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Party Games: Word-based
Eye to Eye (6;7;4)
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Abet (8;7;5)
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The Motley Fool's Buy Low Sell High Game (8;8;9)
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Faces (8;7;9)
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*Zendo (10;9;10)
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Abet
- Replay Value (1-10): 8
- Fun Factor (1-10): 7
- Worth Buying (1-10): 5
A word rummy game with reasonably simple rules. The cards come in three
colored "suits" (red, blue, and green) with some "black" cards than can be
played in any suit. Melds are words all in the same suit, and you can insert
cards at the end of or into other players' melds -- but then both you and the
other player gets points. Each card has a picture of a word that starts with
the letter, but you'll probably ignore that picture during play.
Of all the straightforward word rummy games I've tried (out of about 8 or so),
the rules to this one are probably the best. Easy to understand, the card
distribution is well-thought-out, the scoring is simple, easy-to-remember, and
yet has good strategic possibilities (especially the "victim gets points too"
rule). Unfortunately the production values are through the basement. The colors
are inconsistent and easily smeared by fingers; the box is flimsy; the perforation
on the card edges is still visible; for all visual purposes it seems like the cards
were generated on an inkjet printer. I know that the game's name refers to the
fact that you help other players when you add to their melds, but I can't help but
feel that it's actually an anagram.
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