Hive 3rd Edition
Hive is a board game with a difference. There is no board! The pieces are added to the playing area thus creating the board. As more and more pieces are added the game becomes a fight to see who can be the first to capture the opposing Queen Bee.
The soldier ants battle to keep control of the outside of the hive, whilst the Beetles climb up to dominate the top. Spiders moving into holding positions as the Grass Hoppers jump in for the kill. Keeping one eye on the hive and the other on your opponents reserves, the tension builds as one wrong move will see your Queen Bee quickly engulfed …. game over!
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars An EXCELLENT game
Hive is an excellent game. It can be learned in just a few minutes and the matches are very quick. Unlike many other strategy games, playing is fun from the beginning.
The game will remind you in many ways of chess in terms of its strategy. There are, however, important differences. The rules for placement of the game pieces are very straightforward. There are only a few types of pieces, and the biggest difference between chess and Hive is that most of the game peices will ever move once they’re played.
Each individual match is different from the others, because the two players create a different game “board” with their initial piece placement, and each game takes on a unique dynamic, which the two players create. The result is a a variable game that two players of different skills can enjoy equally.
The game set itself is very durable and very portable. It’s a great spur-of-the-moment game that requires just a few seconds of set-up time, and it’s also great for trips, rainy weather, etc.
I evaluate games on the basis of how many units of fun I have per unit of money I spent on the game, and by that measure, Hive has a great payoff. I’d recommend it very highly for those who enjoy strategy games.
4 Stars Wonderful Addendum to Chess
This game is quite chess-like in the nature of its strategy, which I like. Hive is a seemingly simple game, with the straightforward rules about movement and a small number of types of tiles. It isn’t easy to win, though. The biggest challenge is reconciling that none of the pieces on the board will ever leave once they’re placed, and that some of your pieces (one placed) may never move again due to the dynamics of the hive (which your player tiles collectively create).
In the end you have a durable, highly portable, thinkers game. It’s great for trips, indoor weather or afternoon lulls. I find it to be unique and fun, and would recommend it to most anyone who’s enjoyed playing chess or go.
3 Stars Hive Review
This is a great game. Very simple in concept but challenging in reality. It can be played anywhere and so is great for taking on holiday. My kids love it.
4 Stars Great game. Easy to learn, but chess-like as well.
It’s only 2 player, but the girlfriend and I love this game. There’s no luck involved, just strategy.
5 Stars Great game for young and old!
This is a terrific game for two people which requires chess-like strategy, but it can be learned in just a few minutes and played in less than 15 minutes. My 7 year-old child plays this with friends and they love it. So do my husband and I!! There is no board or set up. The game starts with each player placing an insect tile on the table which creates the playing field. In addition to a queen bee, both players have four other types of insect tiles each of which has its own way of moving about the hive (grasshoppers “jump”, beetles “climb”, spiders move 3 spaces in any direction and soldier ants “move about the perimeter”. The object of the game is to completely surround the opposing players queen bee while you prevent your opponent from doing the same to you. One wrong move and watch your queen bee quickly surrounded!
Filed under: Classic Board Game Reviews