Review, test and critique the Tricks game

Cat in the Box (Pegasus Games) by Muneyuki Yokouchi (Illustrations: Osamu Inuoue) was published by Japanese publisher Hobby Japan in 2022 and was one of the surprise hits at Spiel '22 in Essen. So it is not surprising that Pegasus soon found a well-known publisher for the German localization. A German language version of the game has also been available since 2023.

Cat in the Box is a trick-or-treat game with a special twist. This alone can no longer lure anyone out from behind the stove, as it can now be transformed into its own genre. Even with the theme, which alludes to the famous thought experiment conducted by physicist Erwin Schrödinger, “The Cat in the Box” doesn't have a unique selling point, but it does have one. Schrödinger's cats. But – we can reveal too much at this point – this card game literally has it all.

Cat rules in the box

The game comes with 12 page instructions with fairly small print. Some people will have to pick up reading glasses. But in general, the rules of the game leave no questions unanswered, are richly explained and provided with examples.

How to play the cat in the box game?

With the game Cat in the Box, each person at the table receives cards with numerical values ​​from 1 to 5/6/8 or 9 (depending on the number of players. One card is discarded from the hand and taken out of the game. All players then announce the number of tricks that They will take it. They mark the corresponding value on a small board. The board also displays the colors you currently have in your hand. Depending on which edge of the board you place the card on, this card determines the color and this is exactly where things get interesting.

The trick is in the game

Because the cards in this game are all black. Only when a card is played is the card color determined (red, green, blue, yellow). It is important to take one thing or the other into consideration. The person who starts decides the main group for the round. Everyone else can now decide whether to play cards of the same color. Then the following applies: higher stings lower. Whoever holds the color in his hand must serve.

However, if someone decides that they no longer have the played color in their hand, they can play a different color. This is marked on your board so that you cannot suddenly play the missing color again in future rounds. So, if you play a different color, red is always the winning color and beats the color of the card played so far. The other colors do not outperform the previous cards. However, it may make sense to switch to a different color.

So how do you track? All played card values ​​are highlighted on a colored grid. If yellow card 8 has already been played, no one else can play this card.

The game ends once everyone has only one card in their hand or a paradox is triggered. This always happens when you can no longer make a legal move with the available cards; For example, because all available numerical values ​​​​are already occupied, or you have already excluded too many card suits and they can only be used there.

In the end it gets evaluated and that's how it works

You get one point for each trick. The person who triggered the paradox gets one minus point for each trick. If you do not trigger a paradox and predict the number of your tricks correctly, you get one point for each tick of the largest area of ​​adjacent ticks of your color in the number grid.

The number of rounds played is equal to the number of people sitting at the table. Whoever has the most points at the end wins the Cat in the Box.

Eye-catching in a small box

Pegasus publishes Cat in the Box in what is called the Deluxe Edition, but is abandoning this name because it is the standard edition in the publishing software. You can get great materials for the trick game. The box looks very attractive and compact. It has a functional sorting extension.

In addition to the playing cards, it includes themed play markers in five different colors as well as four small wooden cat markers. Player boards have three layers and can be used on both sides (depending on the number of players). The number grid consists of two layers with card slots for two different variants of the game. The only downside is that the cards, which are printed darkly in blue and black, easily show signs of wear. If you use it frequently, “covering up” would definitely be a good idea.

Once you start playing, you rarely stay in one game

The game was set up quickly. The grid of numbers makes the rules of the game easy to understand. With its short play time and high level of interactivity, Cat in the Box is perfect for several rounds in a row. As with other trick-taking games, it is best played with four or five people. Even with three people, it still works well. If there are two of you, you'll probably choose something else.

Conclusion: Refreshingly different

Given the plethora of trick-or-treat games available now, Cat in the Box is a refreshing exception. Great materials, a new gameplay principle, lots of interactivity, a short play time, and a high level of replay appeal make Cat in the Box an all-around experience. Clear purchase recommendation!