Is 9Stax easy to learn?

Like most games, the first time you play, you will be learning the game methods and how the cards work. This is a game that keeps you moving on every card that is played so you have to pay attention. However, the basic game play will feel familiar and most players find that the second time they play, they have a very good feel for how the game works. The more you play, the more you begin to discover the subtle strategies and how to best use the cards to advance your game. It actually gets better and more fun as you play more times.

Some cards have different geometric shapes from others. Why is that?

In the development of the game, we discovered that some players had difficulty distinguishing between the colors of the cards, making it hard for them to choose a card to play. With several different types of color vision deficiency, we decided to make the game more accessible by connecting a geometric shape to the color of the cards. In this game, red is represented by a circle, blue by a square, green by a hexagon and purple by a diamond. The other cards that don’t have geometric shapes, are more neutral and don’t seem to pose the same problems with accessibility. This should allow players to quickly identify which card to play and also protect their privacy should they not wish to disclose details about their vision.

Why would I need an expansion pack?

As we play-tested the game, we found that we often wanted to play with more than 4 players when we were at a gathering or party. With 6 players, there are not enough cards to go around since that requires 216 cards. There is also a need for additional number discs to keep track of the stacks of cards and additional immunity tiles. The expansion pack increases the size of the game to 250 cards, 6 sets of number discs and 6 immunity tiles. We found it to be very enjoyable to play with more than 4 players. Just involving more of your friends is worthwhile but it also gives you more avenues of strategy as you play the game. The overall duration of the game tended to increase by about 15 minutes with the additional players.

What do I do if I lose or ruin one of my cards or game components?

We have some spare components available if this happens. Send us an email specifying the card or item you need replaced and we’ll respond with instructions. We will replace game components free of charge (within reason) and all you will have to provide is a self-addressed, stamped envelope. If your request is more than 2-3 cards/items, we will discuss a fair replacement price for what you need.

Are there any other versions of this game that will be offered?

For now, we will be getting the standard 9Stax card game and expansion pack on the market. We hope that it will gain popularity as more people play the game and recommend it to friends and family. Once people have had a chance to learn the game and are proficient at the strategy, we plan to offer a new expansion pack which will mix things up a little. As we play-tested the game, ideas were presented by players for new cards or alternate rules. Some of these, while excellent suggestions, were a little too bold for the standard game. However, we can see the benefit of adding a new twist to the game and keeping things fresh. We are currently in the early play-testing stage of a game expansion we hope to call 9Stax: Chaos and Mayhem Expansion. This expansion will have new cards and rules which will turn the entire game on its head. Once you feel comfortable with the standard game, you will probably be ready for something new. That will be the right time to add some chaos and mayhem to your experience!

What instructions are there for the expansion pack?

The expansion pack doesn’t offer a separate instruction booklet because it simply adds extra game components to the existing game. The pack includes 50 additional game cards, number discs (1-9) in the colors black and orange, and 2 additional immunity tiles. To use the pack, add the 50 game cards to the 200 that come with the game, give each of the additional players a set of number discs and an immunity tile and play the game normally. To return your game to the original number of cards, remove the following cards from the deck and return them to the expansion pack box:
– One of each numbered card in each color. (numbers 1-9 in red, numbers 1-9 in blue, etc.)
– One Attack card in each color and one Discard card in each color.
– Three silver Free Discard and three black Color Shift cards.