| Recently I threw my husband a surprise birthday | | | | that you don't have to be TOO focused to be |
| party and decided to have a game night theme. I | | | | able to play it. It's got a sneaky aspect to it when |
| chose two card games to play, Bang (a wild | | | | you try to conceal your identity. So it's a fun |
| west-themed game) and Saboteur (a dwarf/mine | | | | challenge to try to stay hidden and discover what |
| building game). I thought the wild west theme | | | | everyone else is trying to do too. One of the |
| seemed more fun to dress up for so I made it a | | | | frustrations in the game is that if you get an |
| "western" decor party and had everyone dress | | | | attack card played against you, it is quite possible |
| accordingly. It was a blast. We had all played the | | | | that you will be unable to draw a "fix" card by the |
| game Bang before, but none of us had played | | | | end of the round. This makes it very frustrating |
| Saboteur. To our surprise that game turned out | | | | when you can't do anything for a while round. We |
| to be the favorite of the night. We've played it a | | | | haven't been able to figure out a way to balance |
| few times since and have discovered some | | | | out this problem in the game yet. |
| limitations to the game and also some very fun | | | | Saboteur Card Game: Contention Factor |
| aspects. Here is a little "Saboteur Review" for you. | | | | The first few times we played this in large groups |
| Saboteur Card Game: Game Play | | | | and there was very little contention. However we |
| This game is for 3-10 players which is a big perk | | | | tried a few games with a three player group and |
| in my mind (great for parties). Each player | | | | it was disastrous. With only one or zero saboteurs |
| assumes a role of either a regular dwarf or a | | | | in the game, basically it just becomes a race |
| saboteur. The regular dwarfs are trying to build | | | | between the dwarfs. Whoever can reach the gold |
| mines to get to some gold, and the saboteurs are | | | | FIRST gets the most points. So instead of really |
| trying to prevent them from getting there. There | | | | working together with the other dwarf(s) it really |
| are ways to block each other and cards you can | | | | is like every other player is your enemy. This |
| lay to slow down the progress. Gold is awarded | | | | makes for hostility and you can even sabotage |
| at the end of a round depending on who was | | | | yourselves so that you can't reach the gold which |
| successful in achieving their objective. At the end | | | | causes a lot of frustration. I tend to enjoy the |
| of three rounds whoever has the most gold wins. | | | | cooperation aspect of the game, so this type of |
| Saboteur Card Game: Fun Factor | | | | aggressive behavior was a real turn off to me. I |
| One of the upsides to this game is that it is VERY | | | | think the sweet spot would probably be about 5-6 |
| easy to explain and learn. It's light-hearted enough | | | | players. |