Why are the grannies at war? No one really knows. I suspect it has something to do with Martha winning on “Bingo Night” four weeks in row. When it doubt, blame “Bingo”. Someone should make a documentary about that or something. Yes, indeed…”Bingo, The Starter of Wars”. Kickstarter, here I come! ANYWHO, we’re here today to look at “Granny Wars”, a card game that’s all about secret identities and before you ask…no, there’s no “Bingo”. Before we get started, I’d like to thank Julia Schiller, Director of Cheeky Parrot Games, for sending me a press copy for review purposes.
Granny Wars: 2-8 Players, Ages 7+, Average Play Time = 15 Minutes
Components
The game includes 8 score pile cards, 8 granny loyalty cards, 50 victory point cards, 14 gold cards, and a rule book.
Setup & Gameplay
Firstly, players will randomly choose a number of score pile & matching granny loyalty cards equal to the number of players plus one (plus two in a two player game). It doesn’t matter which colors are used, so as long as the colors of the two card types match. The score pile cards are played face-up in the center of the table, while one loyalty card is dealt face-down to each player. The extra is removed from the game, unseen. The regular and gold victory point cards are shuffled and each player receives ten cards (fifteen in a two player game, eight in a seven/eight player game). The oldest goes first.
On a player’s turn, they’ll play one card from their hand onto any of the score piles. If the value of the card played is equal to and opposite of the existing card (laying a -2 on top of a 2), then the existing card is moved to a different score pile of that player’s choice. Only one bounce can occur per turn and a bounced card cannot trigger a second bounce. Gold card have varying abilities, which are listed right on the card.
Play continues until everyone is out of cards. Players then reveal their hidden identity (via their loyalty cards) and sum the victory points on their pile in the middle of the table. Whoever has the most points, wins the game! In the event of a tie, the player with the fewest cards on their pile wins.
Editor’s Note: The above doesn’t cover all of the rules found in the manual, but should give you an idea as to how the game is played.
The Review
“Granny Wars” is a prime example of a game that is easily accessible to anyone. It’s easy to learn, easy to teach, and won’t offend anyone…okay, perhaps that list bit was a stretch. I’ve known some grandmothers in my time that have no sense of humor…like, if it were possible, they’d have a negative sense of humor. The rule book is short and to the point, only being about four pages long. The game even includes some extra blank gold cards should you feel creative or come across an idea for a card that you feel should be added to the game.
My favorite part of “Granny Wars” was the bluffing and trying to figure out which color loyalty card(s) belonged to my opponent(s). It’s easy to throw nothing but positive cards onto your pile, but eventually everyone else will catch on and realize which loyalty card/color you have. The challenge is trying to keep your opponents guessing without adding positive cards to their score piles. “Granny Wars” is priced on their official website (link below) at $12.65, a fair price for what you’re getting here. Most card games I see fall within the $10-$15 price range, making this one an easy recommend to gamers everywhere.
Final Verdict: 8/10
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Purchase: http://www.grannywars.co.nz/
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