3 Minute Crazy Cafe – review, test and critique the game

3 Minute Crazy Cafe by Martin Nedergaard Andersen (Kosmos) is a fast and beautiful 3 x 3 minute game. Here you can easily understand the pressure on the operating staff when five tables have to be fully serviced in three minutes. Especially if the kitchen does not provide what is required. This creates a frenetic pace.

Fortunately, the gameplay is completely cooperative and everyone cheers each other on. So you win together or you lose together. If the first and second laps don’t go well, you can ditch it again on the third lap.

What is 3 Minute Crazy Cafe?

The gameplay isn’t exactly new, but it’s thematically well executed. From a wide range of different requests, five were revealed. Applications must be submitted using hand cards and a common dice set. You can randomly obtain additional dishes from the kitchen via the draw pile. Everything that is not ordered can then be disposed of. All players have one action per round. Often there is not enough time to make arrangements, but just a brief note (“The third table still needs cake!”) is enough – just like in a real café.

Fast and variable

Thanks to its easily varied difficulty levels, the game can be easily adapted to suit all age groups and types of players, even beyond the recommended specifications. More tables for service or a larger time limit for little ones are just examples.

3 Minute Crazy Cafe itself also offers variants with additional levels of difficulty, for example it can be Table B. Triggering a supplementary order, there are additional conditions or additional joker variables.

I think it’s good that 3 Minute Crazy Cafe remains the same with different numbers of players, played in turns, and always has time. Everyone just has to reach the cards in the middle of the table.

The packaging is sturdy, compact, attractively designed and has a magnetic closure. So it’s a good idea to take with you. The only thing the game doesn’t come with is a 3-minute egg timer, but this can easily be made up for by using any toothbrush, hourglass, or cell phone with a timer. It remains to be seen whether this has been saved for environmental or cost reasons.

Conclusion: Nice stress level

The three-minute time limit ensures a gentle pressure level. The three rounds are well coordinated and each game round can choose its own difficulty level. The rules of 3 Minute Crazy Cafe are simple and make the game easy to learn. And if you can’t do it in time, you’ll want to do it again.

There are no tips.

Oh yeah, don’t forget your cell phone timer. 🙂