Testing the mind with family card game Set

This year we’ve been enjoying discovering lots of new board games. As an Asmodee board game club blogger, we were sent the family card game Set. It’s a game that can be played by different ages and in any situation.

N refused to play it when he so me struggling to understand the rules of first but luckily I was able to play it on my own. Like many card games it’s great to have the option as well as being able to play it as a group. It does take a bit of reading and thinking about to understand exactly what the rules are but once you get it it’s a good brain workout. You speed up as you play it more.

The card has quite a basic premise. You merely lay out the set of cards face up in front of you and then you have to make sets of 3. But the twist is that a set can be exactly the same or be different in each of the shape, colour and pattern. You can also have them a mix of the same and different.

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Across the set of cards there are four different colours, shapes and four pattern types. Some are easier to spot than others, like the shapes and colours. But once you start thinking about a pattern inside the shapes, it gets more complicated and your brain starts going a bit mushy! Once you get a set of 3, you remove them from the layout, and replace them with new cards from the pile. If you get stuck and can’t see a set, then you can add another card alongside the rest.

Getting the practice in, playing on my own was a good way to do it because it meant I’ve had chance to let my brain get used to picking out the differences. But I can see it getting frantic when you’ve got a group playing and you’re all trying to spot the same set amongst the cards. There is no turn taking with the game set it’s each man for themselves just shouting out when you find a set.  The aim is to have the the most sets by the time there’s no more cards left on the table.

What I like about Set

• any age can play Set.  If children are a bit put off at first like N, you can always vary the game rules for the children playing – get kids to look out for matching sets and adults looking for both differences and matching sets.
• Good for 1 person but also lots of people – it could be a great party game with friends or older children.
• Small box size, easy to take on holiday
• Keeps the mind fresh and thinking.

Next time I play, I need to get N joining in.  I can see him picking it up quickly, and it could be a good way to help him get his mind thinking logically and faster.  Anything that helps build the mind to then help at school is welcome in our house!

You can buy the game Set from Amazon.

Have you ever played Set?