FTW Staff Picks - Dixit

My favourite take on the Apples to Apples formula has to be Dixit. There is an element of timelessness to Dixit. It allows players to be creative in a way that few games allow, and it actually encourages inside-talk. With 7 numbered expansions, each with 84 new cards to add, there's no shortage of content. And the beauty of its diversity is that every combination of cards leads to different stories and connections. It's hard not to admire the art, as it's the heart of the game. Each expansion pack follows a new theme and with it comes different art styles. The collection of painting-like cards they've amassed is a true marvel. 

Dixit is a game of storytelling and deceit. Players take turns being the Storyteller for the round. The Storyteller selects one card from their hand and matches it to a phrase, word or even sound. The rest of the players then attempt to best match what was said with a card of their own. All of the selected cards are then shuffled and players vote on which card they believe was the Storyteller's. A point is awarded for each player voting on your card, if you were not the Storyteller. Three points are awarded to the guesser and Storyteller for correctly guessing the Storyteller's card. But if everyone guesses it correctly or everyone guesses it incorrectly, the Storyteller gets zero points and everyone receives only two. The first player to 30 points is declared the winner. 

Often, expansions will attempt to add new mechanics and twists on the original formula. But with Dixit, the expansions just add more meat with no frills. The crux of the game will always be the art. With the right group of creative minds, each game is real test of understanding relationships. And with so many expansions, there really is no ceiling to the diversity of gameplay. Dixit is a game I always feel confident about bringing out, with any group, because I know it will perform under any circumstance. 

The original package of the game came with a really fun cutout that sat in the actual box, creating a garden with stones for the bunny-shaped meeples to hop along. To reduce production costs, they've since cut corners and the game now comes with a boring foldout board. If you have a chance to snag the original, I highly recommend you do. And even if you can't, I'd still recommend Dixit to anyone even remotely interested in the hobby. It was one of the first few games I had the chance to play, and it remains a staple in my rotation.