Bites

New version of the Big Points recommended by Spiel des Jahres with a new theme, more engaging components, and rules-changing cards to ensure every game is different.

Illustrated four-page manual. Playing time: 20 minutes. Highly interactive, no direct conflict.

Players move ants along a path and collect food along the way. However, the value of that food depends on how other ants move.

Shared incentives mean you're always trying to figure out what other players are up to. Variable "rule cards" change the rules every game, so every play is new.

During setup, a food path is drawn. In turn, each player may move any ant to the next food on the path corresponding to its color (the red ant to the apple, the purple ant to the grapes, etc.). The player then takes the food token directly in front of or behind the ant, saving it for scoring at the end of the game.

However, players do not know for sure how much the food will be worth until the corresponding ant reaches the anthill at the end of the path. This creates shared incentives, as players work together to advance some ants and slow down others.

Along the way, players also have the opportunity to collect chocolate, which can be transformed into special actions, and wine, which awards bonus points.

There are four decks of cards that define the rules of the game. Each game, a card is chosen from each deck to make a unique combination. Players must adapt their strategy to the actions of other players and the specific rules of the game. The "decks of cards" are:

• Anthill - Food tokens are worth more points if the corresponding ant arrives at the anthill FIRST. Or, food tokens are worth more points if the corresponding ants arrive at the anthill LAST.
• Wine - Wine tokens have a different value in each game.
• Chocolate - Chocolate tokens grant a different special power each game. And the best way to use that power will change based on other special rules in play.
• Variant: A special rule that applies to this game and adds an extra twist.