Publisher: Bezier Games
Player Count: 2-5 Players
Dedicated Solo mode: No
Game Length: 30 Minutes
Complexity 1.75/5
Cat in the Box describes itself as a “quantum trick-taking game”. I’m not exactly sure what that means, but I think it has something to do with a scientific study involving unwitting participants and the potential to create a cataclysmic paradox in time and space… oh yeah, and cats.
In this unique spin on trick-taking, Cat in the Box allows players to determine the suit of the card played. There is only 1 catch… each deck can only contain 1 card with that color and number pairing. Players will need to use careful planning to execute a successful game while also meeting bidding requirements and scoring bonus points in an area control mini game. Intrigued? Check out my take on the game below:
ON YOUR TURN
The game takes place over a number of rounds equal to the number of players and follows standard trick-taking procedure.
The start player plays a card and everyone must follow the suit if possible. The player with the highest card in the suit is the winner of the trick. Similar to other trick-taking games, Cat in the Box allows players to bid on the number of tricks they think they’ll win prior to the start.
The big spin for Cat in the Box is that none of the numbered cards in the deck have suits. As you play a card, it will be up to you to determine the suit or color in this case. There are 4 different colors you can play (green, yellow, blue and red) with red being the trump suit. Once you’ve declared a suit color for the card you played, you then take a player token and place it on a central game board grid essentially eliminating that card from the game for the remainder of the round. There can only be a single card of each suit so once it’s played… it’s played.
As cards are eliminated on the board, it becomes more and more challenging to play a legal card. If for some reason you can’t or don’t want to play a card to follow suit (for example, the only numbers you have available in a given suit are already eliminated), you can declare you don’t have any more of that color and you can play another one (including the red trump suit). Once you declare you don’t have a certain color, you won’t be allowed to play it again during the round.
As for trump cards, you can’t lead with a trump card unless you’ve declared 1 suit is gone from your hand. At that point, you’ll be able to play or lead with the trump card.
Cat in the Box also introduces an interesting area control game that corresponds to your bid you placed at the start of the game. If you’re able to achieve that exact trick bid you’ll earn additional points for any of your adjacent tokens on the game board.
There may come a time when you won’t be able to play a card (all the cards you have in your hand have been taken on the board). This creates a paradox or an impossibility since we all know there was only 1 of each suit and number pairing in the deck. At this point, the game immediately stops and the player who created the paradox loses a point for each trick they won that round. Everyone else will score a point for each victorious trick as well as any bidding/area control points won. At the end of the game, the player with the most points is the winner.
ARTWORK & COMPONENTS
Cat in the Box isn’t really a game about artwork or components. It’s really more of a concept, but it actually does have some decent artwork and some surprising components.
Each card is mainly black with an illustrated black cat. There are a handful of unique illustrations and they’re all stylized and well done.
The game board is triple layered with cards you slide into the board’s pocket. This allows you to adjust for different variations or player counts. Each player has a unique set of tokens they use to mark numbers/suits off the board. These are colorful, translucent tokens with unique icons on them to differentiate each player. This wasn’t necessary to enjoy the game, but it does add a bit of personality and fun.
PROS & CONS
➕ Easy game to teach and learn
➕ It plays quickly
➕ The choices are think-y and interesting without bogging down the game
➕ Defining your own card suit feels fresh and new
➕ The paradox element is inventive and exciting even if you’re on the losing end
➕ The area control component adds an additional layer of depth that isn’t overbearing
➕ Multiple plays at one sitting are a must
➖ If you’re not a fan of trick-taking games, this probably won’t win you over
➖ Box storage solution for the tokens isn’t great—it makes it more difficult than it should be to grab them and pack them away
WHY WOULD YOU LIKE THIS GAME?
Fans of trick-taking games are going to appreciate the fresh, inventive approach to a traditional game. Games play quickly and are just the right amount of challenging.
WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS GAME?
I could easily say “Declaring your card suit”, but for me I really love the paradox. As you play out your hand, you’re always trying to plan ahead so you don’t end up triggering a paradox. Sometimes you just can’t avoid it, but it’s always lurking in the back of your paranoid mind.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I wouldn’t say I’m a trick-taking fan. I really enjoyed The Crew from a couple years ago, but apart from that, trick-taking games aren’t something I intentionally pursue. I had heard quite a few positives regarding Cat in the Box and I was intrigued enough to find a copy. I’m happy to report that this game really delivers. As I mentioned above, it feels fresh and new and engaging. It’s so creatively executed, but equally simple and that really makes it brilliant. To be able to put a new spin on a classic game and make it feel completely new is quite an accomplishment.
Declaring your suit is a fantastic exercise. It feels like you’re always planning and looking ahead in this almost abstract space trying to outwit your opponents. It’s so easy to paint yourself into a corner that you have to be very intentional at times, often sacrificing points to make sure you can make it to the end of the round without triggering the paradox. But despite the gamesmanship, Cat in the Box is super accessible. It plays quickly, it’s easy to teach and it works for almost any age group.
And then there is the paradox. What a cool concept to tie into the game. The impossibility to play a card results in time coming to an immediate stop (and the game). I haven’t equally been in awe and dread of a mechanic like this in a long time.
Of course Cat in the Box has layers, such as the area control bonus on the player board. This could have easily felt like it was tacked on, but it provides another dimension for you to think about and target. The points you can earn on the board can be worth more than the points earned winning tricks. So you have to respect it if you want to win the game.
I really love everything about Cat in the Box. I’m absolutely terrible at it, but I just can’t get enough. It brings some really inventive ideas together with just the right amount of weight and depth to keep it engaging and interesting to a wide audience. It’s easy to teach and it doesn’t overstay its welcome—the 30 minute play time really flies. If you’re not a fan of trick-taking, you probably aren’t going to be converted here… but I wouldn’t be surprised if it forced you to give trick-taking a second look. This is a game you can easily break out with gamers and non-gamers alike. It’s not terribly priced and its small box makes it a great fit for any board game collection. Cat in the Box is one of the best small box games I’ve played in a long time… highly recommended.
