Compounded

Trade elements, finish chemical compounds, and get out before the volatile ones explode.

Designer: Darrell Louder
Published by: Dice Hate Me Games
Editions by: One Moment Games, Rooster Games

Compounded puts you in a chemistry lab where the point is to complete compounds before anyone else does, or before they explode. You manage elements, equipment and even favors, and you are allowed to trade all of them freely with your lab mates, which is where the real game happens. Some compounds are flammable and grow more volatile the longer they sit unfinished, so dawdling can scatter hours of work across the lab. There is a streak of press-your-luck and some planning, but the best scientist is usually the best negotiator. It is a set-collection game with a loud table, for two to five, roughly ninety minutes, and it has a faint educational flavor.

Free trading of elements, tools and favorsFlammable compounds grow volatile over timeChemistry theme with set collection

Who it's for

Your group likes haggling and table talk, and you want a trading game with a science theme and a tidy risk of explosions.

Not for you if…

You prefer quiet solo planning or your group freezes when asked to negotiate. Without trading, the game loses most of what it offers.

Vibe's take

Chatty and a little frantic. Offers fly across the table, someone always overpays for the missing element, and the flammable compounds add a ticking clock that keeps everyone honest about timing.