In 6 nimmt!, you want to score as few points as possible. To play, you shuffle the 104 number cards, lay out four cards face-up to start the four rows, then deal ten cards to each player. Each turn, players simultaneously choose and reveal a card from their hand, then add the cards to the rows, with cards being placed in ascending order based on their number; specifically, each card is placed in the row that ends with the highest number that's below the card's number. When the sixth card is placed in a row, the owner of that card claims the other five cards and the sixth card becomes the first card in a new row.
In addition to a number from 1 to 104, each card has a point value. After finishing ten rounds, players tally their score and see whether the game ends., i.e., whether someone has at least 66 points. When this happens, the player with the fewest points wins!
6 nimmt! works with 2-10 players, and the dynamics of gameplay change the more players that you have. One variant for the game has you use 34 cards, 44 cards, 54 cards, etc. (instead of all 104 cards) when you have three, four, five, etc. number of players. This change allows you to know which cards are in play, thereby allowing you to track which cards have been played and (theoretically) make better choices as to which card to play when.
6 nimmt! 25 Jahre includes 28 additional cards to be used in a new variant. The game now lasts only two rounds, and at the start of play each player receives three special cards. Just before you have to place your number card in a row, you can choose to play one of your cards, with these cards opening a fifth row, moving a previously placed card to a different row, inserting one card between two others, allowing up to six cards in a row instead of five, blocking a row, replacing the card you played, and more.
After all number cards have been played, players tally their scores, keeping any unplayed special cards, then shuffle the number cards and begin a new round. At the end of the second round, whoever has the fewest points wins.
- Fun to play
- Happy to play
- Fun time throwing cards down
- Decisions have minimal impact
- Not as strategic as true trick-taking
- Can't play intelligently like real trick-taking
- Trick-taking game
- Abstract tricks
- Abstract
- X Nymph
- Eleven Nymph
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Trick-Taking — Playing cards to win tricks
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- It wasn't just the hundred sort of best designed games this was the hundred games that I feel that I'm particularly sort of connected to
- The games that have a place in my heart really games that I've got a lot of nostalgia for
- It felt a bit like doing a roll and write game but without all of the sort of convenience
- I wish I still had castles of burgundy and notre dame
- The main thing that got in the way for me was all the iconography
- I do use board games as an escape from screens and technology
- I really like the production of cockroach poker
- I found it was a game where I could see the ending coming and then someone would just go and there we go we've got another 20 minutes now
- It feels like something other than a board game
- The decisions you make in the game are very very slight
- Right up my alley
- I do really like push your luck
- That's my favorite game
- Abyss is my second favorite game
- I love pekka pig
- I just think it's ugly
References (from this video)
- Rules are simple and accessible
- Works well with larger groups due to simultaneous decisions
- Can be chaotic with many players
- Some players may dislike the random/press-your-luck elements
- Lighthearted competition with simultaneous decisions
- Card-drafting/bid and take trick-taking card game
- Downtime-light, fast-paced interactive play
- 6 Nimmt! (classic)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card-drafting and simultaneous play — Players play cards in secret, choose a card to play while trying to avoid taking penalty cards.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I’m cautiously excited if that makes sense.
- Stone Age is a great recommendation because it really helps explore worker placement without an overload of rules.
- Cheez-its are the number one around here.
- Rivet Heads is being published by New Mill Games, which is a publisher with a small team.
- Tiny Epic Galaxies is my favorite Tiny Epic game after trying most of them.
- I ended up stopping formal reviews because they were taking the joy out of the hobby for me.
- Dominant Species Marine tweaks the worker placement, making it a bit lighter on overhead but still chaotic.
References (from this video)
- fast, chaotic, and accessible
- fun interplay of risk and luck
- potentially punishing to unlucky players
- humor may depend on group vibe
- risk management with numbers
- abstract dice-row puzzle
- chaotic, quick-fire decision making
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- risk vs reward placement — players decide whether to take a risky placement or wait
- row-based tile placement / card row — players place cards to form rows; filling a row forces penalty
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's free it doesn't need a fancy computer
- it's a race to get to the top of three parts and when someone finishes one that path is closed
- perudo is an old classic that still holds up
- it's a game of survival
- it's like traversing an IKEA where there's only one of everything
- six nymph is fast chaotic fun
- it's every man or woman for themselves at each other's throats
- Cult Express is a rollicking fun not to be taken seriously
References (from this video)
- Very easy to learn
- Fast rounds
- Good for late-night filler play
- Not deeply thematic
- Limited depth for long-term play
- Casual, filler-style card game
- Abstract, light strategy
- Relaxed, quick-play pacing
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Push Your Luck — Players make risk-reward choices with each play to maximize points.
- push-your-luck — Players make risk-reward choices with each play to maximize points.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- this year is flying by
- The Crew is just a perfect nice and easy cooperative game
- i've been really enjoying six nymph
- Phantom Ink is a really great game and would highly recommend it
- Mind Management is a masterpiece
- So Clover by Repost Production is climbing the rankings