Crazier Eights: Pantheon is good because it has been play tested and updated for almost three years.

You can see the (almost) final version of all the cards here.

There is a history behind the game. It evolved through years of play testing and updates. Some cards were replaced and some card abilities were changed.

Let’s take a look at some of these changes.

Dionysus shows one change that required a new way of thinking about how to design Crazier Eights games. I like the idea of cards that have a requirement and can’t be played unless a certain condition is met. That tends to be that an opponent controls two assets.

The gods of Pantheon now can be played right away, but their abilities don’t function until a certain condition is met. Dionysus is a good example of that.

One reason Dionysus was updated was because the requirements on the gods in this set made it too difficult to play assets. Another reason he was updated was to simplify his ability.

Wrath of Apollo is a perfectly good card ability, but there is a constant struggle to balance the game to make sure people aren’t destroying or removing assets too often. Assets need a chance to actually function. I will try find a way to bring Wrath of Apollo back for a future Crazier Eights game (although the ability will likely be changed again).

Apollo’s Insight is the replacement card. Apollo is known for his power of prophesy, so someone might learn some things whether they want to or not.

Tour To Hades is inspired by “Dungeon Quest” from Crazier Eights: Avalon: “Play the top two cards of the draw pile.” Going into Hades can be very similar to that. The dungeon quests of Dungeons and Dragons are greatly inspired by the journeys into the underworld found in Greek Mythology.

The main problem with the older version of Tour of Hades was just that it is a little more complicated than it needs to be.

The new version of the card shows off a new type of game ability that I have started to explore a lot more with the Greek Mythology versions of Crazier Eights — How many assets you control (or those of another chosen player) can determine how powerful a card ability can be. In this case it will often be a bit of a catch-up mechanic.

Crazier Eights: Olympus Kickstarter

Note that today marks the final day of the Crazier Eights: Olympus Kickstarter. This is a good chance to help make the game better by reaching the third stretch goal, to get the games first, to get extra promo cards, to get the jumbo versions of the games, and to save money on shipping!

• Crazier Eights: Olympus is on Kickstarter
• Rejected Olympus Cards
• The Mythological References in Pantheon
• Follow our Twitter account here.
• Like our Facebook page here.