What do you get when you throw a roll-and-white like Qwixx, a speed game like Halli Galli and a touch of bingo in a blender and mash the button really fast? Then you get the frantic dice game Zinga from 999 games! Try to recognise numbers quickly, smash the bell like crazy and be the first to cross off 5 numbers in a row on your score sheet, then shout Zinga to win! Is this new game bingo or bingnogo?
In Zinga, all players receive a score sheet. The box says 2 – 4 players, but you can easily play it with more players. In the middle of the table a bell and a pawn are placed. Players try to be the first to clear 5 numbers in a row (horizontally, vertically or diagonally) to get a bing…. euh Zinga and win! Each turn, the active player rolls all the dice. Players now try to recognise one of the numbers on their playing card in the dice thrown as quickly as possible. The active player may choose any number (including some) from the dice, but the other players may only identify a number in the combination between a coloured die and the white die. So it is quite difficult to quickly spot a (correct) number in the frenzy. When a player recognises a number, this player may hit the bell and call out the number and colour he recognises as quickly as possible. YELLOW FIVE! If a player makes a mistake or does not call out the number fast enough, he gets a proverbial red card. Three errors will take the player out of the game. No panini press or fake flowers for this sluggish oldtimer!
The game also contains a pawn that players can use as a kind of trump. If a player manages to get rid of the blue 9 (present on every sheet), then this player gets a blue pawn. This pawn can be used to ensure that another player is not allowed to streak (a kind of nope card) or to correct a mistake.
Zinga is a chaotic speed game. Players try to recognise numbers quickly and will make mistakes due to the pressure and hectic nature of the game. This is precisely where the hilarity of the game lies. The game concept is no rocket science, but in the right setting (think of a busy pub, (student) party or a weekend getaway with friends or family) a nice game to get players awake and clear again after some liquid refreshments. Because of the hectic nature of the game, it may not be suitable for those who like a slow/relaxing game of bingo, but unlike bingo, Zinga is actually a game where skill also plays a part. Do you like to play dice and do you like Ligretto? Then try Zinga too.
