Stats:
No. of players: 2-5
Amount of time to play: 20-30 min
Age requirements: 8+
Set-up time: minimal

Hanabi is the Japanese word for fireworks. In this cooperative card game you must work together to create the most spectacular fireworks display.

Hanabi Rules Description:

Hanabi is a cooperative card game in which you can only see the other players’ cards, not yours. You must create color-matched runs from one to five before the deck runs out or three errant cards are played.

You start the game with four or five cards (depending on the number of players) all facing away from you.

On your turn you may give a hint, discard a card or play a card. Giving a hint let’s you point to another player’s card and tell them its color or number. This action also requires you to discard one blue token. You cannot give a hint if you no longer have one of the eight blue tokens to discard. You may also discard a card and draw back up or play a card. This action lets you gain a blue token. The card played must begin or add to a current run or it will count towards one of your three errant cards.

The game ends when the deck is out of cards, three errant cards have been played or you build all five runs before the cards run out. You score your runs based on the number of cards in them and can see how well you did in the rules.

Quick Review of Hanabi:

Hanabi is a cooperative card game that is accessible and fun for all ages. It really shines with families and groups with three to five players. It plays quick and is easy to teach.

The art and cards look nice and are well made. The rules are easy to read and follow. The box is compact and this game is super portable.

Hanabi is a fun deduction game. You need to figure out it is best to give information and just what information is the most helpful.

This game can be tense. A player might discard a card when they don’t have enough information. There is only one of each colored five in the deck. Discarding any of the fives guarantees you won’t complete the firework of that color.

There is a sixth rainbow color that can be used for four different variants. These increase the game’s difficulty and add to its replayability.

Hanabi is a fun, quick cooperative game of set collection. It does not work well with two but otherwise scales well. If your game group or family is looking for a cooperative game that plays fast pick this up.

Score and synopsis: (Click here for an explanation of these review categories.)
Strategy 3 out of 6
Luck 4 out of 6
Player Interaction 6 out of 6
Replay Value 4 out of 6
Complexity 3 out of 6
Fun 4 out of 6
Overall 4 out of 6