Double Double Toil and Trouble: Getting into Something Wicked

Something Wicked – By Breaking Games

MSRP: $25
Genre: Family / Strategy
No. Players: 2-3
Ages: 12+

I was super excited to try out Something Wicked!

Not only did it seem like a fun way to celebrate Halloween, but the festivity and the ability to play as a witch also seemed especially timely during the pandemic, as people continue to forgo Fall Festivities such as Halloween parties, haunted houses, and trick-or-treating.

Initial Impressions

I was even more excited and impressed by the festive colorful appearance when I unboxed Something Wicked.

Every part of Something Wicked is aesthetically pleasing, from the brightly colored wands and witches cauldron to the player action cards and general appearance of the game box.

Beyond aesthetics, everything in the box also felt sturdy and of good quality.

Rules and Game Mechanics

Speaking of the rules, while they take some getting used too, they are printed on a brightly colored illustrated folded half-sheet.

The object of the game is to be the first player to collect 13 wands of one color.

There are three possible actions a player may take during their turn: bubble, toil, or trouble.

• Bubble Trade one magic wand for two from the cauldron (Clockwise)
• Toil: Trade one magic wand for one from the cauldron and other players match (Counterclockwise)
• Trouble: Take one wand of each color.

Each player has a Player Action Reference card that lists the possible actions. Players may complete an action no more than two times in a row.  The first time a player chooses an action, they place their player marker next to the action. A player may choose to “double” or do an action a second time in a row; in which case they flip the player marker to double.  Players may not do the same action three turns in a row.

The actions were a bit confusing at first but, but after you get the hang of them, the strategy and shenanigans begin. The publisher does have a video available to learn how to play Something Wicked.

Also, it is fun to call out your actions like “I’m going to double bubble” or “I’m going to double trouble”

Recommendation

I definitely recommend Something Wicked for players over twelve as a novel addition to game nights with family or friends or a brief addition to a party or movie night. One of the things I like most about the game, beyond the aesthetic, is the brevity. While the game has a bit of a learning curve and takes up to twenty minutes to learn to play, once you know the rules, replayability is high, with every game feeling a bit different.

The price of the game is appropriate, given the novelty of the game, quality of the components, and presentation.

Something Wicked is a hoot….with more shenanigans if you have three players competing. An added bonus turns out to be threatening the other players with the aptly shaped magic wands. Perhaps this is another reason to limit players those over the age of 12.