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Twin it!
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Description
It's a race to spot the identical cards before the other players. You'll need ninja-like reactions to spot, slap, and steal your way to victory. Think you have what is takes to Twin It?
Twin It is a 2-6 player game where players are attempting to spot matching patterns on two or three cards. It is a fast-playing, light filler title from Big Potato Games that requires players to have good reactions and a keen eye. I have had a blast with Twin It, read on to find out more.
Set-Up
Set-up for Twin It is quick and simple. Shuffle the stack of cards and deal them to all players until no cards are left. Each player will now have a stack of cards and ready to play the game.
Gameplay
The rules are straightforward, as you would imagine for this type of game. On a player’s turn they will flip the top card of their draw pile and place it in the middle of the table. If any player spots any matching patterns they place their hands or fingers on the two matching cards and claim it as their stack. Player continues this way until one player has five stacks. If a player makes a mistake (i.e. goes to take two matching cards that don’t match) then they must discard a stack to the bottom of their draw pile.
There are a few interesting twists on Twin It that makes it unique to games like Snap. The cards don’t just have numbers or symbols on them, they are a mix of funky patterns, swirls and repeating symbols with many of them looking very similar. In addition, the cards are double-sided, so each player’s draw pile will have a pattern displayed which will be different to the pattern played as players flip the top card when playing it. However, if the pattern on the top of a player’s draw pile matches an already played symbol, players can claim this as a stack as well.
In addition, some of the patterns are in the game three times and if a third pattern is revealed of a stack that someone else has claimed, players can steal the stack of from that player. Basically, any face-up card can be paired with any other face-up card from the middle of the table, player’s draw piles and claimed stacks. This makes for a game where players are constantly searching and scanning the player area for matching cards and frantically slapping your hands down before someone else.
There is a team variant and co-operative variant to Twin It. In the team game, the basic game is the same but if one of the team members spots a pair they can only place their hand/finger on one of the matching cards. It is then up to the other team member to spot the matching card before the opposing team. In the co-operative game it is everyone against the game in a race against the clock. Basically, all the cards get spread out in the middle of the table and players have one minute to match as many pairs as they can.
Snappy Thoughts on Twin It
Twin It is a simple, fun and light-hearted reaction game. There is no hidden depth or multiple ways to victory, but that doesn’t matter. The game sets out to do what it is designed to do and delivers. I have had a such a blast with this game. I have yet to try the team variant but the competitive mode is brilliant and I imagine that the team variant will be good as well. I have played this with two and six players and it scales well.
It takes around 10 minutes to play, which is perfect for a filler game or a lunch break. You can play multiple games in a row, but your mind does start to play tricks on you after the third game back to back. I was convinced I had seen a pattern but could not find it anywhere. It was probably in a previous game or on top of another players draw deck.
Twin It is a fantastic game that can be enjoyed by gamers and non-gamers alike. It is not going to be the main focus of board game meet up, but is still worth having in your collection if you are after something on the lighter side.
What’s On The Cards?
Now banish that dull, dog-eared deck of playing cards from your mind’s eye and give your regular eyes a warm-up…
Blink, widen, flare, stretch. Wink suggestively if the fancy takes you.
Twin It! is, most strikingly, a visual treat. Those eyes will do some work before this game is over.
Don’t dally too long over its delights though – your reactions will need to be whip-sharp as well…
I’m Ready!
Settle down, my slap-happy friend. Shuffle your deck and distribute the cards evenly between players.
Breaking from the timeless traditionality of a regular 52 card deck, Twin It! offers 135 cards and 119 colourful patterns. Flowers and stars, spirals and swirls, mandalas, pac-men and handprints. The range of designs fascinate and delight and I’ll wager good money that you won’t make it to the end of the first game without hearing, “I feel like I’m tripping”, or some other name-check towards psychedelia.
Players take turns to reveal their cards and place them on the table, spreading them out so that each card is visible. When someone spots matching cards, they place a finger on each card, then claim the pair, leaving them in a stack beside themselves. To win, be the first to claim five pairs of cards.
As more cards hit the table, the visual information piles up and you’re soon faced with a dizzying tableau of patterns and pictures. It’s eye-boggling, it’s mind-boggling, it’s an edge-of-your-seat, tenterhooks table-whacker.
Above all, it’s accessible. One of the real appeals here is that it’s a game that works well across age ranges and tastes, and accommodates as many players as you can comfortably fit around a table. Arguably, it’s gateway gaming.
Can’t I Just Play Snap?
You could, but where’s the giddy fun in that?
Also, you’d be missing out on a few mild innovations which lend some potentially interesting wrinkles to the formula.
Several of the cards not only pair, but also have a third duplicate of that design… This offers the opportunity of making a pair again: stealing pairs back by slapping the other player’s cards along with the new design. Yes, that’s as satisfying as it is diabolical.
As all cards are two-sided (with a different design on each side), you can also play a variant where you flip the cards back over – seeing if the flipped card matches what’s already on the table.
There is also the ability to play the game in teams. When you spot twins, you place your finger on one of the cards and hope your teammate can finger the other before an opponent does, or else the opponent claims the twins instead of you!
Is This Not Just A Kids Game?
Honestly, no. Twin It! is a great warm-up game, it’s a great end-of-the-night game. It’s even good for people who “don’t really play games”. Its simplicity lends it immediacy and its speed amps up the adrenaline. The real win here might be that although it’s essentially just “Snap”, it lets you rediscover exactly why Snap used to be fun. It’s a legitimate excuse to bring Snap back to the table.
It’s hard not to be energised by the test of lightning reactions and the primal joy of slapping faster than your opponent.
If this sounds like it might be for you and your friends or family, it probably is.
It offers similar delights to Dobble, but also a chance to change it up if that’s feeling a little familiar.
If you’re playing with adults, it’s also an excellent way of gauging the drunkenness of your friends, as the wild differences in reaction speeds (or aim) become immediately apparent.
Twin It! brings simple pleasures that are hard to argue with and it’s a genuine joy to rediscover them. It’s a way to re-remember a forgotten (easily dismissed) classic. The timeless update with some fancy-pants paint.
Zatu Score
You might like
- Accessible
- Quick playing
- Great with 4 players
Might not like
- Need quick reactions
- Luck dependant
- No long-term strategy