Reviews The Tattoo

Card game gives lots of action

 

BRISTOL, Connecticut, U.S.A. — Zigity by Cranium is a fast-paced card game that stretches the mind and will have you pulling your hair.

The game begins as seven transparent space-age cards are dealt to each of the players.

On your turn, you have to use the symbols, numbers and letters on the cards in order to play. The object is to be the first to get rid of all your cards.

The top card on the discard pile dictates the activity that the player must complete during his or her turn. This is done using the correct cards in his hand, which can include a wild card.

On each turn, players complete an activity dictated by the card at the top of the discard pile.

If it’s a puzzle piece, the player must use it to create the puzzle. The letter on a word card must be used to spell a word. Music buffs will enjoy forming sets of drums, pianos or trumpets. Number cards are added together to form a mandatory sum of 11.

Certain special cards can be laid during a turn to slow opponents, forcing them to pull two or three new cards from the deck – unless they pop a dodge card out of their hand which allows them to avoid this command.

Another nifty card that can be played is a bounce card. This reverses the direction of play and can change the game completely.

With four players around the table, Zigity zooms along at rapid speed.

This begs the question as to whether there should be a larger deck. Just as you begin to grasp the game, it comes to a close. A larger deck would solve this problem.

Zigity takes time to fully understand and it’s a good idea to have the directions in the center of the table for the first game. Having so many smaller rules do complicate the game and detract from the flow.

But Zigity is a fun and unique game that plays more as a series of activities which makes the game interesting and innovative.

Pull Cranium’s Zigity off the shelf and tuck into these artistic activities.