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Welcome to Which Game First where we boldly explore the hilariously huge world of board games. Did we unearth any hidden treasures you’ve been missing out on? Let’s find out!
First up: We try to dodge drowning by outsmarting fate in The Shipwreck Arcana
Next: We lay down tracks for the longest ride we can in Metro
And lastly: We hope for 21 as we let them fall where they may in 12 Chip Trick
The Shipwreck Arcana
Designed by: Kevin Bishop
Published by: Meromorph Games (2017)
Players: 2 – 5
Ages: 12 & up
Playing time: 10 – 30 minutes
The Shipwreck Arcana is a co-operative game of deduction, evaluation, and logic. In turn, players draw two fate tiles from the pick bag. They are numbered 1-7, and there are three of each tile in the bag.
A slate of cards are turned face up in the center of the table. Each card has a condition. For example, a card might read: if the sum of your fates is 11 or more, place one of the tiles here. And another card might read: if the difference between your fate tiles is four or more, place one of them here.
So the player is going to place one of the two tiles underneath the card if it qualifies. Then the other players collectively discuss and deduce the other fate tile that the player is holding on to. No talking allowed by the active player (of course).
Guess correctly, and the players will score a point for being right. Guess incorrectly, and the players will earn a doom point for being wrong. As doom builds up, the cards themselves fade, becoming one-time powers to help the players while new cards cycle in from the deck.
Get to 7 fate points before you get 7 doom points. Everyone is going to either sink or swim together as you try desperately to avoid a shipwreck.
Metro
Designed by: Dirk Henn
Published by: Queen Games (1997)
Players: 2 – 6
Ages: 8 & up
Playing time: 30 minutes
Metro is a tile placement game where you are trying to get your trains to complete the longest routes in the city, and you will place tiles of winding tracks to do so.
One at a time, players will put square tiles onto the board to form rail lines. Instead, the object of the game is to make the rail lines as long as possible. Players start with a number of trains ringing the board. Whenever a tile placement connects a train to a station (either on the edge or the center of the board), that train is removed and the player scores one point for each tile that the route crosses, which can cause one tile to score multiple times if the track loops around. However, players score double for city connections, which are the stations in the center of the board.
The game ends when all tiles are placed, whomever has the most points is the winner, riding the rail to victory!
12 Chip Trick
Designed by: Root
Published by: Mandoo Games (2023)
Players: 2 – 4
Ages: 8 & up
Playing time: 20 minutes
12 Chip Trick is a trick-taking game where players are dealt a hand of 4 chips. We played a 3-player game, so these are the rules for that version. The game also has rules for 2 and 4 players.
In a 3 person game, there are a total of 12 chips, numbered 1-12. Each player receives 4 chips in their hand. The chips numbered 1-3 and 10-12 are green, and the ones numbered 4-9 are red.
One at a time, a player will play one chip in the center. Once all 3 players have played, the collection phase begins. The player who threw the highest number will choose a chip, and place it face up in front of them. That chip is now locked and will count toward their point total for the round. The second player then picks one of the 2 remaining chips and puts it back in their hand. The third player picks up the last chip and puts it in their hand as well.
If a red chip was played, the player MUST choose to take a red chip.
First player will then start over again, playing another chip from their hand. The round will end when one of the players has 4 face up chips in front of them. Everyone then counts their total. Any player scoring up to 21 is the winner. Anyone with a total over 21 busts. If all 3 players are over 21, then the player with the highest total wins the round.
Keep playing until a player wins 3 rounds. Declare the winner, and then you can knock that chip off of their shoulder.