![]() Plus, if you own Codenames, you can mix and match the words with Duet. Given the sheer number of word and key cards, Codenames Pictures has virtually endless replayability. Like with the game’s predecessors, there’s a lot of value in the box, and this is a great buy for gamers on a budget. (Did I mention I’m really bad at Codenames?) With two players, this might be the fastest version of Codenames, primarily because there’s no discussion, and because we often hit those oh-so-pesky assassins. I recommend writing them down before discussing with teammates, as you don’t want the other side to overhear you. It works well: you just need to sit on opposite sides of the table and agree on any clues. ![]() Though the game is meant for two players, I’ve played it with groups. Both sides will have to touch a card that shows as an assassin on their side, and that’s nerve-wracking, since one of the assassins on your side also is an assassin on the other side! Having three assassins on each side really ramps up the tension. Nine turns to correctly guess 15 total words (each side has nine to guess, but three overlap) is actually challenging, and you usually have to go at least one clue that applies to three or more cards. In nine plays, I’ve only won once (though I’m notoriously bad at Codenames in my game groups). The first thing you’ll notice about Codenames Duet is how challenging it is. Like both of its successors, I love so much about this game: how quickly it plays, how easy it is to teach, how tense it is, and how it appeals to both gamers and non-gamers alike. It captures all the fun of the original design, but converts it into a game where the players win or lose together. Ĭodenames Duet is an excellent two-player, cooperative version of Codenames. Note: Many of my thoughts here mirror my thoughts about Codenames Pictures, which I reviewed last year. I haven’t attempted this method of play yet - to be candid, I’ve had a hard time winning the standard game - but it is a nice touch! Players play through a sort of campaign of different cities. The game also comes with a “mission map.” Each mission has two parameters: the number of turn tokens to use, plus a number of allowable mistakes. One is a “bystander” on your side, but an “assassin” on the other side. ![]() One is an “assassin” on your side, but a “bystander” on the other side.One word is an “assassin” on your side, but green on your partner’s side.Five words are “bystanders” on your side, but green on your partner’s side.One word is green on your side, but a “assassin” your partner’s side.Five words are green on your side, but a “bystander” on your partner’s side.If you run out, you enter sudden death, where you may each guess words (you pick the order) without saying anything until you win or make an incorrect guess.Ī word you need your partner to guess might be an “assassin” from their point of view! The colors on your side of the card have little relation to the other side. The goal is to cover all of the green words on BOTH sides of the Duet Key card. The player can also pass after a correct guess, in which case a timer token is set aside. If he touches a “bystander” word (one marked in beige), the turn ends, and one of the nine timer tokens is placed to show who made the incorrect guess. He can keep guessing as long as he gets correct answers. The other player may then make guesses by touching the cards he or she thinks his partner is hinting at. In other words, he says one word, followed by one number. On a player’s turn, he or she will offer a one-word clue and the number of pictures in the grid to which it applies. Each side also has three “assassins” (marked in black): if your partner guesses those words, you immediately lose the game. To win, all nine of these words must be covered. Each side shows nine words on the grid marked in green. (For an easier game, you can expand up to eleven timer tokens.)Įach side gets a Duet Key Card, which is double sided. ![]() They have nine total turns to complete their mission, as indicated by the “timer tokens” that come in the game. The two players (or two teams) play on opposite sides of a 5×5 grid of 25 words. Though the game was designed for two, you can add numerous players to either side, allowing group play. The big change is that this version is cooperative, meaning both players win or lose together, and there is a limited number of turns. If you know how to play Codenames, then you already know most of Codenames Duet. The game comes with 200 cards with 400 new words, plus a sort-of campaign mode using mission maps. For this design, Chvátil partnered with Scot Eaton.Įssentially, Vlaada has taken Codenames and worked it into a cool version for two. Czech Games Edition released the game at Gen Con 2017, where it topped many hotness lists. Codenames Duet is the cooperative, two-player version of Vlaada Chvátil’s Codenames, winner of the 2016 Spiel des Jahres. ![]()
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