Gamewright has an entire line of games that are doing well in the mass market, and while fun, are mainly marketed towards children (Slamwich, Rat-a-Tat Cat, etc.) I have no problem with this, as their games are fun for kids, and look really good. But when I received Turn the Tide (Gamewright, 2004 – Stefan Dorra), I was quite surprised to see Mr. Dorra’s name on the box; as he is a designer of some rather good games (Amazonas, Medina, For Sale, etc.). This gave me high hopes for the game; and after reading the rules, I was eager to give it a whirl.
After playing the game, I can say that Turn the Tide is a tremendous card game with a lot of strategy and tactics involved. It has the very nifty mechanic in that you get to play everybody’s hands, so there won’t be much complaining about luck. The gameplay is very simplistic, and it has simultaneous selection – something I really enjoy, but it’s not as chaotic as some in that genre. It’s certainly the best Gamewright game I own – and one that I’ll pull out often when I have a bunch of card players over.
A deck of sixty “Weather” cards, each with a number from one to sixty on it, are shuffled and twelve dealt to each player with the remainder (if any), placed in the box – not to be used in the game. Each player looks at their cards and adds up the life preservers pictured on them (cards either have no life preserver, half a life preserver, or a whole life preserver). Players take the life preserver tokens equal to the sum (rounding down) shown on their cards. A deck of “Tide Level” cards (twenty-four cards, two each numbered one through twelve) is shuffled, and placed in the middle of the table, and the game is ready to begin.
Each round is made up of twelve hands. In each hand, the top two Tide Level cards are turned face up in the middle of the table. Each player then chooses one Weather card from their hand and plays it face down on the table with everyone revealing them at the same time. The player who played the highest numbered weather card must take the lower numbered Tide Level card, placing it face up in front of them (replacing any former Tide Level card they might have had). The player who played the second highest Weather card must take the other Tide Level card (replacing any former Tide Level card they might have had.) All players then check the Tide Level card currently in front of them, and the player who has the highest loses one life preserver, turning one of them face down. Players discard the Weather cards they played in their own discard piles, and another hand begins.
If a player must lose a life preserver token, and they’ve already turned all of theirs face down, then they are eliminated from that round, turning all their cards face-down. Play continues until either players have played all twelve cards from their hand, or until there are only two players left in the round. Points are then scored – each player receiving one point for each face up life preserver they have, and losing one point if they were eliminated from the round. The player who has the lowest Tide Level card at the end of the round also receives one bonus point. Scores are recorded, and the next round begins. Each player gives all of the life preserver tokens (which are turned face up) and their hands to the player on their left. The Tide Level cards are reshuffled, and another round begins in the exact same way – except that players have different hands and life preserver numbers. After the last round (there are as many rounds as there are players), the scores are totaled, and the player with the most points is the winner!
Some comments about the game…
1.) Components: Oliver Freudenreich illustrated the game, and I think he did an excellent job. The Weather cards show a combination of sunny and stormy weather, but I really enjoy the Tide cards. Each number shows the tide getting progressively higher, next to a lighthouse – with a few sheep sadly clinging to whatever debris they might find. It adds (a very slight) theme to the game, which is nice. The life preserver tokens and cards are of very high quality and fit easily in the small plastic insert in the box. The game also includes a scorepad, which, while not necessary, does facilitate keeping track of who has what points…
2.) Rules: I’m not a big fan of the way the rules are printed on one LONG sheet of folded paper – moving vertically, but the actual formatting and explanation on them is very good. I found that the game is easy to teach and learn but that people sometimes take a while to catch on to who gets the Tide cards. Highest Weather = lowest Tide card; second highest Weather = higher Tide card. Once people get it into their heads this principle, the game flows very smoothly.
3.) Luck: Middle cards are probably the worst cards to have in the game, to a degree, as you never know with them whether you are going to take a trick or not. Thus, they are the ones with the life preservers on them, so the hands balance out. But even if you don’t think so, and you are annoyed that you got dealt a hand full of trash, be assured; each player will play that same trashy hand one round! I think this is a really cool mechanic, as players compete to see who can play a hand better. Of course, as the game progresses, people with good memories will have at least a vague idea of who has what cards, but as everyone has the same information, the game changes accordingly. I’ve played in a game where one person had a stellar hand – many life preservers and good cards. Everyone was jealous, but everyone got to play the hand once. When it came to me, I goofed up and played the wrong card at the wrong time, being eliminated with this “terrific” hand. It was my fault, and I couldn’t blame the luck of the cards at all.
4.) Simultaneous Selection: This, as I said above, is one of my favorite mechanics in a game, and knowing when to play your high and low cards is critical. Sometimes it’s essential to win one of the Tide cards, especially when you have a “12” sitting in front of you – anything is better than that! Other times, especially when a “10”, “11”, or “12” is out, it’s important to play one of the lowest cards you have. Of course, everything depends on the cards others have in front of them, and what cards everyone else has in their hands (if you can remember). In this case, I enjoy a five player game most of all, because all sixty Weather cards are being used. With anything less, if you have the “2” in your hand the first round, it may or may not be the lowest number. Reading your opponent’s faces is crucial, as you may play a fairly low card, thinking everyone else will play higher and then sadly find that you have played the second-highest card! Simultaneous selection may seem like a random mechanic to some, but in this game I found it highly strategic.
5.) Fun Factor: “How can an elimination game be fun?” some may cry out. But a player, in my experience, is only eliminated close to the end of the round, and need only sit out a couple hands. It’s a lot of fun; and even when you feel rage building up in you at your absolutely dreadful hand of cards, it’s reassuring to know that everyone else will share in your pain one of the game rounds. Watching people’s reactions as they win Tide card after Tide card (or can’t win one – and are stuck with a high number for several hands in a row), is priceless, and worth playing the game for alone.
I’m very impressed with Turn the Tide. Stefan Dorra has put out some pretty impressive card games, but this may be one of his best. If nothing else, I wonder if it may not be overlooked because the game doesn’t necessarily match the company’s other products. Don’t miss this game! For an inexpensive price, and wide availability, you can pick up a superb card game – one that is low on the luck and allows you to play your opponent’s hands! Turn the Tide is one of the best card games I’ve played this year, and I expect to see it hit the table many more times, as I can play it with “gamers” and newcomers alike. Gamewright has a winner on their hands with this game.
Tom Vasel
“Real men play board games.”
