dV GiochiDA VINCI Bang 4th Edition

Here in the Midwest, there's a game we play called Mafia. In this game the players become part of a town where a few unsavory characters (the mafia) exist. Throughout the game, the mafia try to knock off all others (to win), while the townspeople, the sheriff and a nurse attempt to root out the mafia and save their town. Bang! takes Mafia, this game I grew up loving, to a wholly new level.In this basic set, one can play with up to 7 people (although I recommend 5 as the ideal number), and regardless of playing with 3 or 6, the game is still a lot of fun. It's fast-paced and entertaining and makes you strategize time and again as the game progresses.Additionally, and here's one huge drawing point for me, it's a very simple game -- both in pieces and rules. The game consists of cards, playing boards and bullets (to keep track of life), so it's a very travel-worthy game. Additionally, during a recent time with my family, I taught the game to my youngest brothers (aged 6 and 8) who readily learned the game and consequently played with a cutthroat edge I had hardly expected.Bang! appeals to all, and it's catchy enough that you'd play it over and over.For a quick rundown of how the game functions, please read on:As I said earlier, Bang! consists of a deck of cards, playing boards and bullets. The bullets simply keep track of health, and the playing boards show where all the cards and bullets lay. One could easily play without either of those items, although a certain dramatic flair would be lost.Coming to the cards, there are four kinds of cards used (I'm using generic names, by the way):1. Role cards- these determine your objective for winning (or losing) the game. One can be the Sheriff (who must kill the Outlaws and Renegade), the Deputy (who must protect the Sheriff by helping to kill the Outlaws and Renegade), an Outlaw (who must kill the Sheriff) or the Renegade (who must be the last person standing). One trick of the game is that everyone (other than the Sheriff who begins with his/her role exposed) starts the game with this role card face down. Only the player him/herself knows his/her own role, thus for the few rounds, people simply shoot blindly at others. It's only through deduction and observation that roles can be known during gameplay. As someone dies, though, the role card is revealed to make sure the game needs to continue.2. Character cards- the determine who a person is and what they can do. The character card determines one's maximum health (either 3 or 4 bullets), and each card has a special ability. For example, one person may have a character who gets to draw an extra card and choose which one to throw away. Another may have an ability to use certain cards interchangeably. There are 16 different characters in the basic game.3. Blue-boarder cards- these are cards that, when played, remain on the board and either help or hinder a player. For example, in this game, the players' seating arrangement determines how far/close players are to one another. Gun cards are used to increase one's range in order to shoot opponents sitting farther away. There are other cards one would play to his/her own board to help him/herself, but there a few that can be played to hinder an opponent. For example, the Jail card, when played on anyone other than the Sheriff, causes that person to probably lose his/her next turn, and the Dynamite card can float around during the game until it explodes, at which time the owner of the card immediately loses 3 bullets.4. Brown-boarder cards- these cards at the bulk of the playing deck. The are all of the action cards that one would play to attack, defend, make other discard cards, steal cards, draw extra cards or perform a few other, more particular actions.All in all, this is one of the best games I've ever played, and although I'm not the most avid of game players, I have Passed Go quite a few times.Happy gaming! bg

Loving it! Highly recommend!

This is one of my family's favorite games. Once you learn the basic rules, you can whip out the cards and pick up a game almost instantly. The game is all about quick action and immediate competition. There is an element of strategy, both through deception and clever use of your character's special abilities, but it almost always dissolves into a full-on firefight at my house. If you like the game (or you're sure you will), spring for the expansions. You can get the whole set in a bullet, and that has everything in it, so you can play with the basic deck or one or more expansions.Some other reviewers have expressed concern about the difficulty of learning the game. It takes a try or two if nobody in your group has played before, that's true. But imagine if you had to learn Monopoly from scratch, or poker, for that matter. The game has a unique set of rules, but you'll catch on, I promise! That said, the game is complex enough to confuse young children. The game is best enjoyed by the same age/maturity group that enjoys Settlers of Catan or Ticket to Ride. And as for the boredom of being "out," once your group knows how to play, things move along rather quickly. It's once you pick up the expansions that things lengthen out.Overall, a real winner, as long as you know what you're buying.

I introduced this game to my friends and it has been a huge hit. I showed it to them several months ago, and they continue to play almost every day. Most of them have bought their own versions plus expansions. This isn't an exaggeration; we really play it that much.As for the game itself, it's a really fun game of mystery, deception, and teamwork. There is so much variety to be had and every game is different. It's not a perfect game, however. There is nothing to stop a player from getting completely screwed over because someone got a lucky hand or they got an unlucky hand. Most games, though, you will have good control of how the game flows. Note that, just like any other board game, the experience can change depending on who you play with. My main bang friend group operates under the idea that you claim to be a deputy or else you will get destroyed. A different group, though, operated on the idea that you wanted people to believe you were the renegade. So it all depends on who you play with and how the meta game evolves. Either way, it's a very fun game. I definitely recommend it, even if you don't play board or card games. As a note, my friends had not played any board game(except basic stuff like monopoly) before I introduced them to this.

A great group game. Fun and ferocious. Young players can pick it up quick and it has become a family go to when there is 6-8 players.

Good game but tough for those under 11.

this game is so fun!I would recommend it for groups of 4 or above. it's very easy to both teach and learn.I taught it to my grandparents (82 and 88) and by the 2nd round they had completely learned it and it was a blast!

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