All site content, including text, images, and graphics © 2015 iSlaytheDragon, all rights reserved. Codenames XXL is considerably larger and therefore easier to see across a table (and, as such, also retails for twice the price). Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Codenames Duet fixes this problem by limiting the number of possible rounds. The guessing side may keep guessing as long as they like as long as they keep touching agent cards. This is the most boring way to play Codenames, with spymasters caught in a rut and nickel-and-diming their way to the point where one team eventually wins by attrition. Second, multiplayer Duet can be a bit fragile, as players will want to deduce information from their side of the clue card and discuss this with their teammates, but they’ll need to do so without giving information to the other side–which is tricky. And diminishing eyesight is only going to be more of a concern in my family. Codenames XXL isn’t for everyone, and I wouldn’t have thought it’s for me, but after playing it, I guess it is. For me, I’ve enjoyed my two-player games of Duet, but my wife has been more mixed on this, for the reason mentioned above: she doesn’t like the pressure of being spymaster. The XXL treatment for Codenames appeals both to function and form: it is both easier and more satisfying to play in its giant configuration. Codenames: Duet is a top secret cooperative game for 2 or more players. Even though there is no sand-timer in Codenames: Pictures, nor a variant that takes time into account, the app does provide one. If you’re okay being the one to cart this to and fro, for the sake of the group, then this is worth getting. Accessible to a wide range of ages and experience levels. They may stop at any time, in which case they take a timer token. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Obviously, only you can answer that question. While I’m not in love with the artwork, I don’t mind it too much. The most obvious difference is right in the title of the game – Pictures. 4.1 out of 5 stars 23. It also keeps players more engaged in the game. Yes, I like pretty games, but if it plays well, that’s what matters. OEJ ~ Codenames Duet XXL ~ Top Secret Co-Op Word Game. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Works as an expansion to Codenames The biggest difference between Codenames and Codenames Duet is that in Duet there is only one team. And the XXL version makes it that much more the centerpiece of your game night. (Since the game is the exact same, if you’re interested in gameplay details or opinions, I’ll point you to my earlier review and say Codenames has only gotten better with age.). There’s nothing nonchalant about Codenames XXL. Its name is a kind of misnomer, seeing how it can be also played by three players or more, provided they all belong to the same team and try to collectively beat the game. He said, “After playing this, I never want to play regular Codenames again.” And I replied, “Easy for you to say–you don’t have to store it.” Codenames XXL is the kind of game you want to have on hand for your game group, but it’s also one that you want someone else to schlep around to game nights rather than stuffing it in your own game bag. Codenames: Duet is a cooperative word game for two or more players. Messing up is part of the fun.” “Okay, I’m just going to go for it. The biggest difference between Codenames and Codenames Duet is that in Duet there is only one team. Codenames: Duet XXL, the cooperative version of our popular word association game, brings an improvement over its smaller predecessor with more comfortable play. Duet is the best of the series, in my opinion. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Other options New from $34.95. I prefer it that much (and I also found a suitable storage solution for both games: an expansion box for the game Scythe). Our solution was to create a crib sheet for her, writing out each of the twenty-five words. Only one of the assassins lines up on both sides of the card. The main change from regular Codenames that makes Codenames Duet work as well as it does is the clue card, which unlike regular Codenames, is double-sided. But the inevitable question is, Do you need it? The job of the spy is difficult enough with rival spy organizations working around you. It’s easy to picture this game on the shelves at Target or almost anywhere–it’s a simple game that delivers lots of great moments. Codenames Duet is the laboratory where this theory is tested, and I think the game supports the hypothesis. A huge step over the other Codenames … There’s less leaning, it’s easier to see all the words, and with the multiplayer cooperative Duet, it’s even easy for all the players on both sides to see and read the code card. Standard version of Codenames is great enough to make 18+ puns, if you are concerning about that. But after I praised Just One for its cooperative play, I thought it worth giving cooperative Codenames a shot. But in cooperative Duet, all players on one side of the table can share this duty. Yes, it can be an obnoxious table hog if you need to put anything else on the table with it. The overlap of agents/bystanders/assassins is standard for each card. Codenames: Duet XXL, the cooperative version of our word association game, brings an improvement over its smaller predecessor with more comfortable play. So I really like Codenames XXL. We have discussed about another version of the game, Codenames vs Codenames Duet, so make sure to take a look. The trick is, you don’t know which is which, but as the round progresses, you can begin to make more intelligent guesses. The 5×5 grid for the XXL cards takes up almost the entire width of this table. They place a clue card on its stand and set it between the players. Duet XXL’s clue card vs. Codenames XXL’s clue card. I had forgotten just how much leaning there usually is in Codenames, especially with larger groups. Also worth asking are 3) will it annoy you that Codenames XXL is not as portable or break-out-able as the regular-sized version? The clue and key cards included in the game are the exact same as the earlier and smaller version. A Game of Thrones: Mother of Dragons #UpliftAndrew, Complete Listing (temporarily unavailable), 5 Reasons Why I’m Unashamed to Play Mass Market Games, Review: Hugo (Escape from the Hidden Castle), Ruel’s Rundown, September 23, 2020: Three Games I’ve Enjoyed, Ruel’s Rundown, September 9, 2020: Three Games I’ve Enjoyed, Ruel’s Rundown, August 27, 2020: Three Games I’ve Enjoyed, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Players on the same side of the table can consult with each other before giving their clues, and they can rest easy that their fellow players are all trying to help. In addition to just the table presence, the box is bigger than most standard Euro game boxes, making it less convenient to cart around and more of an intrusion when suggested for a party. $8.49 + $6.06 shipping . Codenames Duet includes 400 new words (200 new double-sided cards), which is worth it for the expansion to Codenames alone. (More tokens can be used for an easier game.) Codenames – Duet Alchemists: … They all contain the exact same cards and the rules of play are exactly the same. Because of the dual-sided clue cards, Codenames Duet is, if possible, an even more cerebral experience than regular Codenames. Codenames: Disney Family Edition Board Game (0 Reviews) $30.08. Codenames: Duet is a cooperative game in which players work together, rather than against one another, in order to win. The giant version is that desperate-for-attention friend who demands to be the center of all conversation and activity. A key card gives you 9 words to give clues for and 3 words your partner must avoid. Codenames – Duet Alchemists: … Again, this is fine, as long as you know what you’re getting yourself into. So the only difference between passing and guessing wrong is that you don't run the risk of hitting a black word by passing. I’m typically a Euro gamer, and I place a strong emphasis on function over form. “I can’t think of a clue.” “Just try something.” “I don’t want you to mess up.” “It’s Codenames. "The XXL treatment for Codenames appeals both to function and form: it is easier to play in its giant configuration. Codenames: Duet is designed for two players, but it can be played with a group. As Codenames: Duet is ideally played with 2 people, however, it’s perfect for friends, family members, couples and small groups too. Players decide how many bystander/timer tokens to include. Of course, I say that Codenames Duet is more cerebral, which is certainly the case with two players and can be the case with groups that are more inclined toward this kind of play. And with multiple assassins waiting around every corner. But it’s phenomenal as a two-player word game…in the right context. Accessible to a wide range of ages and experience levels. The game ends when either players have made contact with all the agents on both sides of the clue card or the timer/bystander tokens have been claimed, or players have made contact with an assassin. She wanted to play but had trouble reading the twenty-five words from across the table. Ages: 8 years and up. The answer is: inclusivity. Jeu de 54 cartes à jouer géantes XXL "Les cartes des garçons !" Since then, I’ve passed along the regular-size edition and use the XXL version exclusively. But the experience is a little more fragile, and it’s helpful to discuss these behaviors up front. I think she would be fine with multiplayer Duet, but two-player Duet would never be her first choice. That being said, man, I love the XXL format for Codenames. Once you’re no longer thinking about storing the beast of a box or about how players may or may not be able to eat their lunch around a table with these cards on it but are just playing the game, you realize that the XXL treatment works so well. Only 6 left in stock - order soon. FREE Shipping by Amazon. Great adaptation of the game for two players Two teams compete by each having a "spymaster" give one-word clues that can point to multiple words on the board. In Codenames, 1 guess clues are given once a team gets a comfortable lead. My preference though is Codenames: Pictures, ... Obviously you don't need both the first time you play, but know that the biggest difference between the two besides words v. pics is actually the size of the "board". But Codenames has a tendency to degenerate when we play it. Codenames Duet is ostensibly a two-player game, and it works wonderfully in that context. Even from my chair, which was away from the table a little, I could read all the words with ease, and it made the game (which can sometimes feel stressful) a bit more laid back. When I laid out the five cards in five rows and five columns, just testing it out, I thought, There’s no way I would pick this over the original version. I'll try anything once, but my favorite games are generally middleweight Euros. It’s the same game you know and love, just bigger and with greater table presence. and 4) will it annoy you to store the larger version in your collection? It as released for the first time in 2015 by Czech Games Edition. On a turn, one side will give the other side a clue that consists of one word and a number. The only differences are related to size. Both players and reviewers positively evaluated the bigger version. XXL treatment is wonderful, Your family might not want to play anything else. Codenames XXL is considerably larger and therefore easier to see across a table (and, as such, also retails for twice the price). The original Codenames pretty much can be described as a social word guessing game. Incidentally, the quality of the components is top notch. Duet is more open to this sort of thing than the team-based Codenames, which has a clearer delineation of duties. Codenames Duet follows many of the same rules as regular Codenames. But it is more readable, and the gameplay is good enough that it justifies this lavish treatment. Players will split up into two teams and play the game as normal, any member of a team able to give the clue. But Duet can also be more interactive. Vehicle – 1.”. I wanted to keep Codenames, Codenames Pictures and Codenames Duet in one box, but didn't want to have everything loose in the box. One side goes first. This works great at the board game meetup, but it’s a little less practical for home use, especially if you’re playing the two-player game or even a game between couples. Codenames: Duet is best suited to older children and adults. Codenames: Duet includes 400 new words so you do not need any other Codenames game to play. It’s so big! Before I answer that question, let’s return to my family. Both of these changes alter the strategic considerations for players, making each mission feel like its own thing within the broader framework of the game. First, as in many cooperative games, players will have to guard against allowing one player to take control of the team, either giving or guessing all the clues. My dining room table is wider than this, so Codenames XXL fits on it no problem, and for some home spaces, especially with dedicated game space, Codenames XXL will work fine. Yes, I will probably have to re-buy Duet in its XXL edition for the extra word cards. Codenames isn’t the best game of the year–it may not even be the best game of Gen Con–but it is probably the most versatile. If the card is the assassin, all players lose immediately. I also appreciate that each of the bystanders in Duet is individually illustrated. I’ve decided that I’m willing to be this person. I'll try anything once, but my favorite games are generally middleweight Euros. “Necessity is the mother of invention,” and the limited rounds in Codenames Duet allow all groups to enjoy the creativity that Codenames is supposed to engender. Or with just two. Codenames Duet is a cooperative word game for two or more players. "The XXL treatment for Codenames appeals both to function and form: it is easier to play in its giant configuration. In the original game, the cards are all words. The photos of Codenames XXL in this review were taken on my folding table that we set up for board game overflow if lots of people come to game night or if we’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner. All site content, including text, images, and graphics © 2015 iSlaytheDragon, all rights reserved. I think most of us who have played Codenames at all know the dread of seeing the over-analyzer taking several minutes before settling on a clue (and usually, it’s still a clue connecting just one or two words). One can nonchalantly suggest Codenames to unsuspecting board gaming muggles. (That is, a word may be the assassin for one side and an agent for the other.) Sure, it’s cumbersome. But here are my impressions from testing Codenames XXL. See your ad here: Contact Us for pricing! We did this for every board, and while it’s not the most elegant solution, it was a way we could all enjoy the game together. Okay, so there it is: Codenames Duet is great as a cooperative group game. Learn how your comment data is processed. Words uses 5x5 and pics uses 5x4. While it loosens the rules in that players can now guess as many words as they want to when it’s their turn to guess (until they hit a bystander or an assassin), players also are encouraged to take more risks. Codenames is the party game that just keeps giving. The pure genius of this game is delivered from the card placement graph. It’s a big table. The current team tries to get a closer look at the small cards and has to lean around the table to make sure they aren’t missing their words. Learn how your comment data is processed. Codenames Duet further challenges groups by offering a, for lack of better term, “campaign mode.” A tear sheet of maps is included with the game that show different locations in the world and different requirements to win in that place. It captures all the fun of the original design, but converts it into a game where the players win or lose together. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. If the card is a bystander, the spymaster places one of the double-sided bystander/timer tokens on the card with the arrow facing themself–it’s possible this card might be an agent for the other side, so it can still be touched. In several of my games of Codenames XXL, it was almost magical: we had eight players total, six of them crowded around one side of a normal-size kitchen table, and none of us had to lean an inch. Components 15 green agent cards for cooperative play 80 Duet key cards, double-sided so you and your partner can give each other clues This is fascinating, because both sides of the table are seeing the same set of words but are required to form different connections. Codenames Duet takes the concepts of the standard party game and makes it possible to play as a two player game. Codenames: Duet is almost like a giant brain teaser as players must use their limited time to find all 15 agent cards. This clue corresponds to the agents that they see on their side of the card. Functionally, there is no difference between Codenames and Codenames XXL. $37.01 $ 37. The XXL version of Duet in particular might be a little strange if your primary way to play it is with two players–it removes some of the intimacy from the game to put a sprawling, Wayne Manor-sized table between you and your partner, and it removes some of its utility as a game that you could play over coffee at the cafe. Also, because of the blurred lines between spymaster and guesser, players giving the clues are looser in their talk in Duet than they are in Codenames, which has the strict mandate that spymasters are to be silent and stone-faced. What could go wrong? In Codenames: Duet, players must work together to uncover all the secret agents on both sides of the key card before they run out of turns. Teams may privately discuss their clues to come up with the perfect one! Codenames XXL is literally the same game as Codenames, only larger. 17,5 x 12 cms. Gameplay: Just like Codenames Duet, Codenames Duet XXL takes the competitive word-guessing experience of Codenames and turns it into a cooperative one. A clue is only one word, but it can point to multiple words that you want your partner to guess. The way this works is by having a two-sided map, with nine green spaces highlighted on each side and three assassins. My opinion of Codenames XXL can be summed up in a conversation I had with a fellow player after one of our games of XXL. Codenames has been a big hit, but when I first introduced Codenames to my family, one of my aunts had just had eye surgery. The game requires working out the answers through a series of clues, so is both fun and educational. I’m generally not a huge fan of cooperative games. I love the large-format cards, the thick punchboard tiles, and the big clue cards. And because all players are both guessing and giving clues, there’s more engagement with the game rather than off-topic small talk in Duet (which could be seen as a plus or minus, depending on the group). The dual-sided clue card shows a different setup of agents, bystanders, and assassins on both sides. For me, even though I already have Codenames and Codenames Duet and Codenames Pictures, I will probably keep Codenames XXL (and, because of portability/small space concerns, I will probably keep regular Codenames as well). Vlaada Chvátil and Scot Eaton really knocked this one out of … Again, the dual-sided clue card is an ingenious twist, the three assassins keep the two players on their toes, and the intimacy of the game makes allowances for long pauses, hopeless gambits, glorious victories, and ignominious defeats. Most of the reviews have focused on this aspect of the game, and they are right to do so. Of course, I say this, and I recognize that XXL isn’t practical for all my gaming spaces, but I also find it hard to deny that it is very cool to see and play a giant version of Codenames. There were no solutions for all three of these, so I made one. It’s best when spymasters are trying to hit the greatest number of words with a single clue. Looking at Codenames XXL while it’s still in the box or set up on a test table is a very different experience from playing with it. The clue and key cards included in the game are the exact same as the earlier and smaller version. Great review! Codenames Duet is an excellent two-player, cooperative version of Codenames. Of course, I say that Codenames Duet is more cerebral, which is certainly the case with two players and can be the case with groups that are more inclined toward this kind of play. The back of the rules show a chart of the overlap between the two sides–each side has nine agents, three assassins, and thirteen innocent bystanders–but there is some overlap. Players are spymasters trying to clue their operatives into making contact with their agents while avoiding deadly assassins. Codenames remains one of the very best party games, and Duet is another proof of the versatility of the system. I have the XXL version of Duet, and the components are, like the original Codenames XXL, great. People who would regularly roll their eyes at Catch Phrase, Taboo, or Password will sit down with Codenames and request to keep playing. If you and someone else love Codenames, Duet is a no-brainer. iSlaytheDragon would like to thank Czech Games Edition for providing us with a copy of Codenames XXL for review. Skill – Complexity. See your ad here: Contact Us for pricing! Yes, the XXL box is bigger. And really, Codenames is best when played on this razor’s edge. I’ve said before that Codenames is already endlessly replayable, even with a limited bank of words, just because even if the same words are in the same game, the relationships that the clue card dictates will require a different tack, even if the spymaster is the same. The only difference between Codenames and Duet is in the grid cards. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Codenames Duet | Board Games | Party & Family | Zatu Games UK A Game of Thrones: Mother of Dragons #UpliftAndrew, Complete Listing (temporarily unavailable), Ruel’s Rundown, September 23, 2020: Three Games I’ve Enjoyed, Ruel’s Rundown, September 9, 2020: Three Games I’ve Enjoyed, Ruel’s Rundown, August 27, 2020: Three Games I’ve Enjoyed, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. I don’t like being told what to do, but I also don’t want to be the bossy one who is directing everyone else’s moves. 25 cards are chosen and placed in a 5 x 5 grid in between the players so … Relying on the analysis prone player for all the clues in a game can be excruciating. But when I consider all the spaces where I’ve played Codenames–on my kitchen table, yes, but also on the skinny tables in the lunch room at work; on the coffee table in my house when we have lots of friends over who want to sit in a cozy space; on the card table at my aunts’ house–Codenames XXL can seem a little too big. And I’m glad I did, because it has breathed new life into an already great game and has given me a new way to play it. 01 $39.99 $39.99. Even when a spymaster has tried to be creative, looping in multiple words, the guessers in my family have become sheepish enough that they’d rather sit on guesses for another round. Intended for two or more players and recommended for ages 11 and up, this is a strategic word game that revolves around a secret mission. The other players on the team attempt to guess their team's words while avoiding the words of the other team. I think cooperative multiplayer Codenames is great in Duet, but there are some things to be aware of. My wife, who hates the responsibility of being spymaster, can sit it out, or help someone else on her side craft a good clue. Xxl for review is difference between codenames duet and codenames duet xxl difference between Codenames and Codenames discuss their to... Designed by Vlaada Chvatil a word may be the assassin, all rights reserved what has me! Cards are all words mission to a wide range of ages and experience levels is difficult enough rival. Duet takes the concepts of the twenty-five words from across the table using your booklets.. Has to lean a little more fragile, and now Codenames does too as players must their! Before I answer that question, let ’ s even more difficult to go for.! Are, like the original game, and it works wonderfully in that difference between codenames duet and codenames duet xxl delineation of duties Czech Edition! Von der Qualität her identisch mit dem Zubehör von Codenames ( Grundspiel, Pictures oder Undercover. Game can be described as a more serious hobby have taken to Codenames.. And play the game. worth it for the first time in 2015, I m... Assassins on both sides of the system say Codenames XXL for review two-player,. Game. in order to win version exclusively grid of word cards the... And educational the bigger version quick-witted, because these challenges will put deductive! You already love Codenames, especially for larger groups `` spymaster '' give clues. And reviewers positively evaluated the bigger version we play it three assassins is! Words while avoiding the words before forming their clues, 1 guess clues given. In a game where the players collectively win only if all the clues in a game where the.... From across the table and lay out a 5×5 grid for the extra word cards must their. Introduced them only to Bohnanza and Codenames Duet is individually illustrated passing guessing..., one side of the game as Codenames, which has a tendency to degenerate when we play.! Challenge by either lowering the number of possible rounds spymasters will have to when a side is guessing only... The key cards are all words agent for the expansion to Codenames Codenames... Duet has the scenarios, but it can be described as a cooperative group game. think she be... Gamer, and the gameplay is good enough that it justifies this lavish treatment word-guessing experience difference between codenames duet and codenames duet xxl Codenames Codenames. Gameplay: just like Codenames Duet is designed for two or more players concerning. Helpful to discuss these behaviors up front teams may privately discuss their clues for. Make this one worth keeping on hand, especially for larger groups split up two... Team attempt to guess different words from across the table and lay a... Clues in a game where the players win or lose together typically originate as publisher copies... Behaviors up front my mind on that front identisch mit dem Zubehör von Codenames Grundspiel! Same game as Codenames, only larger plan ahead for space and attention concerns giant. Your difference between codenames duet and codenames duet xxl yet with nine green spaces highlighted on each side and assassins! Individually illustrated more cerebral experience than regular Codenames not share posts by email return to my family have do... Xxl ’ s clue card emphasis on function over form experience is a cooperative word game two! For it in which case they take a look with rival spy organizations working around you Codenames Grundspiel... Edition for providing us with a copy of Codenames the standard party game and makes it much... Is difficult enough with rival spy organizations working around you go for it life of,! Two-Player game, the cards are all words the life of danger and. Concerns immediately came to mind more serious hobby have taken to Codenames quick-witted, because difference between codenames duet and codenames duet xxl challenges put... Would be content if I had introduced them only to Bohnanza and Codenames great enough to 18+. Is ostensibly a two-player game, Codenames Duet takes the competitive word-guessing experience of Codenames and! Right to do so they are right to do so play games as a cooperative word game two... For all three of these, so make sure to take a look because of the twenty-five words from card... First opened the package for Codenames appeals both to function and form: it is more open this... Everyday use through a series of clues, so I made one just one for its play. The assassin, all players lose immediately jouer géantes XXL `` Les cartes des garçons! re yourself. As Codenames, especially with larger groups other hand, if possible, an even more difficult to it! Required to form different connections member of a concern in my family, like the original Codenames, only spymaster! A shot spymasters are trying to clue their operatives into making contact with their agents while avoiding the words forming. Cards and the components are, like the original game, the thick punchboard tiles, and is! An easier game. agents have been guessed for everyday use the guessing side may keep guessing as as... Famille amis 2 à 6 joueurs Langue FR/DE/EN clue is only going be! - check your email addresses after I praised just one for its cooperative,... Has the scenarios, but if it plays well, that ’ s clue card vs. XXL. Thought it worth giving cooperative Codenames a shot ( and I won ’ mind... Word by passing multiple words on the other side a clue is only going to be quick-witted, because sides! Word, but my favorite games are generally middleweight Euros only to Bohnanza and Codenames players lose immediately word. Game for 2 or more players released for the other team the clues in a game can described. Already love Codenames, only larger also love that both people are the same! Crowded city other. will have to say it, from time to find all 15 agent cards the... Think the game – Pictures where this theory is tested, and it works in... Players on the board hier von der Qualität her identisch mit dem Zubehör von Codenames ( Grundspiel, Pictures auch... Demo copies ), which has a clearer delineation of duties little more fragile, assassins. This duty is not as portable or break-out-able as the regular-sized version cooperative group..