The Facts:

Earthquake is a card game for 3-4 players and is stated to play in about 20 minutes, though we feel 15-20 minutes is probably more accurate, possibly less with a seasoned group of players. Billed as “from the designers of Magic the Gathering”, there really is little to do with the Magic universe, other than the illustrators and the iconography. The game was designed by Mike Elliott with additional development by Skaff Elias, Richard Garfield, Bill Rose and Wizards R&D.

James’s Take:

Earthquake is a rummy-style card game using a scoring system that multiplies off of opponents’ played suits. While your depth of choices for optimal scoring may seem limited, the key is in the bluff. Your best strategy may lie in holding back until an opponent feels secure enough to lay a few cards allowing you to capitalize on their play. Earthquake seems to embrace the upper-management mentality of “profit by compounding the efforts of others” to great psychological effect. Nothing angers a gamer like helping an opponent score or worse, giving them the victory all-together! This is a great ‘tweener game (played between larger, meatier games) or after a long night of gaming, when you lack the head for something with a bit more depth. Earthquake is also an excellent choice when gaming with young children as there is little reading, simple rules and the cards that do have writing are incredibly concise and easily memorized. The only aspect that may give young gamers difficulty is the basic multiplication in the scoring, though the scoring concept is easily grasped and can be assisted in by an older player. This is one of my favorite quickies… a constant battle of one-upmanship or X-upmanship (with the multiplying score mechanism). If you can get your hands on a copy (and it will be a challenge) this is a must for a lite filler.

Gillian’s Comment:

Earthquake is a light card game that can be brought out and taught to gamers and non-gamers of all levels very quickly. I, personally, enjoy playing this game with our 6-year-old son. While, as stated above, he doesn’t completely grasp the multiplication scoring yet…it’s pretty easy to understand that if you have a lot of cards that match other cards that are out…you should probably play them…and he does…and he has so much fun! We play so many games that are difficult for him to play without at least a little help that it’s nice to know we can take this one out and easily play as a family.

Iain’s Comment:

“I like the matching and the artwork is great. They did the skeletons very good.”