Mischief was sent to me as a close-to-finished prototype to review. The game is actually at Spiel Essen '24 where I am this week. It is the debut game from Dan Cassar's new company Dream Cult Game Studio.
In the game, players are trying to win over trickster fae to their side by pulling pranks or protecting fae from pranks. Each color of card essentially has 2 suits which are played to the opposite side of a "table." The tables are just central cards that determine the play area. At the end of the game, there is a final chance to swing fae attention with cards the players have held in their hands.
By playing cards sequentially, higher number cards are protected from the pranks. For example, if you played a 4 of the same suit as a 3 on one side of the table, the 4 is protected from being removed because of a prank of the same color, opposite suit. What are pranks you ask? It's a matching game. To prank the 3 and remove it, simply play a 3 of the opposite suit in the color. All of these pranks and protections will cause you to get points which can sometimes be exchanged among the players- unless you are able lock them and gain even more points.
The game choices are fairly simple once you realize how to play. The intrigue comes with the fact that players are constantly grabbing and exchanging cards in the side "invitation" area. These bits of memory, balancing, and counter play provide a tug of war with surprising depth and gamification. I don't think people looking for a little more in a game than just a card game will get bored with this one.
There is a bit of a learning curve and the proposed table mat (which I haven't seen) seems like it would be a big improvement to the game if it also had a small amount of text or iconography to aid in gameplay.
Despite the whimsical fairy theme, Mischief is a game that requires strategic thinking and planning. You'll need to consider card placement, anticipate your opponents' moves, and manage risks to maximize your score. The game uses an interesting tug-of-war and memory system with card values determining protection and scoring opportunities. The Friendship and Prank tokens add a layer of competition and player interaction.
After a few plays, I believe the final twist in the game to be the most thematic part. And that's a good thing. You don't always know what to expect with the fae. The final scoring phase, where players choose cards to discard and reveal, introduces a surprising element of hidden information and potential for swings in points. While strategically deep, the game is relatively easy to learn. It will take you one or two times to get a handle on the scoring, which makes it more of a gamer's card game than it would initially appear. However, you can only plan so much in this game because your opponents may have intended to wreck it all from the beginning. This, more than anything, makes the game work with this theme.
Mischief will appeal to those looking for a game played with cards which is highly dependent on their choices and intuitive deduction skills about what other players are trying to do. It will also appeal to those who want to see a high level of player interaction via counterplay. I believe it would be good for younger players as young as 9 or 10, as long as the teacher has a good grasp onhow to explain the rules.
Mischief
Designed by Dan Cassar
Art by Roman Dubina
Published by Dream Cult Game Studios
Aesthetics 7/10
Strategy 8/10
Gameplay 7/10
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