Genre Definer: Coup

In every board game genre there are stand out games that are absolute classics. When it comes to bluffing games, one of my all time favorites is the tense, fast paced card game of Coup. In this absolute classic game players take on the role of leaders in a corrupt court. They use their unique abilities and influence to gain income, interfere with other players, and of course stage coups in order to take control.

My absolute favorite part of this game, and what makes it such a classic, is the hidden role aspect. Each player has two roles cards, which gives them their abilities. But players can lie about their roles and use any ability they desire. If another player suspects cheating they can challenge, costing the player one of their cards. If the challenger is wrong however, they lose a card. This leads to so much tension, risk-taking, and fun.

From a board game designer's perspective I admire just how trimmed down this game is. It's so simple, just a few cards and tokens, and so short, as little as 5-10 minutes sometimes, but it creates a grippingly fun experience. Few games are able to achieve that level of gameplay in such an efficient package.