Cliffhanger

A clever trick-taker where you collect goats but must not overshoot a hidden hill capacity that reveals mid-game.

Designer: Günter Burkhardt
Published by: 999 Games
Editions by: Kaissa Chess & Games, Lautapelit.fi, Piatnik, AMIGO, Mercurio, Corfix, Imagine Jogos

A tricky little trick-taking game, first released as Ziegen Kriegen, where you collect goats but the central hill can only feed so many. High card wins the trick, but during the early tricks the lowest card reveals how many goats the hill supports, setting a hidden goal you must not overshoot.

Trick-taking where low cards reveal the goalBalance collecting goats against a hidden limitBetting and bluffing woven into the play

Who it's for

Card and trick-taking fans who enjoy a twist on the format and the tension of steering toward a shifting hidden goal.

Not for you if…

You dislike trick-taking or want a meatier strategy game. It is light and fast, and the goal-reveal can feel swingy; the game is also long out of print.

Vibe's take

A short, sharp trick-taking puzzle full of tension, since you chase goats while the target capacity only reveals itself partway through.