Spiel 2014 Preview: Office 21
Posted by James (admin) on 30th September 2014
Office 21 is a quick, card game where players are trying to have their ‘office’ of workers generate exactly $21 million profit, i.e. their values add up to 21. Players take turns adding one worker (card) from their hand of three into their set of cards on the table (office). As well as having different values, each card has a special effect too, such as removing a card from your own office, turning an opponent’s card face-down, looking at the next card on the draw pile and choosing to take it or put it back, and so on.
So, cards you play can be used to alter other player’s offices as well as your own office, which means there will be plenty of spoiling other players’ attempts, and subsequent petty revenge (which will be entertaining). A few cards interact with each other automatically; for example, The Boss and Secretary get on very well indeed. If a Boss card is showing and a Secretary card is played by someone then both cards are turned face down whilst they are, erm, occupied. Face-down cards do not count towards your total (but will if they get turned back up again).
There are several ways in which a game can end, and the way it ends determines how the winner is judged. A player wins if their office has a total of exactly 21 and still has 21 when it is their next turn – so other players get one chance to mess with their office and/or win a better way. However, if a player plays a Tax Man card, play continues until that Tax Man is reached again (he could get removed) then it’s the player with the lowest total who wins. Any player who exceeds a total of 21 is automatically out, so a player can win if they’re the last man standing.
Tags: board game news, Board Games, board gaming, Essen, Office 21, Spiel 14, Spiel 2014, Swan Panasia, Table Friends
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