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Mystery Tricks

Game ID: GID0452384
Game Info
Year
2024
Players
2-4
Age
10+
Playtime
30 min
Collection
Your Tier
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Mechanic profile
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Description

Detectives work together to solve a sinister plot combining trick-taking mechanics with mystery-solving gameplay

Description

Detectives work together to solve a sinister plot combining trick-taking mechanics with mystery-solving gameplay

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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 4
This page: 4
Sentiment: pos 3 · mix 1 · neu 0 · neg 0
Mentions per page
Showing 1–4 of 4
Video X02AnleQbfw Let's Table It Review at 0:13 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 83408 · mention_pk 210113
Let's Table It - Mystery Tricks video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:13 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
  • Offers a unique spin on trick-taking through deduction and cooperation
  • Scooby-Doo theme adds flavor and appeal
  • Missions provide extra win conditions and goals
  • Memory and deduction add strategic depth beyond simple card play
  • Learning mode helps new players get into the game
Cons
  • Cooperative nature can be frustrating if teammates misplay or don’t cooperate
  • Not my favorite trick-taking game among the ones I've played
  • Ending the game with different suits is harder than expected
Thematic elements
  • mystery solving and cooperative deduction
  • Scooby-Doo themed mystery investigation where players deduce crimes and suspects
  • cooperative detective vibe with evolving clues
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Card passing and front-row clue setup — After initial row setup, players pass cards to the left and arrange them face up in a row to form a memory/deduction resource.
  • Cooperative play with individual agency — Players can coach others and discuss strategies, but ultimately each makes their own decisions.
  • Deduction — Players remember cards and deduce values of center faceown clue cards to solve the mystery.
  • End-condition requiring one of each suit in final four cards — To proceed, the final four must include one of each suit; otherwise the game is lost.
  • Learning/easy mode option — An easy mode helps players learn by making some cards face up to show past plays.
  • Memory and deduction — Players remember cards and deduce values of center faceown clue cards to solve the mystery.
  • Missions as alternative win conditions — Optional missions can cause players to win by achieving a number of tricks or other tasks.
  • Trick-Taking — Players must follow suit; highest card of lead suit or highest gang card wins the trick.
  • Trick-taking with a designated trump (gang) suit — Players must follow suit; highest card of lead suit or highest gang card wins the trick.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Mystery Tricks is a Scooby-Doo themed trick-taking cooperative deduction game.
  • This isn't my favorite trick-taking game from the bunch, but it sure does put a complete different spin on the trick-taking mechanic.
  • The hard part really is first ending the game with different suits.
  • If you want to continue with it on the table, you can also do missions that make each player win certain number of tricks as well.
  • Now you got to love Scooby-Doo theme you know or I mean cookie the crime busting dog.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video E8n0huq1XhI Unknown Review at 0:29 sentiment: positive
video_pk 78542 · mention_pk 191319
Unknown - Mystery Tricks video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:29 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
  • Mystery-detective flavor integrated with card play
  • Mystery-themed vibe with detective flavor (not Scooby-Doo IP)
  • Lighthearted detective theme
Comparison games
  • Wine Seller
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • This is a trick-taking game, but of course it has a twist because we no longer just play rook or hearts or spades. We play games that have those as their DNA, but we've twisted them so that they are a little more fun.
  • The hand can last anywhere between usually on average six to 10 rounds or tricks.
  • Secret bidding when you reveal at the end because you know if you're getting close to your bid or not, but you don't know what other people's bids are.
  • The artwork is really clever. I think the cards look great. I have a great time with this one.
  • I also really appreciate that they're not in a tuck box, but that they're in a nice thick box and that the cards are really nice quality linen cards
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video f9Z156kzkh4 Tabletop Tolson Review at 6:52 sentiment: positive
video_pk 41018 · mention_pk 124433
Tabletop Tolson - Mystery Tricks video thumbnail
Click to watch at 6:52 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Fresh cooperative twist on trick-taking with a deduction layer.
  • Accessible entry point for players who enjoy thematic puzzles.
  • Flexible difficulty levels suit a range of groups.
Cons
  • Rules are fairly dense for a small-box game; some players may prefer more direct competition.
  • Cooperative emphasis may reduce direct interaction for players who crave head-to-head play.
Thematic elements
  • Cooperative deduction with hidden information and a mystery-solving arc
  • Scooby-Doo-inspired mystery world with four suits and detective vibe
  • Puzzle-centric, encourages teamwork and coordinated deduction
Comparison games
  • Three Tricky Pigs
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • center-of-table deduction — Players deduce monster/criminal roles by manipulating and revealing numbers and suits across the table.
  • cooperative deck-ordering and hidden cards — Each player orders their hand by number (ignoring suits) and passes piles to neighbors, forming a full table of hidden information.
  • endgame deduction victory — If all players can deduce and reveal their assigned numbers correctly, the team wins.
  • lead and follow with revealed suits — When leading, you reveal a card and others must follow, with suits being revealed as play proceeds.
  • varying difficulty levels — Scalability through difficulty options that change how much information is shared and how hard it is to deduce numbers.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Beautiful cards, really, really nice design.
  • it's clever, maybe a little bit too clever for my brain.
  • That's the trick. That's the whole pitch.
  • I love a game that asks you to guess how many tricks you're going to win.
  • Solar Eclipse does something similar to Three Tricky Pigs, which is why those are the two top ones.
  • It's really cool. I like it. I like cooperative games. And I like the twist on the playing out your cards and not knowing what your number is.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video q6ycjU3KKLQ BoardGameGeek Interview at 48:50 sentiment: positive
video_pk 1231 · mention_pk 3560
BoardGameGeek - Mystery Tricks video thumbnail
Click to watch at 48:50 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • unique memory/deduction twist
  • cooperative-due-to-memory feel
Cons
  • high memory load may be challenging for some groups
Thematic elements
  • covert trick interaction; deduction focus
  • mystery/detective vibe
  • cooperative-mystery style with memory elements
Comparison games
  • Zylotar
  • Magic Trick
  • Scout
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Blind/dealt order and memory deducing — Players order and reveal tricks; you must remember what was given to left so you can deduce the monster/trick source
  • Memory — Players order and reveal tricks; you must remember what was given to left so you can deduce the monster/trick source
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Game night isn't just about the rules. It's about how it feels to play.
  • No AI art was a big thing.
  • Indie game markets are a middle sweet spot for me.
  • I saw 102 movies in the theater last year.
  • Cheap and stubborn is really what it is.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
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