FTW Staff Picks - Going, Going, GONE!

Of all the games you will read about on our Staff Picks, Going, Going, GONE! will likely be the least strategic and most chaotic game you'll find. But not every game has to be mechanically sound in order for it to be fun. 

In Going, Going, GONE! players bid on various items from different countries, in hopes to collect matching sets to score the most points. Five cups are placed in a circle, for players to place their cubes (money) in order to bid. Each round a new player takes the role of the auctioneer. The auctioneer holds a paddle which will slowly lower as they count down from 10. The auctioneer can countdown at any pace they like, the only rule is that the pace must be consistent. Once the paddle covers all the cups, the bidding is over. The highest bidder for each item loses their money but takes the prize.

Due to the chaotic nature of the bidding, there are plenty of rounds where players overbid, bid against themselves, miss the cups with their cubes and other wild shenanigans. It should be stressful, but it's hilarious. As much as you want to win, the general enjoyment you get out of each bidding round will take precedent over your competitive instincts. 

Few games that make you look like a fool, make you feel so good about it. But Going, Going, GONE! manages to succeed at that. It's a reminder that even the simplest of games can be a good time, with the right people.