I am looking for a simple card game that would be fun for the elderly and at the same time would break the monotony of traditional card games, that they are currently playing. Preferably something internationally popular so it is easy to buy in the EU.
Edit: Thanks everyone. I bought The Crew and noted a lot of other games. Hope it will go well :)
Our current favourite The Crew was already mentioned.
Phase 10 used to be the staple to bring out at gatherings, both with family and friends. I personally have outgrown it a bit, but it’s easy to learn and it’s probably the game in our household that has been played for the most hours.
- Sea Salt & Paper is set collection with some rummy elements. Some simple but fun card abilities mix it up. One of our favorites. Available in the EU (Philibert, probably others too)
- in Cabo you are trying to minimize the value of your face down cards. Has a memory element but not too bad. Widely available.
- Bohnanza is a good recommendation. It’s very easy to learn and doesn’t fall into the usual brackets of shedding or trick taking.
- Scout is my favorite combo shedding game (ie. you’re shedding multiple cards at once). The way you’re always either drawing or shedding keeps the play much more dynamic than in Daihinmin or the Great Dalmuti
- Frantic from GameFactory isn’t widely available but in the EU you can probably get it. UNO on steroids. More exciting special cards and you can play them against any player, not just the one following you.
- Tichu a team based trick taking game that has a lot of fans around here. I personally have never really taken to it. It’s fine but I don’t get the rabid fandom some have for it.
- The Crew is ridiculously difficult with 5 and cumbersome with 2. Would only recommend it in between. But there it is a very clever game.
We often play “6 nimmt” with our Grandma. That is always a blast. Simple to learn, quick to set up and a lot of Schadenfreude from my Grandma when she tricks somebody into taking cards!
The crew! Both versions of it allow for replayability as you have different objectives every game. It is a trick taking game, so they might be a bit familiar with it due to other games like bridge. And it is cheap. Only thing that might take them a bit to get used to is that it is coop.
Another simple one would be take 6 (nimmt 6).
