Stats:
No. of players: 3-6
Amount of time to play: 30-45 min
Age requirements: 14+
Set-up time: minimal

In Mai Star you play a geisha who must gain guests. Different guests are worth a different number of VPs. If after three rounds you have the most VPs you win.

Mai Star Rules Description:

You begin Mai Star by choosing your geisha. Each geisha is slightly different and can help determine your strategy for the game. Some geisha work better with certain cards and others let you take extra actions or have better stats.

The geisha have 3 stats for recruiting guests performance, service and intelligence. Each stat is related to a color. Guests also have a color and your geisha’s stat must be greater than or equal to a guest’s requirement in its color. A guest might grant you a one-time special action you may take when they are put into play.

The guest cards can also be played as advertisers. When played this way they add to one or more of your geisha’s stats.

Once a player is out of cards the rounds end. You score VPs based on the guests you played but lose two points for each card left in your hand (to a minimum of 0).

The first round you start with five cards, the second round you get six cards and the final round you have seven. After the three rounds are over the player with the most VPs wins.

Quick Review of Mai Star:

Mai Star is a fun filler that is very accessible. It has some “take that “ in it and can be fairly random. But it is fun, quick and easy to teach and play.

The art and components for this game are top-notch. The rules are easy to read and follow too. The box is a nice size and is super portable.

Your geisha can help you create fun combinations and some have good synergy with certain cards. What guest you play and who you attack with a guest’s ability usually means a lot.

One thing my group felt upon playing Mai Star is that the geisha are not balanced. It seemed like a few needed to get the right colors to be competitive. We also felt the only way to catch up is to pick on the leader. And a couple people also questioned the theme.
If you or your group is looking for fun filler that is quick to play and easy to teach and learn, try Mai Star out. This can also be a good game to play with non-gamers.

Score and synopsis: (Click here for an explanation of these review categories.)
Strategy 3 out of 6
Luck 5 out of 6
Player Interaction 5 out of 6
Replay Value 4 out of 6
Complexity 3 out of 6
Fun 4 out of 6
Overall 4 out of 6