Although we’re in the middle of April, for some it already feels almost like Halloween. Spooktober is just a few months away, and you probably shouldn’t stock up on candy just yet. Collecting sweets is exactly what players do in Greedy Grabbers. Trick or treat?
Amsterdam Board Game Design
Are you familiar with Amsterdam Board Game Design? Amsterdam Board Game Design (or ABGD for short) is a group of international game designers and authors who gather in Amsterdam (or other cities) to work on games or test each other’s creations and provide constructive feedback. When you bring together all those brilliant game creators and organize lots of playful meetings, a brilliant game concept is bound to emerge. Or several. Maybe spread out over multiple seasons? Perhaps two seasons, or even three! The time has come. It’s high time for season 3.
During season 1, Bable, TimeZoo, and Grachtenpand appeared in this series. Grachtenpand is currently enjoying lots of success in international markets with several translations. In season 2, we were introduced to L’Oaf, Goblin Laundromat, and Medievallons. Many games in the series have already been awarded, so I’m curious to see what this new season will bring.
On the familiar crowdfunding platform, you’ll soon find three new creations from three different game designers who are part of ABGD, and, as always, published by Wulfhorn Games: Stubborn Sheep, Greedy Grabbers, and Coaster Clash. Three small games packed with lots of fun.
Greedy Grabbers
In Greedy Grabbers, players grab candy, but too much candy makes you sick. So try to remember what you’ve snatched, because before you know it, you might throw up everything and earn fewer points.
The game flow is actually very simple and elegant, yet unique. Each player gets a handful of cards, and in turn, players lay a card face up on the table as if they’re adding candy to the candy bowl. At any moment, a player may opt to grab the candy bowl. These cards must then be placed face down in front of them, and after grabbing, they can no longer look at these cards.
The player who grabs places one of their pumpkin tokens on the round tracker, and players refill their hands. When enough pumpkins are on the round tracker, the round ends. Now players puzzle with their collected cards. There are candies, but also cards with effects (spells) that players can use to influence the amount and types of candy. With these, players try to place their cards smartly without throwing up. If you have more than five of a certain candy, you score no points. Less than five? One point per candy of that type. Exactly five? You also get three bonus points for that type. After three rounds and three score counts, the game ends and the player with the most points wins.
This fast and elegant card game is easy to explain and understand, but has enough complexity and hilarity (my memory is so bad I forget what candy I’ve already stuffed in my book…) that I am sure it will appeal to many people.
The game we tested is a prototype, so the final game design and components may be different.
