GAME REVIEWS

This little card game takes only a couple of minutes to teach, but is surprisingly engaging and full of fun.

- Naomi Laeuchli

The back of each card shows three colors, indicating what color of mantis could be on the front of the card. There are seven different possible colors. Each player starts the game with four mantis cards face-up in front of them. Matching mantis cards are kept in a column together. The deck is placed facedown in the center of the table.

On your turn, you decide to attempt to score or to steal. When you try to score, you draw the top card of the draw pile and place it face-up in your display. If the color of its mantis matches at least one card already in your display, move all your cards of that color to your score pile face-down. If it does not match, simply leave your new card in your display.

When trying to steal, you choose another player, take the top card of the draw pile, and place it face-up in their display. If it matches the color of at least one card in their display, you move all cards they have of that color to your own display. If it does not match, they get to keep the new card. The first player to get 10 or more cards in their score pile wins the game.

Mantis deals with the element of luck perfectly. Yes, you're guessing with each card you draw, but the game gives you information about which of three colors each card might be, and you can even track odds if you want to try to remember what cards have already been scored and keep an eye on what is out on the table. As the game progresses, players get closer to that win condition, groups of cards in their displays grow larger, and the suspense also increases, giving the game a great sense of progression.