Team Components Hive Carbon

Hive Carbon: 2 Players, Ages 9+, Average Play Time = 20 Minutes It's easy to see why this game has won so many awards, the Mensa Select award being among them. Hive is very easy to play but surprisingly has a lot of depth. It reminds me a little of Chess, except that it is more freeform. Like Chess, players are encouraged to think ahead and plan their moves. I was a bit overwhelmed in my first game...that is...I had no idea what was considered a good move and what was considered a bad move. I found myself experimenting with the pieces, moving them around the hive, trying to see how to best use their abilities. For example, I realized that the grasshopper was an excellent way to fill a surrounded space that I needed to occupy and eventually branch out from. I also recognized the grasshopper as a deadly sniper that could jump across the hive and surround the enemy queen bee in one foul swoop. It became obvious to me however that I still have a lot of learning to do. I particularly liked the travel case that came with the game, which allows players to pick up and go without carrying around a clunky box. The pieces themselves where solid and thick and it was fairly easy to pick out one insect from another. Kudos on the component quality. My son and I played the game without the expansion pieces, just to get our feet wet. At first, we both had to get used to moving pieces around without causing other pieces to become separated from the hive. I was clumsily moving pieces back and forth, trying to find ways around his pieces to get to his queen bee...it was comparable to my first slow dance in grade school, minus the zits and cracking voice. The game only lasted about fifteen minutes, if that, with my son pulling ahead to victory. I was so engrossed in bringing my beetles over to his queen that I totally ignored the soldier ants that he brought around the outside, engulfing my queen bee one space at a time. All I needed was a few more moves, but he was quicker. All in all, Hive Carbon turned out to be an excellent two player game...one that will keep me busy for a good while. I'm really looking forward to inventing (or reinventing) strategies that will improve my game. I'm sure there are player guides out there that tell players how best to use their pieces, but I look forward to unlocking those secrets myself through trial and error. If you enjoy two player games like Chess but don't have a lot of time, then Hive Carbon will fit the bill nicely. It's quick and easy to play, but will keep players engrossed from beginning to end.

What a great game! I love it. So often I will buy a new strategic game only to find the game sitting on the shelf because it is too complex or too simple-minded to be much fun. This game truly is something new and interesting. The only problem I have is finding people to play it with me. The learning curve is quite similar to chess, in that you must learn how the pieces move and how they give you advantages in the game. I enjoyed this set because, even though it is less colorful, it does contain two very useful additional pieces. And it is beautifully made. The pieces are heavy, each one has heft. In fact this set is too heavy to be practical as a travel game, so we beware if you plan to play on the go. I did and may, yet, purchase a travel edition. However, I'm still glad to have this set, because it makes an eye-catching display for my table. So far, everyone who has seen it has stopped what they are doing to ask about it. They can't seem to avoid touching and examining the pieces. Game collectors will want to buy this set before it goes mass market.

This game is simply amazing, it is easy to learn and very stimulating and challenging. I think the expansion pieces (which are included with Carbon and Pocket) make the game a lot more unpredictable and exciting. I know Gen42 is currently testing a new piece, the Pillbug, which I hope will be released as a possible expansion for Carbon and not just the original, because that piece really adds a new level of challenge to the game also. However, you could technically create your own piece to fulfill the role of Pillbug until it is released (if you were a little crafty and motivated to do so.) If you are on the fence about this game, just commit, you will love it! The pieces are heavy duty and sturdy, the black and white contrast of the Carbon edition is amazing and the game is fun and challenging! Additionally, since the game board is the tiles that you are playing, there are not a lot of extra steps in setting up the game, just divvy up the tiles and play!

In this game, you have tiles that have different bugs imprinted on them that are used for playing pieces like in the game of chess. Your turn consists of drawing or placing a tile in the "hive". Each bug has it's own special movement. The player wins when they can surround their opponents queen bee. There is no board per se; the hive consists of the pieces that touch each other. The pieces are of the highest quality I've ever seen in a game (think high priced dominoes). Very smooth to the touch, a real pleasure to handle. The game comes with a pouch to put them in, and since there is no board, this is a very portable game. One reviewer commented that you should get the color set instead of the Carbon (black & white) set. However, I have vision issues, and the stark contrast of the black & white makes it easier for me to see what pieces I'm playing. Also, at this time, when you buy the Carbon version, in addition to the base set, you also get two expansion pieces, the Ladybug and the Mosquito. I would like to throw in that this game won a Mensa award. If you like chess or similar abstract strategy games, you will enjoy this.

I was worried that a 5 or 6 year old (I tried with both) would find the movement rules too complex, as it's rated Ages 8+. Although I needed to offer some reminders, the games went smoothly, and both kids asked for repeat play. (To shorten attention-span required, however, I started placing all the pieces first, like football teams lined up symmetrically behind the two touching centers, queen bees like shotgun quarterbacks.) After one evening, I still have only the most rudimentary mental notes on strategy. This game does indeed seem to belong among the true strategy games: Nothing is hidden, nothing is random, yet the possibilities stretch out further than our powers of prediction. As with go (baduk / weiqi), the concept of "liberties" is essential; here it means breathing room for the queen bee. The black and white is handsome, but I do think the colored pieces would make for an easier visual scan of the field of play; on each side, a glance at the pieces leaves them pretty indistinct. To diminish this effect, I put a bit of golden glitter-glue on each queen bee, since that's the one piece on each side that should stand apart most dramatically. The stiff plastic pouch is the only element that seems cheap. A cloth bag would be much more classy.

Hive is a two player tile game that is a mix of chess, dominoes, and checkers. Each player takes turns placing a tile or moving a tile. The object of the game is to surround the opponents queen with six tiles of any side. There are seven types of bugs, five from the original version (ant, beetle, grasshopper, spider, and queen) plus the new ladybug and mosquito. Each moves in a unique way allowing for a variety of strategies to achieve the main objective. This game requires a lot of strategy and ability to think at least three moves ahead. It is a good game for teenagers and up. As far as whats in the box is concerned the material is top grade. The tiles feel solid and have a nice heft. It has the feel of a professional poker chip and they make a pleasant sound when the tiles make contact with one another. The tiles are black and white with one side being solid black with white insects and the other side being white with black insects. They look a lot sleeker than the original which were multicolored. The game also comes with a round plastic pouch if you're so inclined to carry it around with you. I gave the game four out of five stars. It is a fun game that is very well made. May be challenging to younger players but thats not necessarily a bad thing. There is not a lot of educational value besides having to use your brain. You don't really learn about the insects.

I originally purchased this game last Christmas for my 13 year old. Before I had the chance to give it to her, she said she didn't want any board games for Christmas, but by then, my 10 year old who loves bugs, saw the box and wanted it so we kept it. The first one we opened was missing a piece. I called Amazon and they shipped another one to me in 2 days for free without asking for the first set back. This is nice because now we have back-up pieces. I wasn't sure my 10 year old would be up to the game, but she caught on very quickly and it instantly became one of our favorite games. The pieces are very high quality and feel good to hold. Like chess, each type of piece moves differently so it takes a couple of games to memorize the different ways all the different pieces move, but you can just keep the manual beside you as a cheat-sheet. We liked Hive Carbon so much we bought Army of Frogs and Logan Stones by the same maker, but they are not nearly as good. Other great strategy games are the ones in the GIPF Project, specifically GIPF, YNISH, and TZAAR.

I bought this after having bought the pocket edition. The carbon pieces just look cool and are they are bigger. The game was packaged well and the tiles were in perfect condition. The tiles are seriously great quality. I am obsessed with this game. The game play is simple, yet lends itself to being very strategic. The tile movement is almost chess like, but honestly, more fun. It’s a great game to take with you anywhere. Great for camping, long waits at a restaurant, coffee shop, etc