The shortest month of the year is behind us, but this fact did not release us from playing more board games. However, time is inexorable – not everything can be pulled onto the table. But where there is a desire, there is a method, so you can always reach for something quick. Our editors have suggested a few ideas for games that will take less than half an hour to play, and sometimes just a few minutes.
Love letter
One of the fastest card games you can reach for is undoubtedly Love Letter. The very introduction to it takes only a few minutes. The rules are extremely simple and easy to explain even to a novice. The game can be played by two to four players. The deck itself is also small – it contains 16 cards, of which we can only hold two at most. Thanks to the small package, we can take them everywhere. We have eight different heroes here (a few of them are repeated), and our task is to have the strongest of them at the end of the round or eliminate all rivals. Each card has its own abilities that allow you to defeat your opponents. We play to four wins, and we can achieve that in just a few minutes. Half an hour of gameplay is probably the longest game time. So it is a great break between long games or a nice way to spend time with friends while waiting for a pizza, for example. If you would like to play something other than courtly intrigues, there are also several other versions of the product on the market, including editionBatman , Hobbit , Lovecraft , Munchkin or Game of Thrones . Which one will you reach for?
Magic Maze
This is one of the few games that cannot be played for more than fifteen minutes. All because we have as much time as possible to visit the mall, steal the loot and escape, otherwise we will be caught by security. Everything is based on a simple idea. Each player can move pawns differently. For example, one person moves to the right and another is using the escalator. Given that conversations are unacceptable, all we have to do is throw threatening glances, make faces or tap a red pawn to signal our companion that he should do something now. For this reason, Magic Maze generates a lot of funny situations! This is an extremely original, addictive and very replayable board game, because it consists of as many as seventeen scenarios!
Hanamikoji
This small, two-person card game did not deserve more than a questioning look when I saw it for the first time at a convention. Four identical movements for each person? This can’t go wrong. Our choice is only in the order in which they are performed and the cards from our hand that we will use in a given turn. I couldn’t be more wrong.
Geisha is a slightly forgotten game, but worth trying, because its simple rules and very short gameplay make it possible to reach for it in a short time. At the same time, it guarantees a large dose of thinking that no one would expect from such a small box. In addition, the workmanship and graphics are pleasing to the eye.
Sprawlopolis
For me this is the best solo board game. Not only there is a big replayability desire but also it takes very small amount of space on your desk. It’s also very fast to prepare the game for playing it. I can play Strawlopolis anywhere and anytime. I can always find some time to play it because it only contains 18 cards. Of course you need kind of use your brain but one round lasts a couple of minutes! It is also worth saying that fun never ends after one game!
Gold
All that glitters is not gold – we can read on a small metal box. A little higher, above the inscription, is the name of the game: Gold . Based on a simple memo mechanism, the card game is characterized by simple rules, which makes it an ideal proposition for a party. It is worth noting that due to its small size it is very handy and can even fit into a small bag (we can take it on vacation, picnic, on the plane). Additional advantages of Gold are the low starting age of the player and a relatively short game time (just in time for a few free moments!).
During the game, we play the role of gold prospectors, a precious metal that is probably located in the last active mine in the Golden Mountains. Each player chooses a card of any color and then gradually reveals the seeker cards. The game is over when the table is empty. The player with the most points wins. The originator of Gold is Reiner Knizia and he deserves a round of applause for this idea!
Dobble
In the list of short games , Dobble could not be missing , which has been published in many different editions. Frozen , Minions , Star Wars , Pets , Pixar ? Everyone will find something for themselves, and a simple game that tests our perceptiveness is something that can be offered to both children and adults. For me, the version of Harry Potter turned out to be a hitbecause in the heat of the fight to get rid of the slogan cards “That wizard with a hat!” (Minerva McGonagall), “Color Stamp!” (Hogwarts coat of arms) or “Little Gremlin!” (Dobby) are more common than the correct names for characters and items. It causes a lot of laughter, and as the whole thing sometimes ends in a minute or two, a few games in a row are the norm.