The Mind Review

What IS a game? That’s a question that had never crossed my stream of consciousness until The Mind was released. And even then, I just sat idly by, snacking on my popcorn, watching all definitions and sides emerge in the great debate. So what’s the verdict? That’s ultimately up to you.

The Mind is a card game in which the players are trying to play their cards in ascending numerical order. That’s it. No, seriously. The ONLY catch is that players are not allowed to communicate in any way which cards they hold in their hands. No talking, no noises, and no gesturing of any kind. That’s how they getcha. Here’s how it works – at Level 1 (start of the game), each player is dealt one card. When the level officially begins, you must decide when is the right time to play your card. If the cards are played in order, then you move to Level 2 and receive 2 cards to start the round. Level 3 gives you 3 cards, and so on. Players win the game if they successfully complete a certain number of Levels.

I’m not here to comment on the “Is The Mind a game or not” debate, I’m just here to let you know our thoughts! The Mind is definitely an interesting experience, to say the least. A game that often begins timidly usually turns into a high-energy (and sometimes high-stress) atmosphere of fun. Although it might feel like pure luck, or even hidden telepathic connections, The Mind is ultimately a game of timing. The subtitle says it all – “Let’s become one…” Can you and your friends synchronize your timing well enough to make progress? Or will there be someone amongst the group who inadvertently throws off the groove?

Is The Mind my favorite game? No. But it’s one that I enjoy playing. I think it’s a unique game that keeps everyone on their toes, despite its appearance of simplicity. One thing I really enjoy is playing The Mind several times with the same group of people. It’s neat to see how the group learns the nuances of how everyone plays, and keeping that flow going between games and sessions. I also enjoy playing The Mind with a totally new group of people too for the same reason – everyone has a different play style and you’ve got to be able to learn and adapt to any given player.

The hardest rule is perhaps the one that makes the game most interesting, and that is the no communication rule. Admittedly, I do sometimes accidentally throw up a gesture or two to signal to other players, but even those are sometimes hilariously misunderstood and lead to some close calls or devastating defeats.

Overall, I think The Mind is a pretty neat game. It’s not one that I play too often, but it’s one that is simple enough to teach and play that I like playing it with newer gamers. The Mind plays fairly quickly too, so that makes it a good filler between some heavier games. Purple Phoenix Games (with input from guest score Tony) gives The Mind a thoughtful 14 / 24.