If you’re looking for a beginner level strategy game, Mystic Market is a great choice. It’s got all the great components of a good strategy game – multiple ways to earn points and thwart other players, shifting point values, different actions to take on a turn, and ways to win. It’s got that advanced strategic feel without being so complicated you can’t possibly remember all the rules.
We are having so much fun with it. The game is different every time you play, there’s not one strategy that always predicts the winner, and it’s fairly easy to learn and quick to play.
There are a handful of elements to the game:
- ingredient vials (the super fun rainbow glitter stuff, my favorite part!!!)
- value track
- ingredient cards
- potion cards
- supply shift cards
- coins
The object of the game is to end up with the most money, which is not easy to do since in order to get money, you have to spend money, and the items up for have constantly changing prices! That’s the part of this game that makes it unpredictable and fun.
You spend your money and your turn
- buying ingredient cards to sell for potion ingredients
- swapping cards from your hand with those in the Market
- selling complete sets of ingredient cards to earn coins
- or crafting potions
Players can either buy, swap, OR sell ingredient cards on their turn. ONLY ONE of those things! Once you have the ingredients you need, you have to wait until your next turn to sell them for points, and by the time your next turn comes around, the value of the ingredients could have changed!
Once a player sells a complete set of ingredient cards to purchase the ingredient, the value of that ingredient vial shifts down to the lowest spot. You pick it up from its current position, the other vials slide down towards the higher point values, and that vial goes up at the top where it’s worth the least number of points.
Ingredient vials also undergo a value shift when a Supply Shift card is drawn – there are 3 Supply Shift cards in the Ingredient deck, and when one is drawn, that vial is immediately moved down to the 15 point spot, making it the most valuable.
The constantly changing values of the ingredient vials makes this game interesting and unpredictable.
Moving the ingredients around on the track is everyone’s favorite job, especially this (sometimes pesky) little assistant.
Sometimes waiting for your turn to come around again is very suspenseful…
And sometimes someone plays a potion card and steals the card you’ve been trying to get the entire game! So frustrating!!
This is a great family or party game. The box recommends ages 10+, which I think is accurate. My 8 year old can play, but needs a lot of help to remember all the rules.
The art work is beautiful, the components are unique, and playing is fun every time. It’s a great game!
{This review is sponsored by ThinkFun. I received the game to facilitate the review, but these are my honest opinions. I highly recommend this game!}
