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Fruit Fight is a card game in CMYK's Magenta line. All of the games in the Magenta line feature the same color scheme and, let's be frank, are designed to look good next to each other on the shelf. I'm sure it's in the boardgaming bi-laws that if you are going to have a shelf of shame, it should at least be a stylish shelf of shame. But the Magenta line is built to be played and won't gather dust on the shelf.
Fruit Fight (I bet Friedman Friese is pissed that game title is now off the market) is designed by Reiner Knizia, who occasionally takes a break from designing evergreen masterpieces to design cute little card games that are, well, kind of just simple, lighter masterpieces. It doesn't get much more rules-lite than Fruit Fight.
The deck of cards is placed in the middle of the table and each player takes their turn by revealing cards from the top of the deck. Each piece of fruit revealed will have a point value and each player has what I call “Three Card Grace” (I love everything about this) which means that they can reveal any cards for their first three cards. However, after a player has three cards, if they reveal another copy of ANY card their have in front of themselves, they bust and all the cards are removed from the game. Players can stop at any time but they don't score the points in front of themselves until the beginning of their next turn. Once a player has froze, the next player begins their turn and, if they reveal a card that any other player has in front of themselves, they have the chance to steal ALL copies of that fruit from around the table and add it to their hand. Play continues like this until all of the cards in the deck have been dealt out and whoever has the most points, wins.
What you end up with is fruit flying around between players so fast it ends up matching the motion blurred art on the cards. All those points you hoped to bank get siphoned off by other players before you have a chance to cash them in. You get the highs of stealing a stack of high point fruits only to have another player snag them from you...and then bust before you have a chance to pilfer them back.
Push your luck, steal or don't steal, how many copies of each card are in the game. I love when a light game has a hidden depth that is there for those who want to look for it. Having the ability to steal all of a fruit that is out on the table doesn't mean a player will actually use it. Deciding if picking up a few low point fruits because you matched with them is a good move because it will put you over your three card “Grace” is one of the wonderful decisions you must make.
Fruit Fight doesn't have any targeted aggression or take-that cards, all of the grudges you develop in the game come from your own mind. That bastard who stole your cards deserves to bust...but not until you steal those watermelons back from them. You can feel the tension as the deck slowly dwindles and your chance to score and/or get revenge goes with it.
If the gameplay sounds familiar, you are not going crazy. This title has been re-implemented more than a few times and has been riffed on by other card games (I'm looking at you Flip 7). But, that is sort of what the whole Magenta Line of card games is about...publishing proven, quality card games.
I can't hear the name Fruit Fight without picturing John Belushi screaming it across a college cafeteria. So, you'll have to forgive me when I say “This game is a H-I-T. Hit.” What I don't expect you to forgive me for is me saying “Fruit Fight is a fast, frenetic filler of flinging food that fully fits into a fun filled family-friendly foray into...CMYK's Magenta line.” (Kind of ran out of alliteration steam and/or desire at the end there).
A review copy of this release was provided by the publisher. Therewillbe.games would like to thank them for their support.
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