Button Shy Games has made a name for itself by publishing minimalistic games, featuring a deck of 18 cards that fit within a plastic wallet-size holder. They now have a considerable number of these games (you can even subscribe to releases) available for purchase or as print-and-play files. They were kind enough to send a few games my way and my favorite of the bunch was a solitaire-like game called Numbsters. Players attempt to winnow down a numbered deck of 18 cards to exactly two cards. The game gives off a strong solitaire-like vibe and can be without a table, holding the cards in one hand. The print-and-play version of the game is on sale at the moment for $1 while a Kickstarter is underway for a reprint of the physical version. 

Numbsters
Designer:  Milan Zivkovic
Publisher: Button Shy Games
Players: 1
Ages: 8+
Time: 10 min
(review copy provided by publisher)

Hand Games 21

• Author: Don Eskridge
• Amazon Affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3Sje6N2 

From the author:

“21 New Hand Games for Everyone!

If you like hand games but are tired of Rock Paper Scissors, these games are for you!

Here are 21 new hand games to play with your pals. Flip to any page, read the rules and you’re ready to go. Featuring fresh takes on classics as well as totally new designs, these games are a cinch to learn, play and teach, and they work great just about anywhere. Let’s play some hand games!

What is a hand game?

I bet you’ve played a hand game. At least Rock Paper Scissors, right? Players throw hand signs in the air, cancel each other out and the last player remaining wins. Easy! So, there’s one.

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Odin

• Designers: Gary Kim, Hope S. Hwang, Yohan Goh
• Publisher: Helvetiq
• Players: 2-4
• Age: 7+
• Time: 15 minutes
• Played with copy provided by Helvetiq

In Odin, you want to empty your hand as quickly as possible, sending all your Vikings out into the world.

The game lasts several hands, with each hand consisting of one or more rounds. The deck contains cards in six suits, each numbered 1-9, and each player starts with a hand of nine cards.

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Burned. A Kickstarter preview by Ben Bruckart

Kickstarter link:  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stonecirclegames/burned

BGG link:  https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/358324/burned

Burned is a new game from Stone Circle Games. Burned is designed by Jon Moffat, who also designed “Horrible Hex”, “Traders, Raiders & Runners”, and “Pirate Kings”. Burned bills itself as a two-player asymmetrical game of cat and mouse that plays in 20 minutes. The cat and mouse part cannot be understated.

Each player’s goal is to eliminate their adversary. One player plays as a Burned Asset that is using equipment and stealth movements to evade capture while targeting and laying traps to kill the Director of the Agency. Across the table, the Agency employs a host of agents to try to flush out and kill the Burned Asset.