How to Play the Blink Card Game

The world’s fastest game for 2 -3 players ages 7 and up.

The card game Blink lives up to its claim for being a fast game. A game takes about one minute to play. In fact, it takes longer to set up the game than play. Not that it takes long to set up, but I do think it does take lonerger.

We love fast paced, observation games like Spot It and Ruckus. Blink fits right in with these.

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The Object

The Object of Blink is very simple. Be the first to get rid of all your cards. It is that simple and that hard.

How to Play Blink

The cards are divided into two equal piles and each player who is plying gets one. The players then take three cards off their stacks to make their hands. Next, on the count of three, each player takes one card off their stacks and places it face up in the middle of the playing field. Then the race is on!

Matching

To place a card down on either one of the piles, you must match either the color, shape or quantity. Once you have placed this matching card down, you quickly take the top card off your stack and put it back in your hand. But be careful, the discard piles change quickly. Just because you placed a card down that has two red stars on it doesn’t mean that it will still be there by the time that you add a card to your hand.

Winning Blink

The first player to successfully place all of her cards on the discard piles wins the game!

Three Player Blink

The three person version of Blink words very similarly. First, the cards are dealt into three piles. Similarly, there are three discard piles. The difference is that you cannot discard onto your discard pile—only the ones of the other players. This adds a challenge and slows the game a touch as hands bump and get in the way.

Evening the Play

No one in the house wants to play this game with me because I almost always win. (I’m blessed with quick reflexes and great observation.) So, to even the playing field, I often give them an advantage. I take my hand off their stacks as well as the first card that makes the discard. This gives them less cards and me more cards so it makes it easier to win (or come close to winning.)

What We Like

This is one of the easiest games to teach. It is also a very fast game as it’s a great time filler.

What We Don’t Like

There isn’t much. Someone of us don’t like that it’s hard to beat someone who is very good at this game but that’s more about them than the game itself. The only thing that could be improved is that the box, like a lot of card games, is going to rip at the top and the game will then have to be placed in a plastic zip lock bag.

Is Blink Worth Adding to your Family Game Shelf?

Blink really is a fast paced game, simple but challenging at the same time. It’s easy enough that anyone can play with no learning curve. The quality is good, although, like a lot of card games, the box at the top is starting to wear. I would highly recommend Blink.

To get your copy of Blink here. Canadians cad shop for Blink here.

If you’re looking for fast fun try Spot It, Ruckus and the dice game Come On Six. Also, check out our Family Game Shelf shop for tons of fun and games with seasonal, original and unique games for all.

Rating:

Pros: speed, easy to learn, anyone can play
Cons: box
Mom: speed, colours, shapes, observation,

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