OVERVIEW: The Crew is a trick taking game for 2-5 players, similar to Euchre, Hearts, and Spades. The innovative aspect is that all of the players are working cooperatively towards a common goal that becomes progressively more difficult with each success. This cooperative environment makes the game easy to teach as it encourages players to help each other succeed in completing each mission. The missions generally involve getting specific players to win tricks involving specific cards. The fifty included levels ramp up in difficulty as multiple missions and mission order restrictions are added to increase the complexity of each round.
COMMUNICATION: In most trick taking games, there are heavy restrictions on communicating undisclosed information from your hand of cards, commonly known as 'table talk'. The Crew adds a unique element of communication to the players, affording them advantages if used properly. This allows players to reveal one of their cards, that is not trump or the subject of current missions, and indicate with a token weather it is the highest card in it's suit, the lowest card in it's suit, or it is the only card in it's suit. This information can be quite invaluable and necessary to the success of any given mission, creating a clever dynamic for players to exploit.
SCALABILITY: The Crew is enjoyable at every player count, but becomes much more difficult as it scales up. As most missions involve specific players winning specific tricks, more players increases the likelihood of missions failing. Therefore the chances of getting through all fifty missions decreases. However the joy in this game is in the journey, not the destination, and sometimes coordinating five people to unify as one group can be much more rewarding than with two.
PROS: The Crew is incredibly accessible to a large variety of players as it is easy to teach as well as learn. The puzzle solving aspect makes this game more engaging than other trick taking games in the genre, while the cooperative nature of the game emotionally invests players in the success of the everyone involved as a united team, or in this case a crew. The Crew is quick to set up and get started, and can be ended quickly by marking your place in the provided chart within the rule book.The higher levels are complex enough to challenge the most skilled players, and home brewed missions are easy to create.
CONS: The theme of the Crew is irrelevant to actual game play, and could have easily been replaced by any conceivable genre. The cards themselves are standard stock, but the printing on them are less than ideal for color blind players or those with weaker eyesight. The featured art on each card is irrelevant to the game and lackluster at best. It is a missed opportunity not to use this space to make the important information the card (the suit and number) much more identifiable. The cards could be better, but they could also be modified or improved easily enough. I don't personally think that this is a deal breaker considering the price point and value of the product.
CONCLUSION: The Crew offers one of the most accessible and innovative gaming experiences I have ever enjoyed. Practically anyone can pick up on the rules fast, and the fact that you are asking them to help you win, as opposed to challenging them to defeat you, brings enthusiastic players to your table. Once they taste the sweet success of completing each mission as a team, the drive to progress forward and relive that experience pushes them to continually deal the next hand. It is incredibly portable, with minimal set up, and the ability to quickly end the game and bookmark your place for the next session. It is a fantastic filler game, but is also substantial enough to continue long into the night.
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From the manufacturer
About KOSMOS Games
KOSMOS games build social skills, stimulate logical and strategic thinking, promote visual-spatial and math skills, cultivate physical coordination and manual dexterity, encourage family time, and inspire fair-mindedness, confidence, and honorable attitudes. German engineered and beautifully made, these games become enduring family favorites and game night classics. For all these reasons, Kosmos games have earned worldwide acclaim.
The Crew
The Quest for Planet Nine
Astronauts wanted! Scientists say there is a mysterious ninth planet located at the edge of our solar system. Join this exciting space adventure to find out if the theories are true.
The Crew spans 50 missions that tell a thrilling story as you travel across the solar system. These missions can be played many times and take about 5-10 mins each.
To achieve your mission, teamwork and communication will be essential — but in space, things can be more challenging than expected.
- Ages 10 and up
- For 3 to 5 players
- Play Time: 20 minutes
About the Designer
Thomas Sing is an economist who lives in the town of Constance on Lake Constance. With his friends he bought a corner store which has given him time for his hobbies, which include mathematics, Miss Lupun, and inventing games.
His first game for KOSMOS, The Crew, has brought together the popular worlds of trick-taking games and cooperative games in a fascinating and entirely original way.
What's in the box?
- 40 Large cards
- 5 Reminder cards
- 36 Small cards
- 1 Commander token
- 10 Task tokens
- 5 Radio Communication tokens
- 1 Distress signal token
- Rulebook, logbook
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Trick-takingA modern twist on the popular card game genre of trick-taking. Players of euchre, hearts, spades, or bridge will be familiar with the style of game, but The Crew offers a fresh new way to play. Instead of playing against each other for points, The Crew is a cooperative game, where players win or lose together. |
Limited CommunicationBrilliantly, The Crew does not allow players to talk to each other, but players can communicate. Once per mission, each player can show the other players one card from their hand. But choose the card you show the other players wisely! It's the only card you'll be able to share during that mission. |
Game AttributesThe Crew is a highly cooperative game where the whole team needs to work together in order to be successful. The Crew is also very strategic. Teams will get better at this game the more they play. |
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Full-color Manual and LogbookLearning how to play The Crew is easy with the 22-page manual. The logbook outlines the 50 missions you can take with your team. Along with a space to record your missions. |
Two-player variantThe Crew can easily be played with different numbers of players (from 3 - 5). If you want to play with 2 players, there is a unique setup that will provide players with a whole new experience. |
Color Blind FriendlyThe colors of the cards are important to this game. But don't worry if you or your friend are color blind because each color also has a unique symbol that is printed on the cards. |
KOSMOS Helper AppIf you don't feel like reading the manual, you can also learn how to play The Crew on the KOSMOS Helper App which uses animation, text, and audio. You can download the Helper App on either iOS or Android. |
Videos
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Videos for this product
2:07
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The Crew is the Best Trick Taking Game Ever!
Geek Main Base
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1:22
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Is The Quest For Planet 9 Worth Embarking On?
Kevin Smullin
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0:38
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The Crew: Fun Family Card Game with Endless Varieity
Anne
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0:35
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Love that this is a collaborative teamwork game!
Reviews by Megan
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0:55
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REVIEW - The Crew! Fun twist on trick taking & co-op games
KW Reviews
Reviews with images
Great game, card quality is not up to par
I got this as a present for Christmas because the game itself is actually very fun (played before at a friend’s house). But after less than a week of game play, the cards are already getting crusty? It seems like the paint from the cards are coming off and getting other cards dirty (see picture). Pretty disappointing, since we really like this game.
Top reviews from other countries
Amazon Customer
Quick and family friend board game
Reviewed in Canada on January 13, 2023
Amazon Customer
Reviewed in Canada on January 13, 2023
Images in this review
