Dixit - the family game of all time?
Dixit is one of the most famous modern board games in the world. It was created in 2008 and has been breaking popularity records ever since. Beautiful illustrations, a sea of add-ons, banal rules and addictive gameplay - is this the recipe for the perfect board game? I think so!
Anna Polkowska / Boardgamegirl.pl
Dixit is a real phenomenon among board games, including in my home. It's one of the first board games I ever came across, and to this day, it's featured prominently on my shelf. In addition to the main box, there are also all the accessories that differ not only in pictures as such, but also in their atmosphere and tone. If I want to play a darker version, I will choose Dixit 5: Dreams, if I play with children, Dixit 2: Adventure will land on the table. Such a wide range of add-ons makes each game completely different, and this is probably one of the main reasons for the popularity of the series. But let's start from the very beginning.
Dixit game rules
Three people are enough for Dixit, while the basic version of the game allows up to six people to play. Carefully shuffle the entire deck of cards, and then distribute six of each of them. The one who first comes up with an interesting association chooses one of his cards, puts it face down on the table and announces a password that links with the chosen picture. It can be any association, for example "Alice in Wonderland". The other players now choose from their cards the one they think is best for that password and place the chosen picture face down on the table. The person who came up with the password, called the Storyteller, shuffles the cards and places them face up on the table. Other players now try to guess, using special voting markers, which card originally belonged to the Storyteller. When everyone is ready, they open the markers and score points.
How to calculate points?
- If everyone guessed the Storyteller's card, or if no one guessed correctly, everyone except the Storyteller scores two points.
- If some players guessed the Storyteller's card and some didn't, the Storyteller and all those who guessed correctly each get three points.
- In addition, if someone chooses someone else's card by mistake, the owner of that card receives one point for each vote for their photo.
Now everyone draws a new card. The narrator is the person to the right of the current narrator. We continue to play - until someone scores thirty points. Then the game is over.
He said: Odyssey
Dixit: Odyssey is a very interesting take on Dixit. First, it's a standalone add-on, meaning you can play it without having the base box. Of course, Odyssey comes with a brand new set of cards, but that's not all! Odyssey allows up to twelve people to play because it has a team option.
The players are divided into teams, and although the Storyteller comes up with a password, the card is picked up by his partner or teammate. The rest of the teams also add one card each (they can consult, but cannot show each other cards), and the rest of the game proceeds according to the main rules. There is also a twelve-person variant in which the Storyteller enters a password before examining his cards. This is real Dixit madness! In this variant, he has the option of secretly "removing" one of the cards - preferably the one he thinks the most people will vote for. This card will not be used for scoring at all. The rest of the players continue to try to hit the Storyteller card and score points according to the rules of the main game.
A sea of additives
A total of nine add-ons have been released for Dixit. Interestingly, each of them is illustrated by different people, which gives the game a unique variety and flavor. Patterns and ideas are not the same, and each additional deck (mixed with other cards or played separately - it's up to you) gives this unique party game a new life. In this way, we can also juggle the atmosphere of the games, deciding to use more or less dark, abstract, fabulous or funny cards.
Besides the aforementioned Odyssey, Adventures and Dreams, we have the following additions to Dixit:
- Dixit 3: Travel features beautiful maps that reflect completely different, fantastic places.
- Dixit 4: Let's start with funny, if rather dreamy, lustrations. This is probably my favorite deck at home.
- Dixit 6: Memories with very colorful but often dark pictures, further expanding the range of available cards.
- Dixit 7: Visions with perhaps the most dystopian and even disturbing illustrations.
- Dixit 8: A harmony in which the cards are muted, often artfully symmetrical, and utterly mesmerizing.
- Dixit 9 Anniversary Edition 10th anniversary of the series with illustrations by the authors of all previous additions.
Do you have a favorite accessory? Or maybe some house rules where passwords need to be entered in some special way? Share them in the comments for everyone else to have fun playing!
More articles about board games (and more!) can be found on AvtoTachki Pasje in the Gram section!
