Diamonsters

Designed by: Masao Suganuma

Diamonsters is a bidding game where players are trying to collect diamonds, by virtue of playing Monster cards.

Each player is given a starting hand consisting of one of each monster, which are numbered 1 to 5. The remaining cards are shuffled and the top card is flipped over to reveal it. Then all players choose a card from their hand to bid on this new card – picking secretly, and revealing simultaneously. Highest bid wins, but with two caveats: one is that any duplicate bids are immediately discounted, and returned to the bidder’s hands. The other caveat is that although a 5 beats 4, 3, and 2, a 1 beats a 5! After all duplicate bids are removed the highest bidder takes the card and begins a tableau of cards in front of them, face-up on the table, consisting of both the card they won and the card they bid with. They then take a replacement card from the deck to replace their expended bid, and flip a new card for everyone to see: the next ‘lot’ to be bid on.

You’ll notice that the cards (bar the 3, which is blank) have a number of diamonds pictured on them: the 1,2 and 5 cards gain you diamonds and the 4 card represents minus two diamonds from your tableau. There are two ways to win a round: either you assemble five diamonds on the cards on your tableau, or three of the same type of monster. Winning a round gets you an actual (ok, a plastic) diamond to represent your round victory, and after a certain number of victories (how many varies depending on the amount of players) the game ends.

Sam says

Probably too chaotic with more than three players, I would say, when it feels like half the game is trying to work out who has won a bid. But with 2 or 3 people playing, Diamonsters is fun and, if you get a kick out of the second-guessing, rather more-ish. It looks great too - although it does come in a ludicrously over-sized box. Card games really don't need all that packaging.

The guru's verdict

  • Take That!

    Take That!

    Possibly younger players may get frustrated at being serially outbid (and outfoxed), but there's nothing alarming here.

  • Fidget Factor!

    Fidget Factor!

    Almost none. Play is fast and continuously involves everyone.

  • Brain Burn!

    Brain Burn!

    There's no mental arithmetic here; but your decision-making is based on reading the table.

  • Again Again!

    Again Again!

    Cards come out randomly, as do bids. It can be quite a poker-esque game for 2 or 3 players, but rather chaotic with more!

Players 2-6 Players
Years 8+ Years
Mins 15-30 Mins
Complexity
Learning time
10 minutes
First play time
30 minutes