The Circus Comes to Town

When the 2022 Spiel des Jahres nominees were announced this summer (if you're not deeply connected to the hobby, think: "Oscars for board games"), the enthusiasts quickly concluded that of the three nominees, Cascadia was a lock to win the top prize. (And it did.) But I've now had the chance to play one of the other nominees, and it may be worthy of your consideration as well.

Scout is a game about gathering the best performers to put on a more dazzling circus act than your opponents. At least, that's what the box says. That theme is tissue thin, adds nothing to the experience of playing, and does nothing to cement the mechanics in your mind. This game is all about the mechanics. Fortunately, Scout does do well for itself in that area.

Each card in the game is "double-ended," with two different numbers (each from 1 to 10) printed on opposite sides -- the card's value changes depending on whether it's "upside down." (Though to be clear: there is no default "right side up.") The deck is dealt evenly to all players, who then must look at their hand without rearranging it and decide which orientation to play that hand in for the coming round.

Play proceeds around the table. On your turn, you must play a run or pair/set that exceeds the value of the player who just acted in front of you. If you do, you take the cards they played for your score pile, each card giving you 1 point. If you cannot (or choose not to) put on such a "Show," you must "Scout" from that player instead: they take a 1-point chip from the bank, and you take one of the cards from either end of of the array in front of them. You then insert that card anywhere in your hand, either side face up. You're ultimately trying to maneuver your hand to create runs and sets you'll be able to play on future turns. (And once per hand, you may "Scout and Show" on the same turn.)

A hand ends when one player plays their last remaining card, or when you've gone all the way around the table without any opponent beating the last Show. At that time, players score points for all the cards and chips they've collected, and lose points for every card left in their hand. Each player gets one chance to deal, and then the player with the highest score is the winner.

If you have a dedicated gaming group you play with regularly, this game might not be for you. If your tastes are for crunchy and complex games, it certainly isn't. But I've written before about the value of a short game that can fill a "one more quick game" slot toward the end of a game night. Plus, there's another niche Scout fills that may be more valuable still.

My friends and I are dedicated gamers. My family, and my husband's family? Much less so. When we get together, if a game is brought out, it's going to be Apples to Apples, Skipbo, or Aggravation. I played lots of Rummy and Gin Rummy with grandparents growing up (negotiating the slightly different rules sets used by the different sides of the family).

Cascadia may have won this year's Spiel des Jahres, but I'm not likely to ever play it with that audience. But I could absolutely play Scout. It has just enough Rummy hooks to be easily teachable to truly anyone (as long as they don't just outright hate games). But for a quite simple rules set, some surprising decision points do emerge. It won't take more than a hand or two for most veteran gamers to pick up on the notion that Showing cards just because you can isn't necessarily the best strategic decision. Rigging your hand for bigger plays later, trying to increase the odds that you'll go out first, looking ahead for opportunities to fill problem gaps between your cards... all of these are considerations in a game of Scout.

Yes, luck can still loom large. Some hands you're dealt are simply better positioned to win than others. (That's Rummy too.) But that larger role for luck is what might keep your aunt having fun and willing to keep playing. Scout is a gateway game for an audience you'd simply like to show to The Gateway, even if you never intend to walk them through to the other side. It's a brisk and fun game for people who would find the generally accepted gateway games to still be "too much": people who wouldn't even attach to Ticket to Ride or Carcassonne.

And so of course, no, Scout is not going to satisfy a veteran gamer on a deep level. But I had fun playing it. I see myself playing it again from time to time. I liked it more than a couple of other convoluted "variants on standard card games" that I've tried recently. Which in all makes Scout a pretty good ambassador for the gaming hobby. I give it a B. I'll absolutely be bringing it to future holiday gatherings.