Miami Dice: The Mind 

The Mind would make a perfect TV Game Show where a team of players play for a jackpot. And if they don't win, they add $5000 more to the jackpot and it keeps getting bigger and bigger. I would watch the show.

Fake psychic? You mean a psychic?

"downtime is a mechanism in this game". 10/10. Sam nailed it.

Got this for my bday and just played for the first time today and thought it was fantastic. It's great for people who don't play games because the rules are light. And we definitely felt like we were getting more in synch and better level by level. We enjoyed it a lot.

Sam, I will gift you a "Yes, I have played The Mind" t-shirt for conventions if you promise to wear it... :D

I prefer the communication rule that Marco describes in his review video. That is, that there is simply NO communication WHATSOEVER. No voice, no body language, no noises, no signals. Nothing. And I agree that's the only way it should be played. But despite, the group will eventually figure out how to communicate, even when abiding by the above rule. That's when this game shines.

I'm surprised they didn't mention The Game as a comparison. It's a very similar mechanism.

The main issue Tom seems to have is that it's an activity. What he used to describe that, can be used to describe, literally, every party game ever. The Mind is in essence a combination of card game and party game. If you don't like card game or party games...you will hate this game, but if you like one or both, this will be a gem. I do agree, the quality level of the game isn't quite to the hype-level, I get that. But that's not the fault of the game. On the other hand, this is one of the cheapest games I own, at least I don't feel like a blew $70 on a big-box board game that was way over-hyped and ended up not really liking it much.

This is like an old drama warm up/bonding exercise we used to do. Everyone stood in a circle holding hands, stare at a spot on the floor, then you randomly say numbers in sequential order from 1 to whatever resetting if multiple people say the same number at the same time. The mind seems like someone took that idea and made a game around it. Looking forward to getting it for my family since it seems like a very easy game to pick up.

This is an amazing game and an incredible design. What’s so good about it (that wasn’t mentioned by the DT guys at all) is that like Hanabi the gameplay is emergent, in that the ‘communication’ between the players evolves during the game and subsequent games . This means that the game can play very different with different groups. It also means that groups can improve at the game, but in different ways. I love it. It’s not for everyone, but I’ve played it with many more people who have loved the game too than not. Most groups have instantly gone and bought a copy after playing it.

This went over HUGE with my family. Constant laughter. It's original, elegant, charming, and engaging enough to be worthy of an SdJ nomination. There's zero downtime if you're studying how people play and tune in to the vibe of the table. Is it for everyone? Perhaps not. For us it was cooperative anxiousness, in a good way. When it clicks with a group it serves the best outcomes of gaming-good memories and enjoying the people around the table.

it is nice to see a review that agrees with me on this. I can't see why people like The Mind. Having watched it on BGG, it looks like a quasi-interesting activity but it's not a game. It looks like it gets old quite quickly. Hard pass.

I really appreciate how frank Sam was on his opinion of this game. Some people will like this game, some people won't. If your perspective on this type of game leans the same way as Sam's, watching this video will save you some money. If you're like Zee, you'll have a new game to teach. It's not about "getting it"; it's all about what you enjoy in your gaming experience.

I've always thought of a game as a voluntary activity with a set of rules defining unnecessary obstacles that have to be overcome in order to reach a goal. In my mind, The Mind definitely qualifies as a game, so I'd be interested to hear the definition of "game" from someone who doesn't think The Mind is one.

You have to play your lowest card. You can't just play the 99 to loose a life when you have other cards.

You can’t really “game” The Mind by sacrificing a life, as playing your cards in order is a hard and fast rule. You may as well say you can “game” Hanabi by holding your hand of cards the other way round. :) I think your view of the game has been hugely affected by your irritation at being asked about it so much. I had no knowledge of it when I first enountered it and I absolutely love the concept, and have never had anything but a great time playing. Your patronizing laughs every time Zee brought up a positive about the game are the reason I thumbed-down the video. I get that you don’t enjoy it that much, but you not liking a game doesn’t automatically mean that it’s crap.

Seems like my type of party game. Not many people like the don't talk rule however, and there doesn't seem much clues to go off of unless you go meta.

It felt like "Hanabi the Party Game" to me. Very fun filler with the right group and in the right mood.

If this was a team game, where two teams were competing to complete the order then fastest, losing points for mistakes, it would make more sense

You have to play your lowest card. Can't do the "just play the 99" card unless it's your lowest card.

I don't understand the comparison of this game with Hanabi. In Hanabi you cannot see your cards, but you have a very structured way to give hints, which make the game a logical puzzle in trying to give the best hints and play/discard the correct card as a consequence in order to progress the game or get hints back. This is nothing like what is going on with The Mind.

Exactly the way I feel about this one, it's almost as if you read my mind. Tons of hype, wouldn't mind getting a copy for my family, but I don't think this one will get much play in my group. We prefer to play games over the activities.

Played the Mind today with 3 other fellow gamers. If you havent played it I seriously recommend you do before commenting on whether it's good or bad. Like many I read the rules and wasn't very impressed, and then I played it and it was truly a unique experience. We had genuine moments of tension and laughs and ended up playing it 5 times in a row! A Great filler between heavier games, and one I'm adding to my personal collection.

17:41 "Have you played THE MIND yet?" #1 quote by Sam Healey.

Just a correction on your rules interpretation, I believe you can only play your lowest card. So while you can game the system by playing the 100 card, that card must be the lowest number in your hand.

I heard the intro song in line for Millennium Force roller coaster in Ohio today lol what's the name of it?

What a thrilling playthrough video the Mind would be! Pair it with Magic Maze and silent Happy Salmon and you would have such a unique video experience! (insert sarcasm emoji here)

Still would be fun to see you guys play it live... with Chaz and Hunter

Love that discussion ;).

I'd say it is more of an acrivity than a game. It is much like training with your sports team or practising with your band or string quartet ;-) You work on timing with your teammates. There is of course nothing psychic about it, it is just the fun challenge of developing a joint sense of pacing.

man feels like ages....i miss the old times :)

The Mind: Educational Edition Sleeve 100 mathematics flash cards in opaque card sleeves, covering the answer side. The solution is the value of the card. Replace numbered cards from The Mind with these, then play.

It is a good bar game. I've only played it with 6 to 9 people on a homemade copy made out of a 6 Takes deck. BUT, we restarted each level when we lost a life. Do you all keep playing the same hand until the lives are zero? Played our way, the rounds/lives go quickly. We set the victory at finishing level 3 for that many people. With more players there is more contention about who has the lowest card. We house-ruled that when you shuriken (discard) the lowest numbered card that was discarded goes on top of the pile. Seemed to work well, we had fun.

From videos I have watched with people playing, it feels like the title of the game should be "Boredom, the game". Basically you take a guess and hope for the best. Sure having a basic - very basic - idea of probabilities helps, but it feels so dumb.

Great game! It conveys a lot of tension and emotions. A lot of satisfaction when you unlock a succesion of close calls. There is no other game like this and I could play this a whole night without stoping. Sam saying "I get why some people like it..." No, the big beta does not get it.

Great review guys, captured my thoughts exactly on this game, it’s similar to another one called The Game which was also just ok.

Good man Sam! Not enough game - completely agree

I played this. Hanabi is a better co-op game in the style not knowing all the information on the table, I would still play this game if others wanted to though.

Here's the thing about hype in board games. If it's hype made by people playing it then it's not hype. It means a lot of people love playing it! I just saw multiple vids of people loving this game after playing it. Even if Sam, Zee, and Tom aren't that into it. I'm not dogging the guys here. It's their opinion but I took their opinion on Codenames and never played it until this last Origins. Loved it! Just like EVERYONE else loved it when it came out and they were saying it was overhyped(Sam/Zee, not Tom).

Would love to see some introspective from the guys on why so many people are nuts for this game, but they aren't.

The game looks really cool on the black background! I am sure it looks slightly less impressive on a normal dining table LoL

Sam’s eye roll at 15:25 is super funny!

I think that they left off Numbing from the game name.

My favourite game of the year. We've played it dozens of times and everyone I've played it with, LOVES it! SdJ Winner for me! LOVE this game! =)

Good thing about this game, you can play it with regular or custom cards and see if it clicks with your group and seems potential to be played often enough, than you go buy it ;), thats what i did with resistance, warewolf and some more games ;) this one and when i dream are next games im trying to make it my self just to try it out with my groups of friends.

What this is ALL about, is the group experience and the learning as a group. In this, it is full of tension! But if you are not a cooperative player, and If You want just fun of your own actions, its not gonna make you happy.

typically not an ice breaker game or gateway game ..its more of an experience with whom your playing with..i tried it yesterday and Iiked it and want to try with more people I think 4 players will be great

This may be one of the best game reviews I have ever seen! Loved the video!

So the game is basically The Lost Expedition with out the fun stuff.

This game is not for everyone. I'm an avid board/card gamer, this was not a hit in our house.

It is more of a team building exorcise than a game.

100% agree with Sam. Game is mostly ok, and can be a fun distraction/activity, but there isn't enough game here, for it to get the praise and accolades it is receiving. The fact this was nominated for the Spiel is a bit mind-boggling. i see the appeal for sure, but it's not the second-coming of board gaming that everyone seems to think it is

There needs to be a game called "Downtime: the Mechanism." Apparently someone thinks its this lol.

"downtime the mechanism". Delightful burn Mr sam

Sam is Mr. Anti Hype. 7 Wonders innovative anyone? :)

15 minute final thoughts

I wished the rules were read. You have to play the lowest card.

This is one of the best games ever created. On par with Codenames. Amazing, amazing design.

So it's cooperative War. This game would be fine if the gameplay itself allowed some communication. Like Hanabi. This isn't really a game but a random activity.

Tell you what, it's a cracking little gateway game, among non-gamers. Fascinating concept + simplicity + quick play. But Yeah, gets a bit old among gamers.

EDIT: Oh, okay, they did mention this in the video. Glad I wasn't the only one who thought of it. It could be a neat game, but it just doesn't seem like it would be enough of a game for me. Everyone says "you have to play it to get it," but to me it seems super solvable. Couldn't everyone just count up from 1 in their head and play their card when they get to that number? Yes, some people count faster or slower than others, but it shouldn't be so far off that you completely lose the game.

I realize this is random, but I want to see Tom wear a Kid Rock wig under that hat in an episode.

The hype train seemed way too strong on this one..... And I fear the next one will be Fireball Island

Having not played this game, I feel like I want to summarize it like this: I can absolutely see why you wouldn't want to play it over and over, but I DEFINITELY want to play it at least once. That's why the hype-people and the nay-sayers are both loud voices for this one!

Sam was hilarious here. I have not played the mind but i thought the same thing when heard of it, that i would quickly get bored of it.

I guess, The Mind might get old after a few games, but you have to consider it's really cheap, too. So I don't think, it will get a lot of backlash after the hype, because people get some quality time out of it. For me, Zombicide Black Plague isn't very much of a game, too. It also gets old pretty quickly, most people won't play it much more then two or three times, but it costs a LOT more. Also I agree with Zee here, that you can pull out The Mind with a lot of people, even most non-gamers. And it's fun to get and share the experience, when somebody new get's "blown his or her mind" by playing this for the first time. So I'm quite confident, that I will get some more games out of my copy before I trade it away. IF I will trade it away.

I just purchased the game. I absolutely understand your caveats and criticism - the only thing I don't get is: what's the deal? I paid 7,50 Euro for it and if I get about three to five games out of it with several people - being it a game or an activity- I am perfectly fine with the concept. I think I mostly agree with Zee but will find out as soon as I get it. Honestly, I think you are giving it way too much weight for these few bucks. It is indeed original and an idea I might like as an experience...

game seems fun, but I like to play games with my FRIENDS, and I actually like to TALK to my friends as well. So I find games that don't allow me to talk to my friends a little annoying. It is short though, so that is good.

This seems like Hanabi, with missing rules.

Wir haben "The Mind" auch mal getestet. Das sehr lustige Ergebnis könnt ihr hier sehen: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ZRnhI-3yy_I.htmlsub_confirmation=1

I was confused. From the way this game plays, I thought it was The Mime - a ripoff of that rule in Witch of Salem. Eh, Zee?

I'm with Sam on this one

I get that artwork is subjective, but for me, the look of this game detracts a lot from the actual game. Imagine if they had different artwork on each card or they had something that makes more sense than a throwing star! I think this would be a great group game or an icebreaker when getting to know people, but it just looks so bad.

Zee seems to just get it.

Downtime The Game“ 😂 Love it!“

it's so baffling to me, peoples comments about this game. Why is everyone so intent on breaking it? Why is everyone so intent on cheating? Nobody says "monopoly is so easy to game, I just reach over to the bank and take all the money out." It's really bizarre.

I guess games like this are ALSO being streamlined. This is essentially Hanabi streamlined. But Hanabi has far more interesting depth.

I don't understand how The Mind kept being described as unique and innovative. It's identical to a parlor game that was popular when I was a child which was played using multiple card decks and a hierarchy of suits. Saying "The Mind" is innovative makes about as much sense as playing Eat Poop You Cat and then turning around to say Telestrations is innovative. Game makers should at least have the common decency to acknowledge when all they've done is repackage an old public domain game and presented it to the public for sale. It's not even a practice I oppose - Telestrations is fantastic.

I hate that game. It reminds me of Bingo. If there is a 6,7 and 8 on different hands in the game for example it might work out or it won‘t. It is that simple. Almost pure luck. Like rolling dice and celebrating that three people roll a six at the same time. Wow, what a cool feeling. We did it! Wooohooo. I fear this will be nominated for Spiel des Jahres though, which we will find out soon.

A filler that is decent and under $20 is a good deal. Even if you only play a few times every couple of months. Hyped? Probably, but so is Century Spice Road and u don't see it getting all the hype hate.

Looks like Hanabi to me

would rather play Hanabi

seems like the hype negatively affected their experience... this is a really good design.

A lotta buzzkills in this comment section. It is what it is I guess. I haven't played this game and I do agree that I wouldn't want to play it every game night, but if you don't see how this could be entertaining then I feel like you are looking hard enough. The Gamenight! playthrough shows how interesting this can be and, at a pretty cheap price point, it certainly seems like something worth having if for nothing else than turning it into a drinking game lol. Also, why does everyone want to "solve" the game so bad? You can cheat in any coop game, but then why even play?

There's actually a really easy way to reliably win The Mind. Before each round begins, agree on a song that everyone knows the rhythm to fairly well ("Stayin' Alive" is a good choice), and use that as a metronome: everyone in the group counts up in their heads, starting from 1, according to the metronome you've agreed on. When you hit a given number, play that number if you have it. And when someone else plays a card, resync your metronome to that. This doesn't guarantee you'll never lose a life (during long stretches of no cards, everyone's metronomes can get out of sync), but it will keep you from losing so many as to lose the game entirely.

I don't think this meets the definition of a game. It's more of an uncomfortable awkward activity.

Sigh...i don't think it's a good game for a convention setting, and is certainly no party game. The fascination of the game comes from how different people perceive time, and the passing of time. How people can play their cards and think that they waited a long time, while others are surprised that the player was so sure so fast. It's not about pushing your look, and its best when there is no cheating. It's about getting into a groove as a group, relying on the other players that they know how long to wait and so on... Sorry guys, this review comes across as a little too superficial ;-)

Nominated for Spiel Des Jahres for Best Game. Sorry, Sam.

How many times can they call it original and not once mention The Game?

Sorry Sam, but if this game was long, the down time would matter, but it's at most 15 minutes per game, waiting is not that big a deal if you have high numbers in your hand the hand is over very quickly.

after the cards are dealt if everyone starts counting 1-100 in their heads and plays the card when they reach their number, they win easily. no communication needed thru the game.

One of Sam's (and to a lesser extent Tom's) criticisms seems to be that it's popular but they don't really like it. I bet if it were a miniatures game and everyone at a con was telling them to play it then it's popularity would be a check in the plus column.

Bought some blank playing cards from Amazon and made my own.

why does people hate this game so much it's a simple game, cheap enough (because only cards), not complicated (no 3d object)

Why would you play a game that prohibits you from communicating with the other players?

So the pc police are blowing up Sam on Twitter because he was hard on the game and accusing him of "gatekeeping".. Whatever that is. Stay strong Sam and stay salty

To be fair, sliced bread is not that good... it's actually pretty bad...

Hi I am Patrick. Patrick can't read people's mind. Patrick out

The Mind is the game equivalent of a chick flick. People are always trying to drag you to it, your immediate reaction is "oh god not again", you're not allowed to talk, you spend the whole time with your face buried in your hand waiting for it to be over, and you will only ever do it as a favor after which the instigating party owes you big time.

Here is the thing with this game: you cannot look at this game through gamer's eyes. You have to look at it for what it is. It's not a gamer's game. It's a people's game. What I mean by this is that you could play this game with literally ANYBODY. They would understand the game, they would play it and they would have such a great time and realize how modern board games are amazing. As a gamer, I think this game is totally bad. As a common folk, I can clearly see this game as an amazing thing to make people sit down and play and have fun and spend a great time with them. It's also important to understand that this game puts the people around the table in the first row. Contrary to most games on the market, where the game is the main focus of everyone, The Mind suggests that people around the table become the main focus. And this is where it shines. You have to get on board with what it presents and play along. Only doing so will show you how great this game is. You have to take it for what it is. Not a gamer's game, but a people's game.