The Mind
One of the most interesting games I've ever played is The Mind. It's not a game where the rules are complicated or even one where the rules are hard to understand, but it is a game that when you have success it's an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment by the entire group. Players that I've personally sat down and played a game or two will literally be standing on furniture screaming for joy fists clenched in the air like they've just won the Superbowl.
What's the premise of the game then? Well you play cards numbered from 1-100 in ascending chronological order. Seems like sorting rather than a game so far, I know. Here's the catch. You and your partners can't talk. In fact the only form of communication is direct and indirect eye contact. Not even small hums and buts are permitted.
You and your teammates work as a group to achieve the task of effectively in shuffling the giant deck. To achieve this the game is played in rounds. In round one each player receives only one card, making the odds a bit easier to play them in order. If you play a card in error, each card that is incorrect forces you to lose one of your lives. Lives can be earned back through the successful completion of certain levels at a later time, but trust me when I say, they're valuable.
Once players pass a level they continue on to the next, each round adding additional cards and reshuffling the entire deck back into circulation. So for round two each player receives two cards, three for round three Etc. Etc. Based on the number of players you play towards a different targeted number of rounds. (Longer game for fewer players) In addition to the extra lives you get as a group, players have additional life lines. These are in the form of shurikens.
These little Ninja stars allow each player to reveal to the group their lowest card in their hand. The way I interpreted the rules forces players to continue playing the cards but the lowest for each player is still in front of them. For instance in a two player game; Player one reveals they have a "22" and player two reveals a "42" this tells player one that any card they have is safe to play up until "42" in which case player two then plays it and the game continues as normal. In order to play these shurikens the group must unanimously decide to do so. The action for this is simply raising your hand. These little life lines are very valuable as players accrue more and more cards in the later rounds.
The Mind plays 2-4 players officially but 2-6 will work well enough that the game is still enjoyed by all. If you're struggling with larger numbers I would advise to add extra shurikens or even extra lives if you're playing above the suggested player numbers.
I've used this game to teach team building, communication techniques, and overall group Dynamics. It works well with teens and adults but I've not tried with younger children yet. Get your copy today HERE!
What's the premise of the game then? Well you play cards numbered from 1-100 in ascending chronological order. Seems like sorting rather than a game so far, I know. Here's the catch. You and your partners can't talk. In fact the only form of communication is direct and indirect eye contact. Not even small hums and buts are permitted.
You and your teammates work as a group to achieve the task of effectively in shuffling the giant deck. To achieve this the game is played in rounds. In round one each player receives only one card, making the odds a bit easier to play them in order. If you play a card in error, each card that is incorrect forces you to lose one of your lives. Lives can be earned back through the successful completion of certain levels at a later time, but trust me when I say, they're valuable.
Once players pass a level they continue on to the next, each round adding additional cards and reshuffling the entire deck back into circulation. So for round two each player receives two cards, three for round three Etc. Etc. Based on the number of players you play towards a different targeted number of rounds. (Longer game for fewer players) In addition to the extra lives you get as a group, players have additional life lines. These are in the form of shurikens.
These little Ninja stars allow each player to reveal to the group their lowest card in their hand. The way I interpreted the rules forces players to continue playing the cards but the lowest for each player is still in front of them. For instance in a two player game; Player one reveals they have a "22" and player two reveals a "42" this tells player one that any card they have is safe to play up until "42" in which case player two then plays it and the game continues as normal. In order to play these shurikens the group must unanimously decide to do so. The action for this is simply raising your hand. These little life lines are very valuable as players accrue more and more cards in the later rounds.
The Mind plays 2-4 players officially but 2-6 will work well enough that the game is still enjoyed by all. If you're struggling with larger numbers I would advise to add extra shurikens or even extra lives if you're playing above the suggested player numbers.
I've used this game to teach team building, communication techniques, and overall group Dynamics. It works well with teens and adults but I've not tried with younger children yet. Get your copy today HERE!
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