Five Easy to Learn Games We Never Leave Home Without!

If you’re catching up with friends in the wild beyond the city, and you want a taste of the games you know and love from your local friendly game cafe, Vault is here to help - with a list of titles that you can fit in your bag and take on the go! Whether you want something fast paced that will have you and your friend slapping down cards in a frenzy, or a game that will have you doubled over laughing, there's a pocket-sized game here that will satisfy everyone!

A Fake Artist Goes to New York

Do you fancy yourself an artist? Better yet, can you barely draw a stick person? Either way, A Fake Artist Goes to New York dares to ask the question, how well can you fake art? 

With one player chosen as the Game Master, each artist is tasked with drawing a picture as envisioned by the GM (distributed via small written cards), created one line at a time. The only problem is, one of you has no idea what that image is supposed to be! Pens and drawing cards are all included in this small box, perfect to fit in any backpack or satchel, and with quick rounds and an easy point totalling system, this game is sure to make you laugh! Especially when the carefully crafted elephant the group is working on becomes a hot air balloon through the efforts of that one artist who hasn’t yet caught on. Or maybe they have - as an artist, isn’t all up to interpretation?

Love Letter

Looking to sit smugly across the table at the other players while you hold the keys to the kingdom in your hands? Love Letter is like the perfect, pocket sized court to play out with your friends. Throughout the game, players are attempting to carry a letter of intent to the Princess, by enlisting allies, friends and family to reach her. Playing one card at a time, and using each key character's abilities to outwit your opponent is the name of the game. Small enough to slip in a bag, and simple enough to pick up in a single round, Love Letter has surprising layers of complexity as you gain familiarity with its system. Perfect with just 2, and can be played with up to 4 players!

If a little Star Wars flair is what you need to convince you to add Love Letter to your collection, a new Jabba's Palace version is arriving soon.

Jaipur 

If the thrill of a good deal will keep you deep in the cups of coffee, Jaipur is the perfect catch up game to play with a friend. This two player game has you acting as merchants of Jaipur, competing to obtain two Seals of Excellence and be granted the privilege of being invited to the Maharaja’s court.
To do this you must outplay your opponent - juggling the goods that flood through the city, and the camels which will help you trade them. The longer you wait, the lower the costs of goods at market - but an astute merchant knows that selling in sets will gain extra bonuses. A unique blend of tactics, risk and luck, Jaipur is a perfect game to play while away. 

Boss Monster

Everyone loves adventuring in dungeons, but have you ever stopped to consider the monsters lurking in the depths? Boss Monster doesn’t just consider them - it puts you in the position of the terrifying Draculord, or the dreaded King Croak and challenges you to survive. Fans of retro games will love the pixelated style that will have you studying each card for references to popular game series, and fans of dungeon-building will dig the style of play. In Boss Monster you create a dungeon which attracts a certain kind of adventure - be they seeking treasure, glory or wisdom, first they must face the perilous traps you will place in their way. With quick rounds of play where you build your dungeon, add bonus abilities to sabotage other players or enhance the deadliness of your traps, and finally have adventurers run the full expanse of your terrifying lair, one question remains - will your Boss Monster be victorious, or will they become just another trophy head on the adventurers wall?

Coup

If you’ve ever wanted to test how artfully you send assassin’s after your friend while talking cordially across the table to them, Coup is the hidden role game you need to try. Based in subterfuge and bluffing, player’s act as the head of a family, trying to survive in a sci-fi city-state run by a weak and corrupt court. To do so, you are given influence - two cards played face down in front of you, which are equipped with unique roles. There are Dukes and Assassins, Ambassador’s and Contessa’s, each with skills to gain either coins or insight into the abilities of your fellow family head’s. Whoever reaches 10 coins first can launch a coup against another player, taking away one of their two precious influence cards - and whoever survives till the end is the victor. Will you play weak until you strike a decisive blow against a competing family, or will you enter court as an investigator, accusing other players of subterfuge at every turn?

Many of the games in this list are available to be tested in store, so if you’re itching to try some out, why not re-organise that catch up and book a table at Vault Games today? We’ve got the entertainment covered. ;)