Stats:
No. of players: 2-4
Amount of time to play: 20-30 min
Age requirements: 7+
Set-up time: minimal

Seven7s is a light card game that is quick to play and easy to teach. Can you score more VPs than your opponents?

Seven7s Rules Description:

You start Seven7s by dealing each player three cards and then flipping over the top card of the draw deck. This starts the first of up to seven columns. Each of the seven card types when played will have their own column. The game ends once one column has seven cards in it.

On your turn you must play one of your three cards, execute its power and then draw back up to three cards. There are seven types of cards numbered one through seven. Here are the seven card types and their powers:

Ages of Man – These cards do not have a special power during the game. But they may be added to any column or their own. At the end of the game for each card in this column a high card does not score. So if there is one card in the Ages of Man column sevens count as zero VPs but if there are three sevens, sixes and fives count as 0zero VPs.

Colors – The most recently played Colors card determines the current wild color. Cards matching the wild color may be played in any column and trigger that column’s power. At the end of the game cards in the wild color score VPs equal to the highest scoring cards. So if blue was wild in the first example above all blue cards score six VPs no matter their actual value.

Deadly Sins – These allow you to take a card from an opponent and discard it to the appropriate column. You do not trigger that card’s power. Then your opponent draws back to three cards and you do the same.

Holy Virtues – When played Holy Virtues let you draw another card and play another card.

Lucky Gods – Luck Gods cards let you guess the top card of the draw deck. You must guess a number or color and reveal the top card of the draw deck. If you guess the number or color of that card place it in front of you. It is worth two VPs at the end of the game. If you are wrong you draw that card and end your turn.

Seas – These cards let you take the last card played on any column and put it in your hand. You do not get a card from the draw deck after playing a Seas card.

Wonders – Wonders cards let you look at any combination of three cards from the draw deck or your opponents’ hand. You can rearrange cards you looked at from the deck.

If you play a seventh card on a column it is played sideways and the game ends immediately. You do not trigger the power of this card but you do add it to your hand for scoring.

You total the values of the cards in your hand and add two VPs for any cards collect with Lucky Gods cards. Be sure you check the Ages of Man and Colors column and tally your score accordingly. The player with the most VPs wins. If there is a tie, the player with the lowest non-zero valued card wins.

A Quick Review of Seven7s:

Seven7s is a great way to start game night. Or play a quick game after dinner with your family or friends. It is easy to teach and enjoyable by gamers and non-gamers young and old.

The components for this game are good and the art looks very nice. The cards are durable and well made. The rules are a bit ambiguous and not very well written. You can watch a video on how to play here.

I really like all the interaction of the cards’ powers and how they can change the game state. Not all have a big impact, but many of them can. The Ages of Man and Colors cards can really change the complexion of players’ hands.

Even though this is a fairly light game it is deeper than it seems. It can be random as you can only play what you get, but you have some control of the game state and certain cards can help you mitigate some of the randomness.

If you are looking for a fun quick card game that you can teach and play with most anyone, pick Seven7s up. It is really fun for what it is and doesn’t overstay its welcome.

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