Dixit

Aren't they pretty?

I’m generally good at games, but Dixit involves skills like noticing small details and understanding pop culture references, which are absent from my DNA.  Even when clues are specifically meant for me, I have a 50/50 shot at getting them right and about a 10% chance of it being for the correct reason.

  Publisher:

  Asmodee

Designer:

Jean-Louis Roubira

Elevator Pitch:

Describe a card of abstract artwork anyway you like.  Each other player takes a card from their hand and tries to match your description.   Shuffle them together and have each other player try to figure out which one your original card was.  If at least one, but not all get it, success!

Personal Impression:

There is fairly strong correlation between games I like and games I’m good at, so the fact that I like Dixit despite my terribleness at it is high praise.  It is fun, though sometimes frustrating to come up with the right clue for a card, or try to figure out someone else’s reference.  Once in a while when I do nail it, it feels pretty sweet.

Good for People who Grew up Playing:

Pictionary

  

Ease of Learning:

The Elevator pitch is pretty much all the rules, minus scoring.  It is not a difficult game to teach.  It does however require players be able to look at the abstract art and let their imagination run, which not everyone can do or enjoys doing.

Fidgety Index

The art is absolutely fascinating.  You can stare at it all day.  Nothing to play with though.

Universal Theme:

Dixit fits in the party game realm, which generally don’t do theme.  Dixit is no exception.

Player Count and Length:

3-6.   Works better on the higher player counts where there are more cards to choose between.  Game takes about 45 minutes to go around the board, but is easily shortened or lengthened.  Expansions add components for up to 12 players, but I have not tried it with that many.

Expansions:

After a while you are going to get repeat clues, so it is good to expand your Dixit.  The easy part of choosing among Dixit expansions is that each expansion is just more cards, so you can pick whichever set has artwork you like.  The tricky part is that some expansions come in multiple forms and names.  The expansion called Dixit 3 is just an additional pack of cards, however it is also available as a standalone under the name Dixit Journey.  Meanwhile Dixit Odyssey comes in two forms, under the same name: one is a standalone game with components to expand to 12 players, and the other is just the cards.  For the completionists, there are numerous promos as well.

Spin Offs:

Dixit Jinx in rotten stepchild of the Dixit family.  It adds a speed element that is out of place and ruins the core of what makes Dixit great.

Mysterium is what happens when you turn Dixit into a co-op.  It technically isn’t a Dixit game, but it is close enough in style and artwork that you can replace the cards with those from Dixit and it works just fine.  It is tough game, particularly if you are the Ghost trying to clue the rest of the players, but it can be nice to work together.  

Introducing the Game to New Gamers: 

Don’t try to game the system.  Don’t use clues that are completely random, from a previous game, or that only one person could get, like “the place we went for our 5^th wedding anniversary.”  This isn’t really a suggestion for playing with newbies as much as it is just making it an enjoyable game.  Otherwise you will annoy your opponents and be mad at your spouse for forgetting your glorious evening at Morton’s Steakhouse.

Apps:

Technically there is an app, but it hasn't been updated in 5 years and wasn't especially usable then.  It is just as well though as Dixit isn't really something that translate well to the digital world.

Links:

Gateway Game Index

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