THE FINALE: 5-Minute Dungeon!

 

Do you like video games?

Why?

Is it because they let you choose unique characters and abilities, work as a team, experience fast-paced action, overcome challenges, and defeat epic final bosses?

If so, 5-Minute Dungeon is the game for you! When I first came across this game at Gen Con the year it came out, the line to play it was longer than the line to get into the convention. They sold out within the first 24 hours!

Many board games rely on slower, puzzle- or strategy-based mechanics, but that type of gameplay isn't for everyone. 5-Minute Dungeon is unique because it's played in real time, using a timer on a phone app that provides narration and dramatic music while you work with your teammates to lay down cards and defeat mini bosses. After the mini bosses have been defeated, you must gather your last resources to vanquish the final challenger!

The thief, barbarian, wizard, ninja, and rogue characters have their own special abilities and decks of cards, and there are five different bosses to choose from with varying difficulty levels, making each game experience unique. Once the game starts, the team of players has (you guessed it!) 5 minutes to flip over cards at the top of the boss deck, lay down the right combination of ability cards to defeat them, and reach the final boss.

Since you can't reuse cards once you play them, it takes quick communication between players to efficiently overcome each obstacle, person, or monster and have enough left to defeat the powerful opponent waiting at the end of the dungeon. The fast-paced action means nobody is ever left without something to do, and the wild cards and special abilities add lots of extra excitement to the gameplay. 5-Minute Dungeon is a hit for all ages, and if you're an action-oriented player, I can't recommend it enough. If you're not, it wouldn't hurt to give it a try anyways-- after all, it only takes 5 minutes!

It can get pretty chaotic!

Ok, disclaimer: Long story short, I failed. I really wanted to go out with a bang by reviewing 5-Minute Dungeon, but my dad went out of town on a work trip and I didn't get the chance to stop by his house and get the game. So sadly, I didn't actually end up playing it (or any board game) this week. :(

Aside from that, overall, doing this blog was a really fun experience! We used to have family game nights every week, but that gradually stopped as life got busier. This challenge forced me to find time for weekly game night again, getting in quality time and having the chance to explore the many fun games in our collection.

Thank you for reading GAME SOUL.