Fluxx
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| Fluxx | |
|---|---|
 Comparison of cards from English and German versions. |
|
| Players | 2–6 |
| Age range | 8 and up |
| Setup time | 1 minute |
| Playing time | 20 minutes on average, varying greatly |
| Random chance | high |
| Skills required | none |
Fluxx is a card game, played with a specially-designed 84-card deck. It is different from most other card games, in that the rules and the conditions for winning are altered throughout the game, via cards played by the players.
Contents |
[edit] History
Fluxx was created by Andrew Looney and first published by Looney Labs in 1996. The game was successful and was licensed a year later to Iron Crown Enterprises (ICE) for wider distribution. ICE went bankrupt two years later and Looney Labs has resumed publication and distribution. Looney Labs produced a revised version of the original game in 2002. Amigo Spiele, a German game company, licensed a German language version of Fluxx in 2003. Similarly, Hobby Japan licensed a Japanese language version in 2005.
[edit] Rules and gameplay
The game starts out with just two basic rules, presented on a card placed in the play area at the start of the game: each player draws one card, and plays one card during his turn.
In addition to this Basic Rules card, there are four types of cards in the core game, New Rule, Action, Keeper, and Goal cards:
- New Rule cards can be played to change the rules or add other rules. Examples are Draw 2, Play 3, Reverse Order or even Inflation (formerly X=X+1), which increases numerals on other cards played (so Draw 2 becomes Draw 3). In versions 2.0 and 2.1 of the game there is also a card Final Card Random. When this rule is in effect, players must allow an adjacent player to choose the last card played on each turn. Since version 3.0, there is a similar card, First Play Random. (Final Card Random is now one of many orderable "promo cards".)[1]
- Action cards, which allow the player to do one-time things like steal cards or eliminate rules. Examples are Draw 2 and use 'em, Jackpot! to draw three cards instantly, Let's Do That Again, allowing the player to search the trash pile and replay a card, and Rules Reset, which removes all new rules in play.
- Keeper cards, which are used to meet the goals below. Examples are Bread, Dreams, or War.
- Goal cards, which define what is required to win. Most goals require pairs of keeper cards, for example Appliances requires the Toaster and Television keepers, and Squishy Chocolate requires Chocolate and The Sun. A few goals are different, for example Brain (no TV), All You Need Is Love, and 10 Cards In Hand. In standard play, only one Goal can be in play at a time (though the New Rule Card Double Agenda allows two Goals to be in play at once, with a win being made by satisfying EITHER Goal's requirements).
- Creeper cards are included in the Zombie Fluxx expansion and as certain promotional cards. When a Creeper card is drawn, it is immediately played and a replacement is drawn. Creeper cards don't count towards the per-turn limits. These include assorted zombies in the Zombie Fluxx expansion, as well as the promotional Radioactive Potato.
Fluxx Blanxx are semi-blank cards used to create custom cards to change gameplay further, and are sold in packs of five. Older Fluxx Blanxx booster packs included one booster card for Chrononauts (titled Beatles Reunion Album), a cover card, and a "microcatalog" card advertising other Looney Labs products. Current packs include only the cover card, but also include a new Creeper blank card in addition to one each of the other four card types.
The most recent edition of Fluxx, version 3.1, contains 84 cards, as compared to the promotional deck, which had 81 cards.
[edit] Card Sets
[edit] Expansions
Several expansions have been produced, including:
- Flowers and Fluxx (a gift set with a "bouquet" of six plush "Happy Flowers", a Fluxx 3.0 deck and an exclusive "Flowers" promo Keeper card)
- Fluxx Blanxx, a set of blank cards for creating one's own custom additions.
- Jewish Fluxx Expansion Cards
- Christian Fluxx Expansion Cards
- In planning: Fluxx Reduxx (a self-contained "expansion"; reintroducing cards "lost" from 2.0 to 3.0 and adding both older promo cards & a few new ones)
[edit] Versions
- Fluxx 0.5 (prototype)
- Fluxx 1.0 (first released version; monochrome, poker-sized cards)
- Fluxx 2.0 (new card layout, use of color, bridge-sized cards)
- Fluss 2.1 (reprint of 2.0 with minor changes)
- Fluxx 3.0 (many cards removed and added, to improve balance)
- Fluxx 3.1 (two cards removed, one card added)
[edit] Variants
There are also versions of Fluxx that have been released using entirely different sets of cards while playing by the same style of rules.
- Stoner Fluxx (Technically Fluxx 4.20)
- EcoFluxx (adapting the game to ecological concerns)
- Family Fluxx (Previously called Fluxx Jr.; a full-color "family friendly" edition)
- Zombie Fluxx (adapting the game to a zombie theme, introduces "Creeper" cards. Art by Derek Ring.)
- Monty Python Fluxx (announced, expected Fall 2008[2])
- Martian Fluxx (announced[3], expected Spring 2009[4])
EcoFluxx, Family Fluxx, and Zombie Fluxx can be added to one of the 2.x or 3.x editions of regular Fluxx to make a "Mega-Fluxx" game (as all 4 versions have the same card back style).
Stoner Fluxx was produced in 2003 and had the same rules as the original but with a marijuana-based theme. The card backs on the game list it as "Stoner Fluxx" to differentiate it from the rest of the Fluxx variants they market (although functionally, the game could still be combined with any of the other variants). The company donates a portion of the sales to groups advocating marijuana legalization, almost $15,000 to date.[citation needed] Even though there was no significant controversy over the game, the company has decided on some changes for the release of the game's second printing.
The initial run of Stoner Fluxx cards is sold out, save for a few decks which periodically show up on eBay. According to Looney Labs official site for the game, a second printing is planned; however, it will be made under either a new imprint or a totally different company so as to fully separate the marketing efforts for Stoner Fluxx from the rest of their product line.
[edit] Languages
- Fluxx Español (Spanish Language edition with some new Hispanic-centric cards)
- German Fluxx
- Japanese Fluxx
Both German and Japanese Fluxx contain new art and graphic designs (but identical gameplay). The German version has the same card mix as Fluxx 3.0, plus the "Hide Keepers"-related cards from Fluxx 2.0. The Japanese version has the same card mix as Fluxx 3.1, plus the "Go Fish" card from Fluxx 3.0.
[edit] Promotional cards
Looney Labs gives away promotional cards related to Fluxx at conventions such as GenCon and Origins. They have given away cards such as Composting and Jackpot which later appeared in different versions of Fluxx; EcoFluxx and Family Fluxx respectively. They have also given away promo cards for Christmas and in High Times Magazine. Mad Lab Rabbits, voluntary scouts for Looney Labs, give away promo cards to people interested in the game.
In addition, there are certain cards that can only be obtained by purchasing other items, such as the above-mentioned "Flowers" card in the Fluxx & Flowers set, or the "Pandora's Box" card available with the Pandora's Fluxx Boxx card storage cases.
Recently, Looney Labs has made many of these promotional and exclusive cards available for individual sale, where they aren't out of print. The list of available cards can be found at their web site.
[edit] Online
Fluxx may also be played online via the CCG Workshop, using the gatlingEngine to adjudicate most of its rules automatically.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ The Official Guide to Looney Labs Promo Cards
- ^ http://www.wunderland.com/WhatsOld/2008/WN.05.01.08.html
- ^ http://wunderland.com/WhatsOld/2008/WN.01.24.08.html
- ^ http://www.wunderland.com/WhatsOld/2008/WN.05.01.08.html
