Welcome to Which Game First where we boldly explore the hilariously huge world of board games. Did we unearth any hidden treasures you’ve been missing out on? Let’s find out!







First up: We press our luck with every new card dealt in Flip 7Next: We spell out names five letters at a time in HookyAnd lastly: We get nice and limber as we yell out “timber” in Logger







Flip 7







Designed by: Eric OlsenPublished by: The Op Games (2024)Players: 3 & upAges: 8 & upPlaying time: 20 minutes







Flip over cards one by one without flipping the same number twice.







Sounds easy? Think again! This isn’t just any deck of cards… In Flip 7 there’s only one 1 card, two 2’s, three 3’s, all the way up to twelve 12’s and even a zero! plus a bunch of special cards that can score you extra points, cards that give you a second chance if you flip a card that would bust you, a card to stop everything and flip three on yourself or an opponent, or freeze you or your opponents in your tracks.







Are you the type of player to play it safe and bank points before you bust, or are you going to risk it all and go for the bonus points by flipping over seven numeric cards without busting? Press your luck meets strategy in this addictive card game that’s sure to be the greatest card game you’ve ever played!







Hooky







Designed by: James Miller and Friends of AseemaPublished by: Rio Grande Games (2023)Players: 3 – 5Ages: 14 & upPlaying time: 45 – 60 minutes







Did you hear that bell? School is in! Take a look around though, and you’ll see some empty seats. Uh oh! Of the 26 children who should be in class today, three students are off playing hooky. It’s your job as the homeroom teacher to figure out who’s missing as students straggle in from the playground. 







In Hooky, each letter of the alphabet is represented by one student. Every player receives an opening hand of letters, with three returned to the box- the students playing hooky- and three set aside to be revealed after rounds one, two, and three- the students coming in late. Players start the game by creating a five-letter word using at least one of the letters in their hand and telling the other players how many of their secret letters are in that word, but not which letters. Over the course of five rounds, players similarly quiz each other asking about five letter words and keeping track of the amount of secret letters contained in those words.







Players not only gain points by guessing which letters are playing hooky, but you can gain points if you correctly guess the letters in other players’ hands as well! Will you play it safe and try to deduce letters one by one, or will you shoot for the moon and hope your guesses are lucky? Let the search begin!







Logger







Designed by: Erik DresnerPublished by: Unpublished / Loony Labs (2008)Players: 2 – 4Ages: (not listed)Playing time: 20 – 30 minutes







Four rival lumberjacks are competing to chop down the most trees for their business. However, standing in their way are tree-hugging hippies protesting the deforestation.







Logger is a game played with Looney Labs pyramids, some meeples, and a 6×6 grid. While that sounds simple enough, there’s more to this game than looks! Players move orthogonally around the board, planting seedlings and growing trees as they move adjacent to those spaces. Once a space has a fully grown tree, a player can chop down that tree as well as any other fully grown trees in that line. Watch out though, as players can place protesters into trees to keep ...