Hive- A Game Crawling With Possibilities

Product Description

Hive is a board game with a difference. There is no board. The pieces are added to the playing area thus creating the board. As more and more pieces are added the game becomes a fight to see who can be the first to capture the opposing Queen Bee. [Read more]

Features

• High quality
• Soldier ants and grasshoppers
• Made by Gen42 games honored for excellence by Mensa select
• Dr.Toy product of excellence award winner
• International gamer awards winner
• Made by Gen42 Games - Honoured for excellence by Mensa Select
• Dr. Toy Product of Excellence award winner
• International Gamer awards winner

Top Reviews

Recommended With Some Caveats
by abby (4 out of 5 stars)
October 16, 2017

My husband and I were looking for a 2-person strategy game that had play time of less than 20 minutes. You know, something to keep our minds sharp, something entertaining for when nothing good is on tv (so all the time). For whatever reason, my husband specified that the game could NOT be chess. I have no idea why, but when I saw Hive was like chess, but with bugs, I knew it would be the perfect choice for us. We have been playing for two months now, and we've been enjoying the game. That said, I do kind of wish my husband would have been ok with chess.

On the upside, this game is excellent in quality. Hive will last you a lifetime. The pieces are sturdy and thick, no weak papery pieces here. It's also a great game for travel, because everything you need fits inside an included pouch. I went ahead and tossed the box. This game is easy to store in a small space. I appreciate that this is a competitive game, none of that co-operative game bs. My husband and I aren't built for the kind of games where you help each other fake farm or whatever-- there must be a winner (and the winner must be me!). These are the reasons I've given it 4 stars. But there are downsides to this game, that may or may not be a deal breaker for some.

First, the cost. Hive isn't cheap. If you buy the three expansion pieces (which we are finding necessary, more on that later), you'll have invested about 60 dollars into this game. Be sure you really want a competitive strategy game and will play it often before buying this.

Once me and my husband mapped out our favorite strategies with the included pieces, the game gets a bit stagnant. This is where the expansion pieces come into play. I really think they should be included to begin with. They expand the possible strategies to where you can get years of exciting game play instead of months.

It is super easy for the queen bees to get close enough together where it creates a drawl (because to put in that last piece that surrounds the opponent's bee, you're surrounding your own at the same time). One way to prevent this is to play under an unofficial rule that you can't put down the bee as your first piece. It still happens, though, and ties are no fun.

The player who goes first has an advantage. If you're evenly matched with your opponent, it's a noticeable advantage. That said, if you're playing against a weaker opponent, or someone newer to the game, it can keep things competitive to let that player go first every time.

Engineers and computer science majors seem to be masters at this game. This is the perfect gift idea for that special programmer in your life.

I imagine we'll be playing this game for years to come.
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Chess for the impatient; wish I bought it sooner
by Jacob (5 out of 5 stars)
December 4, 2018

I'm 25 and an avid video gamer. I haven't played a board game since I was a kid. While I always liked the idea and strategy behind chess, the usual long and drawn out nature of chess caused me to quickly lose interest every time I played. Hive is essentially a modern chess-lite. Most games last 15-20 minutes which is perfect.

I remember seeing this game recommended on Reddit several years ago. I think I took a quick look and my initial reaction was that it looked silly/childish based on the theme. I regret not looking into it more.

I was actually going to "pirate" the game and 3D print all of the pieces for about $3 worth of materials and a few hours of my time, but I didn't feel good about doing that to a small game company like Gen42. It also wouldn't have looked nearly as nice, so I'm glad that I bought it. These are made of Bakelite or a similar material (think dominoes) so they have a nice heft to them. The hexagons are about 2" across the flats. The paint is applied well, especially in thin parts of the designs like the legs and antennae. The bug designs are recessed into the face of the pieces which helps protect the paint during normal use. I don't really like the included zipper pouch since I feel like having the pieces in a loose jumble would cause the paint to wear faster. So I decided to design and 3D print my own hard case out of PLA plastic with some foam added for cushioning.

I spent a while deciding between this version, Hive Pocket, and Hive Carbon. The only real downside to this version is that the game and all expansions will run you $50, compared to low $30's for Hive Pocket or Hive Carbon and all the expansions. I ruled out Carbon fairly quickly since losing the colors means it isn't as easy to take a quick glance at the board and know what's going on. Pocket has the benefits of being cheaper and obviously being more portable. However having played with both now (a friend bought Pocket), the size and heft of the original pieces feels really nice. I think the smaller Hive Pocket pieces feel too fiddly and it's too easy to "bump" the board and mess the tiles up. I also feel like this version is already portable enough for my uses. Unless you're a backpacker where every pound counts or you'll be playing the game on airline tray tables I wouldn't recommend Pocket.

I would recommend playing a few dozen matches with the base game before adding any of the expansions.
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Hive - The Original
by Andrew Smith (5 out of 5 stars)
April 28, 2015

Overview:

Hive is a two-player abstract strategy game centered around the placing and manipulation through movement of hexagonal shaped tiles representing various insects. Like the pieces in Chess, each insect tile has specific rules that govern when and where it can move. The object of the game is to be the first player to manipulate the opposing player's Queen Bee tile in such a manner that it is surrounded on all six of its sides by other insects.

Setup Time Required:

There is almost zero setup time required to play outside of first reading the brief rules foldout for the first time. Hive does not have a game-board in the traditional sense of the word, nor does it have cards or chits to worry about. The insect tiles are the game: the tiles function individually as the playing pieces, and collectively as the board. The game can begin just as soon as the tiles are removed from the box or bag and distributed to each player.

Components:

Hive - The Original includes 22 insect tiles (11 for each player) and a nylon-zippered case for those that want to game on the go. The tiles are quite chunky in size and are made out of Bakelite. They have a very nice, sturdy, feel to them. The insect illustrations are etched into each tile and are painted. Extended use may lead to some chipping of the paint.

Target Audience:

Hive is relatively cheap and it is portable, so anyone looking for either a quick strategic game or a game they can take with them on their travels may be interested in giving this game a shot. Hive should also be considered as a gateway game before introducing someone to the similar, but more complex, game of Chess.

If you found this review helpful, please let me know below.
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Superb game with huge pieces
by Robert D. Herrick II (4 out of 5 stars)
September 26, 2017

Hive is an excellent game. I could not recommend the game itself any more highly. I learned about Hive through a recommendation from Google Play Store, and once I'd played a few games in an app, I was completely hooked and had to get the physical game. The strategy required...the thought provoked...it's amazing. You'll hear that a game should be 15 - 20 minutes, but that hasn't been the case for my wife and me. We had one game that took over an hour due to the way the strategy worked out. Man...what a game that was! Every move was countered, then answered, countered again. It was great.

So why do I give this game only 4 stars, you ask? This set doesn't come with two of the three expansions, although not having played with any of the expansions, I can't tell whether that's a detriment. The main reason I knock off a star is because the pieces are monstrous. Each one is huge piece of domino-like material. Frankly, that's probably a good thing when you're looking a high-quality set. We play on a glass table, however, so dropping one scares the living bejesus out of any living creature in the county. I would probably recommend the Hive Pocket set instead of this set, which would help in both regards - the travel set has the expansions and contains smaller pieces. A win all around.
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Seriously Addicting!
by FannyPrice27109 (5 out of 5 stars)
October 25, 2017

My husband and I have recently tried to get back into playing games, as an antidote to just vegetating on the couch and watching TV after our little one has gone to bed. By far we've had the most fun with this excellent two-person game. It's not very hard to learn, but invites a lot of experimentation and strategy -- so it's both fun and exercises the mind. The playing pieces are sturdy and aesthetically pleasing, and the box comes with a zippered bag you can use to transport them (rather than traveling with the whole box). I would heartily recommend this to anybody who enjoys games of strategy, who wants a game convenient for travel, and who is seeking a two-person game beyond the standards.
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Fantastic Game! You Will Love It!
by Kristi R (5 out of 5 stars)
January 6, 2019

This game is incredibly fun! I hate chess and most similar strategy games, but I can't stop playing Hive.

My husband and I bought it for our kids (who do love chess) as a Christmas gift, but when we were going to wrap it we decided to play it first. We then proceeded to play it three more times that night. We laughed and had so much fun!

Needless to say it didn't get wrapped until Christmas Eve since we had to play it a few more times. The kids couldn't wait to know which of their gifts we had been playing with.

Everyone loves it! My 7 year old caught on quickly and likes it better than chess. It is easy to play and game time is less than 20 minutes, often less than 15. So it is not a big commitment but is large on rewards.

The initial learning was a bit tricky for me, but not for my husband or kids who benefitted from the visuals in the game instructions. So if strategy games are not normally your thing be patient and play with someone who allows you to "correct" your moves and even offers tips on play. In other words, skip the competition for the first few games. Once you "get it", you will love it! I can see this remaining a staple in our game rotation for years to come.
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Good, but carbon edition is cheaper and will color match the extensions unlike this version.
by G. Farnsworth,Top Contributor: Board Games (5 out of 5 stars)
August 21, 2016

This may be the best designed game I have ever seen. I mean, like the best table top game since chess. It's a little more laid back than chess and quicker, both of which are nice from an enjoyment point of view. And pieces are never taken out of the game, so it doesn't simplify as the game progresses. Further, defense is very difficult, which means that the games don't go on and on for too long. Wonderful ideas and execution. I don't consider myself real skilled at it but I'm always happy to play with my wife or one of my kids. It's simple enough for kids and interesting enough for anyone.

The pieces are also very well designed and constructed. Very robust and satisfying to play with. Nice designs and colors. Overall this game is quite an accomplishment.

Ok, so where's the downside? Well, if you have read any reviews you know that the makers also sell a "carbon" version, which is black and white. It's a little cheaper than this version but it comes with two expansions (which are like $10 each). So it's a lot cheaper. I thought about getting that one but decided I wanted color in my game. After playing with the base set, I was convinced that I had made the right choice. Worth spending some extra for a set with color.

However, the color expansions are not as nice as the set. In particular, the mosquito is dark grey, which is very hard to see and unsightly on the black tile. And the white tiles for both the mosquito and pillbug are a different color than the main set: they are greener and a little darker. It doesn't affect gameplay but it's an eyesore. Given the cost of these expansions it's silly that they can't color match. If I had bought the carbon edition two expansions would be included and certainly match and I bet the pillbug would match too. I mean, at the end of the day we are going for aesthetics. You miss some color with the carbon, but at least everything matches. That's my only issue with this set.

If you are only sticking with the base set, I'd say color is better.
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One of the best 2 player games out there (quick, easy-to-learn, perfect for picnics/bars)
by Tyler (5 out of 5 stars)
June 8, 2016

HIVE is simply one of the best 2-player games that I own. The game usually plays in ~10-15 minutes and it takes about 5 minutes to fully teach it to a friend.

The best way I can describe hive is like this: It's like a game of chess where the board is created by your pieces, and some pieces can be placed on top of other pieces. The objective is to completely surround the other player's queen bee, and there are many ways to go about this. Despite the game looking like its made for kids, your strategy can get as complicated as you want it to (like chess). I frequently find myself thinking 5-6 turns in advance.

The other thing that's great about this game are the pieces. They are VERY solid, have great detail, and are very easy to clean. This is my go-to game to bring on a picnic or to a beer garden for some light gaming (it also comes with a nice canvas bag). HIGHLY recommend it. My girlfriend and I play it all the time.
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Hive!!!
by Atrain (5 out of 5 stars)
November 20, 2013

This maybe the most fun abstract strategy game I've ever played. It's a lot like chess in that each piece has a different movement, but it is also definitely one-of-a-kind. The strategy is deep, but the game is much simpler and plays faster than chess. If you want a more complex game, you can buy the expansions.

The object of the game is to surround your opponent's queen bee (a hexagon stamped with a bee graphic). The other hexagonal tiles (with bugs imprinted on them) have unique movements.

The pieces are really beautiful and are much improved from the original wood pieces.

I'd recommend getting this version, NOT the carbon version. Sure you save a few dollars on the carbon version, but there are a few caveats with the carbon version. With the carbon version there are only 2 colors (black and white), which makes it harder to tell the playing pieces apart than the Original version of "Hive," where each playing piece (bug) is a different color, making it much easier to tell the difference between the pieces.

Second, and this is just an opinion, the carbon version gives it a very serious look, like chess. Some people like that. I do not. The colors create a playful, easy-going flavor. One of the big benefits of the game is that it is much more accessible to people than chess. The serious look of the carbon version makes it look...like chess, decreasing the possibility that people will try out the game because they think they're playing the difficult, serious and complicated game of chess. My recommendation is get this set.
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Easy and fun game!
by Rick and Ashly (5 out of 5 stars)
January 18, 2019

Pros:

Good compromise between strategy games and short easy games.

Relatively easy instructions - took 2 adults less than 20 minutes to figure out

Quick game - about 15 minutes

Good prequel to teaching an 8-10 yr old before teaching Chess

Comes with a nice storage bag for the pieces

Small and easily portable

Good for playing outside because there are a limited # of pieces and they don't blow away

Cons:

Some of the playing instructions leaves room for doubt are are not completely clear (google helped!)

Have to do a brief refresher before playing if you haven't played in awhile to remember piece moves

Verdict:

A great compromise between my preferences and my husband's. It has become a quick "go-to" game that we play in the evenings

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