Bad Guys have been running rampant, and your goal is to stop them and garner some recognition for yourself. However, some of your fellow crime-fighters have their eyes on the same prize, so you must be ready to employ whatever means necessary to capture the most Bad Guys! Whether you capture then yourself, or secure the help of Bounty Hunters, Heroes, Bandits, and more, keep an eye on your captures so they aren’t swiped out from right under you by an opponent… but if you’re sneaky enough maybe you could swipe one of theirs to add to your list of accolades.
| Bad Guy Nonsense (2020) | Simple Tricks & Nonsense |
| 2-4 players | 15-20 minutes |
| Ages 8+ | BGG Weight – (not yet available) |
Disclaimer: We were provided a PnP copy of Bad Guy Nonsense for the purposes of this preview. Please excuse my lack of a color printer, but know that the final artwork and cards ARE eye-catching, colorful, and clear to read. I do not intend to rehash the entire rulebook in this preview, but rather provide an overview of the gameplay. Check out the publisher’s website to download the rulebook for yourself, and keep an eye out for the Kickstarter campaign coming soon! -L
Bad Guy Nonsense is a card game of hand management and a bit of take that in which players are trying to score the most points by capturing Bad Guys. Here’s how it goes: shuffle the deck and deal 6 cards to each player. On your turn, you will perform one of 3 possible actions: Capture Bad Guy, Discard 1 Card, or Play 1 Special Card. To Capture a Bad Guy, use one of the 4 capture combinations and set the Bad Guy with corresponding cards in your play area. If you choose to Discard 1 Card, select a card from your hand to discard and then draw 1 new card from the draw deck. To play a Special Card, play it to the discard pile and perform its corresponding action. Whatever action you choose to perform, you will always draw back up to 6 cards at the end of your turn. Play continues until the draw deck runs out. Players may then place any remaining Bad Guy captures from their hand into their play area if they have any. Everyone counts up their points – positive points for Bad Guy captures, negative points for Bad Guys still in hand, and 1 point per Nonsense card in hand – and the player with the most points is the winner!
The basis and gameplay are pretty simple and straight-forward, and that’s what I love about Bad Guy Nonsense. It is so easy to teach, learn, and play that I can see this game played in so many situations. Whether I want to introduce some newer gamers to the hobby, or I need a fast and fun filler between longer games, or even if I want something to play with younger gamers, this game hits that sweet spot. Even though the gameplay is pretty simple, it still needs a bit of strategy for success. You need to decide which actions to take and when to ensure maximum benefit for yourself. Are you willing to risk discarding a card in hopes for getting a new one that may be more beneficial? Should you try to steal that high-value capture from an opponent? Or do you just try to fly under the radar, silently amassing your points and hoping your opponents don’t take notice? There are lots of options, and that keeps the gameplay refreshing and engaging. And the Special Card abilities add a fun strategic twist to the game too – from stealing opponent’s captures for yourself to searching the Discard deck for the card you want, you are always on your toes when playing this game.
Let’s talk components. Obviously, as I mentioned earlier, I do not have a color printer, so my PnP version leaves much to be desired. However, the final production copies of the game will feature tarot-sized cards that are bright, colorful, and sturdy in hand. I enjoyed this game so much that I will probably back it to get a copy of that higher quality for myself!
All in all, Bad Guy Nonsense is a fun little card game that can be played in many different situations. The gameplay is relatively light, the rules are simple to understand, and the time to play is the perfect length. Rarely do I play just one game of Bad Guy Nonsense, I will play 2 or 3 at least back-to-back! If you’re looking for a fun game that can be played with the entire family, consider backing Bad Guy Nonsense. It has a great balance of strategy and light-hearted fun that will keep you coming back for more.
