Coup

In Coup, 2-6 players will be telling as many lies as they can get away with in order to take the reigns of power in a collapsing futuristic government. Released in 2012 by Indie Boards and Cards, this is a must-have for any gamer who likes bluffing games.

Each player is given two face-down roles, which only they know. On your turn, your face-down cards will allow you to perform various actions. For example, if you have the Duke you can take three coins from the central supply instead of one. With the roles face-down, when a player takes three coins from the supply, how do you know they really have the Duke?

If you suspect a player to be taking an action for a role they don’t have then you can call their bluff. If you call them out successfully then they will lose a life, however, if you have challenged incorrectly then you lose a life.

Any time a player gathers seven money, they can perform a Coup. This is an action that cannot be stopped and will remove one player's life. Timing when to perform a Coup is key to winning the game.

Most social deduction/hidden role/bluffing games improve when you play a lot with the same player group. Coup is no different. Being able to spot players' tells or habits is very rewarding. Using these tells to your own advantage is even better. If one player is known for using an Assassin early on whenever they have one, then in future games they will be able to pretend to have an Assassin without anyone challenging them.

There is player elimination in this game, but each game is over so quickly that you will not be watching others play for more than a few minutes. You are interested in the information that is yet to be revealed so you'll still be engaged with what’s happening after your elimination.

If you enjoy games like Cockroach Poker and Skull, then Coup will be a great addition to your collection. Learning the different roles and actions can appear daunting. Once you’ve played one 15-minute game with the player aid in front of you you’ll be stealing coins from your friends as if you actually have the cards you’re claiming to have.