Turn the Tide is a gateway to a gateway game for casual gamers. Playing it won’t make them inquire, "so, what else is out there to quench our new found thirsts for gaming goodness?" But they may be ready for a gateway game when later you introduce them to Settlers and Ticket to Ride (although, maybe not simultaneously.) Why? Because they had a blast playing that other game you showed them, and, hey, that one was easy.
(photo by Chris Brua)
The components are two decks of cards (Tide and Weather, pictured left and right, respectively) and a few handfuls of life preserver tokens (pictured center.) Also included (but not pictured) is a score pad which is functional and even helpful at first, but not necessary once you're familiar with the game. You probably won't want to buy extra pads—just use a piece of paper and draw a quick table grid (unlike, say, Yahtzee where it would be a pain to draw your own.)
The graphic design meshes perfectly with the game play, helping everyone tune into the game ruleswise and spiritwise. It even provides an illusion of theme: Sheep, rafts and lighthouses—of course!
The Cards
The Tide cards are clearly numbered and charmingly rendered. The higher the number (ranging from 1 to 12) the farther out to sea the sheep is. Poor sheep.
The Weather cards are numbered from 1 to 60, color coded to help sorting and inject a quick, relative value feel (red card—high, yellow—low, blue or green—uh oh!) The artwork is fine here too, but it gradually fades into the background of non-game impact. I don't consciously notice the weather cards or the sheep when I'm playing, especially the Weather cards, because they're removed from play after each trick. The numbers are the thing.
Before Play Begins
Both decks are shuffled. 12 Weather cards are dealt to each player (so with less than 5, there will be unused cards.)
Life Preserver tokens score points at the end of each round. Based on the initial hands, each player receives a certain number of Preservers, based on—in theory—the overall quality of the hand. Crappy hands get more tokens, better hands get less.
Not only do you get more tokens if you get a bad hand, you will also have the opportunity to play all of the other hands. In each game, there are as many rounds as there are number of players. Everyone will play each hand once.
Each player will need an area for an upturned Tide stack, indicating current "out to sea" status. Each round this status starts at 0 for everyone, meaning no Tide cards have yet been taken this round. Once you take a card, that Tide card's number becomes your status, overriding what was there before (or becomes the first card in your pile.)
Play Begins
-- Start the current round (Number of rounds = number of players.)
If not the initial round, pass Weather hands and Life Preserver tokens to the left, and turn in all Tide cards to replenish the Tide deck. Shuffle the Tide deck.
-- Start the current trick (12 tricks per round.)
Reveal two Tide cards from the top of the deck. These will be the Tide cards up for bids.
All players choose a Weather card from their hands and place it face down on the table. All reveal their cards.
Warning: Tricky to Read (but not to play.)
The player who played the highest Weather card takes the lower Tide card up for bid and places it face up on top of his Tide "stack". The player who played the second highest Weather card takes the higher Tide card and places it face up on top of his Tide "stack". This is trickier to read than it is to see in action; it will make sense quickly when you play the game.
Important: After each trick, rather than setting aside all four Weather cards as a group, each player should take back the card played and set it face down nearby. Remember, this exact hand will be played again by other players, so you’ll need to have the hands intact for the next round.
Now whoever has the highest Tide card currently showing turns over a Life Preserver (in case of a tie, everyone with the highest Tide card must do so.) This is determined by each player's current upturned Tide card, which may or may not be the Tide cards just taken. A tide card stays with you for the duration of the round until you replace it by taking a new one in the bidding.
If you're unable to turn over a Preserver (meaning you're at zero and you're forced to turn one over), you're out of the current round. Put your hand to the side and your head on the table (just kidding about the second one.) You can play while having zero Preservers, and this is an important scoring consideration.
If tricks remain to be played, repeat the current trick steps above.
After all the tricks are played, it's time for round scoring. Each player scores one point for each Preserver, um, preserved. Zero points for zero preservers and Minus One (you heard me) for being knocked out of the round.
Start a new round, unless you’ve played all the rounds (that is you've played each hand) and then the game is over. Add up the round scores. (This will be no Power Grid housing calculation. You might have to compute something like 3 + 0 – 1 + 2.) High total wins.
Show me the fun(ny)
-- Watching people get aggravated (in a good way) and teasing them (in a good way.)
-- Anguishing over which card to play.
-- Scoring with a hand no one else could.
-- Seeing someone (else) lose a Preserver with a low Tide card.
Strategy
I find I enjoy this game as a gentle test of intuition and people-reading. I like knowing I'll score with the 58 because Ernie will hoard the 60 and Shelia is scared to play the 59 because of that 60. Or "feeling" all low cards coming and getting away with a 30. Or watching it all blow up in my face.
Avoiding the first high Tide card can work well. Having a "0" in front of you can last several tricks, while even a "4" may end up being the high card. Those with higher Tide cards will be more desperate and therefore easier to read.
I suppose I track the obvious cards—it's hard not to remember the 1 was played, for example—but I don't focus on this aspect. If it's a truly competitive and challenging game you're after, you should probably look elsewhere.
Conclusion
Turn the Tide balances a sense of doing and accomplishment with just having fun.
Anyone new to Turn the Tide will need a practice round, but even casual gamers catch on quickly. The main (but still low) hurdle is Tide cards being persistent. After a second game, casual gamers will be able to win even against gamers.
The discrepancy between ease of rules being read and being shown is why this is a gateway to a gateway game—casual gamers will need this shown to them (they could learn it on their own with just a little effort and desire, but that's why they’re called casual gamers). The game is easier than even the small rule set would have its reader believe.
Posted Tue Dec 4, 2007 7:26 pm
