Big Potato Games are known for their party style games. Ones that can be enjoyed with a tipple or three. Cards Vs Gravity Pro is one that has gone under the radar a little. Especially when it is competing with well known party games from Big Potato Games such as Herd Mentality, Muffin Time and P for Pizza etc.
So how does Cards Vs Gravity stack up against its brethren? There is no need to get comfortable for this review as it will be short and sweet. Just like the game itself!
Gravity Wins Over All Other Forces
This review is aimed more at the ‘pro’ version of Cards Vs Gravity. That being said, there is really minimal differences between them. The only distinction between the editions is that the ‘pro’ version has some extra cards, a thick card, a thin card, and a travel bag. The game itself doesn’t change between the editions so most of my thoughts on this will also apply to the base edition.
So enough of the dribble, what exactly IS Cards Vs Gravity? It is a party style dexterity game. That sentence in itself will likely give you all the information you need to know if you would enjoy the game or not. In the game, you will push a little stopper in the top of an empty bottle, place a small magnetic plate on the stopper, then take it in turns to place the plastic cards on the plate. You will need a steady hand and balancing skills to succeed. Which is counteracted by the fact that this game is much more fun if you have had a few drinks. Which isn’t actually a bad thing.
If any of the cards placed fall off during your turn then they get added to bottom of your deck. If the whole thing topples over, then you lose. It is as simple as that. I know those two small sentences likely explain 95% of all dexterity games. But simple rules for these kinds of games always work best. Cards Vs Gravity is short, sweet and offers plenty of tense moments and elated joy when pulling off a ridiculous balancing act.
Gravity Always Prevails
There are some things that work really well with Cards Vs Gravity. It is super easy to learn and teach so that people of any ages can play. In fact, if you have played any dexterity game in the past, you will already know how to play. You can get it out the box and on the table within 30 seconds.
I originally thought that the stopper would be an issue. This is because you technically need a bottle to play the game. I thought that maybe the stopper wouldn’t fit inside some bottles. But to my surprise, the stopper is made of a soft plastic that can be squashed into the neck of bottles of any size. And whilst we are on the subject, the component quality actually really impressed me all around. In the past I have been let down with the component quality of Big Potato Games. For example, in Muffin Time, the card stock on the base game cards is different from that of the expansions, which rubs me up the wrong way. The weird texture that is on the box of Weird Things Humans Search For make it stand out, but it also makes the box get dirty and grimy. Trivial things like this dampens my enjoyment of party games that I actually do enjoy playing. However, everything in Cards Vs Gravity Pro has been made with exceptional quality. The cards are thick and plastic (making them waterproof) and hold themselves together very well when interlinked and stacked.
Furthering my point of amazing component quality, the cards are also made for colour blind people. You can see from the pictures that the cards come in 4 colours. But each colour is also paired with a symbol, making the game incredibly accessible for many more potential players.
The one thing that works against the game is that it has been designed to be played on top of a bottle. It isn’t stated explicitly, but we all know that it is a bottle of beer that it is played on top of. This means that for kids to play, you will need a random empty bottle of something that isn’t beer. And it needs to be glass so that it has weight enough to support the structure being built. This is just a minor point of course, but I though it was worth mentioning.
Whilst I enjoy there being an extra thick card and an extra thin card (in the pro version) I can’t help but feel like there could be more special cards. Maybe ones that have a different shape, texture of weight distribution maybe.
Gravity is the One Constant
Cards Vs Gravity is a great little party game for anyone’s collection. It is incredibly easy to play with a group of people who aren’t gamers and goes down a treat when there are drinks involved. It is a game of simple, light-hearted fun. And I think we could all do with a little more of that in our lives. If you are considering picking up the game purely for its dexterity elements, you may be a little disappointed as the game is not in depth. But the game fits in perfectly as a party or social game. If you need a silly little game to put a smile on your face, you can’t go wrong with Cards Vs Gravity Pro.
