BraveRats – a quick card game duel

I don’t know what you imagine when you first hear of a game named BraveRats, but we didn’t really know what to think.

BraveRats is actually a very quick 2-player card game duel. It’s based on a game called R – a simultaneous action selection game from Japan. And really could be themed in a variety of ways. For this version the game publisher, Blue Orange, has chosen a theme of two rival rat clans. (We always knew rats were up to something sinister.)

You may be familiar with Blue Orange from another simple, fast and fun card game we’ve written about a lot – Spot It. They’ve also published other quick-to-play family games we’ve reviewed like Trigger, Shrimp Cocktail, Yamslam, and Fastrack.

How To Play BraveRats
At the heart of the game, BraveRats is all about out-guessing your opponent.

Players secretly select one of their cards and play it face down on the table. Then players simultaneously reveal their cards and see who wins. The more powerful rat wins that battle/round. Very simple.

Each player has the same set of 8 cards – numbered 0 through 7. One set/clan is Red and the other is Blue and each clan has different character artwork. But the name and powers on the cards are the same on each set.

In addition to the number (strength) on the cards, each card also has a special power that may alter who actually wins each battle.

It’s the combination of power/ability and the number on the each card that makes the game and choices interesting.

For example, the 4 of each clan is the Ambassador with the power “If you win with this card, it counts 2 victories.” The 0 of each clan is the Musician – “This round is nullified and put on hold.” Take a look at the photos to see more rat powers.

After each battle/round the cards are left on the table. The losing card gets flipped over as a way to visibly record the outcome. Plus, the losing card/clan member was just humiliated in battle, so of course it gets flipped over while the winning card stays face-up…gloating in their victory.

The duel continues just like the first with each player selecting a remaining card from their set and playing it to the table.

The first player with 4 victories wins the game.

Carefully selecting which card to play, based on which card you think your opponent will play is what makes BraveRats fun.

Can the whole family enjoy BraveRats?
It’s so simple to understand and play, BraveRats can be enjoyed by everyone in the family – provided they know numbers.

We’re also inclined to say players need to know how to read since every card has text, but it may not be completely necessary. We’ve found younger kids can have great memories. With only 8 cards in a set, once kids learn each card they’ll remember the power and not need to read the text. For example, they’ll see the #2 card and immediately know it’s the Spy which means in the next battle, their opponent has to reveal their card first.

Younger kids may not have a big grasp on strategy in selecting their cards, but that itself can throw in a fun twist to the games as well. Because guessing what card they’ll play can be pretty tricky. And of course they’ll love beating mom, dad, or an older sibling.

Quick but Fun
As you can see, one game of BraveRats can be played very quickly (less than 5 minutes). BraveRats is a card game that will be played over and over, back to back. And that’s also another element that makes it fun.

The first time two players go head-to-head, they’ll just try a few different cards and see what happens. In subsequent games, each player will begin to get a better feel for how the other player is playing. So each game becomes a bit more interesting than the last.

Try a Variation
The small rule sheet for BraveRats also lists 7 variations for playing the game. We’ve tried them all and they’re a mixed bag – some good others not so much. But that just goes to show these rats can be played in many different ways.

And we’re sure you may find a new way for your family to play the game as well.

How does BraveRats score on the “Let’s Play Again” game meter?
Like we’ve already mentioned, back-to-back play is part of the fun. I don’t think we’ll ever play BraveRats just once when it’s out.

The big question is how often will we get BraveRats to the table? With how simple, light, and quick it is to play, it could hit the table a bunch this year. When we’ve got a few minutes here are there, we can have a few duels of BraveRats. It’s also a game that’s easy to toss in when we go somewhere – like we did on our recent trip to Mexico.

We received this prototype copy from Blue Orange and look forward to their official release of BraveRats at the New York Toy Fair in February when it will also hit store shelves.

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