Master the elements in the form of mythical creatures in this set collection game for two. Who will win this magical duel by taking risks and thinking tactically about what to gain control of?
Mythicals is here to answer those question!
Unleashing the elements
This is a small box game.
Inside you will find minimal components, and not a component more than is needed.
The main attraction, the slimline cards, are gorgeously designed, featuring the stunning artwork by Marina Choudray, complete with gold inlays within the cards. These a made from a quality card, so don’t just look nice, but feel nice also.
You also get a set of dual layered boards that fit side by side to make up a shared space to hold a set of thick card points tiles and finally a set of wooden circular tokens that are collected and used throughout.
And that’s it.
What’s more, the box comes with a lovely little leaflet, explaining how you can pack the game away so that you are able to set up extremely quickly next time you play.
Let the elements collide
Set up is quick, even if it is your first game and you haven’t took advantage of the pack away that makes it dead speedy.
You place the boards out into the shared space, side by side, and put the points tiles (known and Mastery tiles) in their respective spaces, then place the bonus markers on their dedicated area of the board.
Shuffle the creature cards and deal 2 cards to each player. If they get the same colour twice, but the second card to the side and deal a new card. These cards remain face up.
Shuffle all the remaining cards (remembering to add back in any cards put to the side) and then draw 8 cards. You add the day card (a special card that triggers the end game), shuffle these 8 cards, place them face down, placing the remaining deck of cards on top.
A turn is broken down into 2 stages.
Stage 1: Collect cards.
This can be done by taking cards from the deck or from a reserve set that sits under the board (more on how this comes to be in a moment). If you take cards from the deck, you reveal 3 cards from the top of the deck, and take all of one colour available. The remaining cards are then placed below the main board, building up your reserve sets (told you this would be explained shortly). If you take from the reserve, you take all the cards of one colour from the reserve.
Once the cards have been selected, you then check your collection… If you have 2 identical cards, as in the same colour and same number, you have to immediately give it to the other player. This really builds on the risk taking, knowing you are potentially going to aid your opponent.
Stage 2: Take a mastery tile
If you complete a run of cards in the same colour or a set of the same number. Depending on the size of that set, you may then take a mastery tile. This is essential point scoring, where the harder the tile is to score, the more points it is worth.
To take a tile, you have to discard the set of cards you choose to score, adding them to a discard pile. You then take the tile and any bonus markers on top of it.
After taking the tile, you get to reinforce a tile with a bonus marker, or lock it, preventing it from being reinforced.
Once this is done, it is now time for your opponent to take their turn.
The end of the game is triggered once someone draws the sun card in the lower portion of the deck, at which point that player finishes their turn and final scoring takes place.
Final thoughts
This is a fun, albeit not a groundbreaking experience. Games will be completed very quickly, between set up, play and tear down, that you can fit it in during the most time poor of opportunities. But all of this is to its credit.
The simplicity of the rules and gameplay, mean learning and teaching this game will be quick and you will be playing in no time. Even children could be taught this game with little issue.
Alexis Allard & Joan Dufour have nailed keeping this game uncluttered by needless complexity.
Marina Coudray’s artwork just crowns this already wonderful game. Giving a presence on the table far greater than such a small game should have. The colours and the art just pop out and will draw you in.
The small package makes this a great game for travelling with, gifting or just simply adding to an already very busy collection, and the price point means adding it doesn’t feel to guilt inducing.
This is definitely a game worth checking out if you haven’t.
About the author:
We are Peaches and Meeples, busy professionals who love to chill out to fun table top games. We love board games, card games, miniatures games, competitive or co-operative. Put some dice in our hands and we are in our happy place.
We are also proud guinea pig parents to two lovely fluffballs of joy.
