking in everyone’s cards.

5.) Geistes (also called Ghost Blitz)

Gameplay

There are nine objects in five colors:

 Each round, a player reveals a card that shows three of these objects:

The player who grabs the object that has neither the same shape nor color appearing on the picture keeps the card — unless, that is:

• An object on the card is in its original color, in which case you must grab this object.
• And if an owl appears in the picture, you must name the object instead of grabbing it.
• And if the ghost appears with a clock, you must give the time on the clock instead of doing anything else.
• And if the magic mirror shows up, none of the other rules apply and you just need to grab whichever object is reflected by the mirror!

When the card deck runs out, whoever has collected the most cards wins.

Why We Recommend It

This was the most exciting game for me and my friends! Once you draw the card, there’s a tense moment of silence as everyone tries to identify which object has neither the same shape nor color in the card. There’s a lot of screaming and elbowing as everyone struggles to grab that one single object that stands out! You don’t only have to be a quick observer. You also need quick reflexes because you’re up against everyone else.

4.) Tapple

Gameplay

Each round in Tapple, one player draws a topic card, then starts the timer. In the next ten seconds, that player must give a single word answer that fits within the topic, press down the letter key in a special electronic device that corresponds to the first letter of that word, and restart the timer. The next player must then think of a word for the topic that starts with a different letter, press down that starting letter, and restart the timer. If a player runs out of time, she’s out for the round. If only one player remains in a round, she collects the topic card. If players manage to press down all of the letters before knocking all but one player out of a round, the players reset the device, draw a new topic card, then start the timer again, this time having to give two answers for the topic – each starting with a different letter – within the allotted time. Whoever collects the most topic cards wins!

Why We Recommend It

Without the pressure of time and competition, this game might actually be easy! But the electronic device in the middle has a ticking sound, which is so effective in making the players panic. Sometimes, your mind is so set on using a certain word until the person right before you uses it. It requires keeping calm under pressure and knowing a lot of words related to the category the group chooses.

3.) Speed Cups

Gameplay

In this game, each player receives a set of five plastic cups, each a different color; a deck of 24 cards is shuffled and placed face down in the center of the table next to the bell. One player flips over the top card, which depicts colored objects – trains, birds, cups, etc. – stacked vertically or horizontally, then everyone tries to recreate this colored sequence with her own set of cups. The first player to do slams the bell, revels in the soul-brightening “ding”, then (if correct), claims the card. Someone then reveals the next card, and the players start shuffling cups once again. Once all the cards have been claimed, whoever holds the most cards wins!

Why We Recommend It

While the mechanics are simple, you need to have quick reflexes and quick hands. Apart from disassembling the current tower of cups you have, you need the presence of mind to be the quickest and most accurate among the group.

2.) Click Clack Lumberjack

Gameplay

First thing for players to do is construct the tree. There are a total of 9 core pieces that allow for 4 piece of bark to slide in on the sides of each core piece. These combination core/bark pieces are all stacked on top of each other on the base trunk piece. On a players turn they take the axe and get two hits on the tree. When a player manages to get a bark piece or a trunk core to fall off they take that piece and put it in front of them. On four pieces of the bark there are small grubs that give the player an extra turn hitting the tree. Play will continue until all pieces of bark are off the trunk or the entire thing is on the table.  At that point, players will total up their gained pieces with bark, worth a point for each, and subtract five for each core piece and the player with the most points is the best lumberjack ever. (Source: https://www.boardgamequest.com/click-clack-lumberjack-review/)

This is what the core piece (encircled by four pieces of bark) looks like.

Why We Recommend It

The game gets more exciting along the way. It’s easy to get only the bark during the beginning. But as these dark-colored parts run out, the whole tree could topple down with just one move!

1.) Ugly Doll

Photo from YouTube

Gameplay

The gameplay of Ugly Doll is incredibly easy – so easy that most people mistake it for a kids’ game. In the 70-card deck, there are 7 cards each of 10 different “Ugly Dolls” (which are actually really cute and not ugly at all). The deck is then shuffled and 5 are removed from play. All of the remaining cards will then be placed face-down around a table. The game starts with the player who most recently took a bath. (That’s what the instructions say. Really.)

Each player then quickly flips over any card on the table clockwise and whenever 3 identical Uglydolls are visible on the table, everybody races to grab the 3 identical cards and keep them. If 2 people grab the same card at the same time, the one who shouts “Ugly!” three times gets to keep the card. If a player incorrectly grabs a card, they will lose one of their cards. The game ends when all of the cards have been flipped over and the winner is the one with the most cards in the end!

Why do I claim that this is not a children’s game? Adults can get really competitive, too. Just see our WhenInManila.com writers in action:

Why We Recommend It

Games don’t always have to involve a lot of thinking. If you’re up for some mindless fun or a simple way to end a night of intense board gaming, Ugly Doll would be the perfect choice to do so.

Have you tried any of these games before? Dyce N Dyne has a much larger collection than the ten games we featured here. They have boardgames that take hours (and even days) to play, but we chose the boardgames that are very easy to learn and to play.

Overall, I highly recommend taking a trip to Dyce N Dyne. I’ve had way too many weekends locked up in front of a laptop screen. I’ve gotten tired of the frequent weekend trips to the mall. Visiting Dyce N Dyne means I get to enjoy food, snacks, and free board games with my friends. It’s interactive, fun, and affordable. I’m already planning my next visit. I have other friends who shared their own reasons why they keep coming back to Dyce N Dyne.  Another friend shared the best benefits she got from her Dyce N Dyne experience. Make sure to tell us about yours by leaving a comment below!

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