How do you win a game when the rules constantly change? You win by meeting the goal, but that can change with each play! This game can drive you crazy, just by reading the directions. But after one game, you are hooked!
For the last year, Myles (8) has talked about a game he played at his friends house called Fluxx. When I asked him how to play he said, "It's hard to explain. Every game is different, the rules change, the way you win changes." Since it wasn't available at Toys R Us or Target, I had to do a little internet research and found it at a local comic book store.
The game starts off with the basic rule of the game, "Draw one, Play one". Then it gets crazy! The cards in the deck consist of keepers, action, rules and goals. The rule cards change the rules - lay one down and it adds a new rule, or replaces an old one. The action cards allow the player to do certain things within their turn to further them toward the current goal, or push others further away from it. The goal cards change the goal of the game completely, making it impossible to input long-term strategy to your game. The keepers determine the game; he who has the most keepers is most likely going to win. Together, these cards weave a seemingly-impossible, engaging, outrageous game that fluctuates restlessly. In order to win the game, you must meet the requirements of the goal. But, the goal can change on the next turn. You never know what cards the others will play. And occasionally, the way things are set up, you can't reach that goal. You could have a goal card of "You must have 5 keepers in play" but one of the rules states "keeper limit of 3". Therefore, no game is ever the same and you never know what to expect.
This has been a frequent family game lately. The games last from 5 to 30 minutes and is recommended for 8 years and up. Some 6 and 7 year olds may enjoy the game too, although they need to read fluently. MomsMaterial.com highly recommends this game. We have played it so many times in our house. A neat thing about it is while strategy counts, your fortune can change quickly depending on a random act. In other words, Dad cannot always win.