Noah

Load animals onto ferries without overloading them, and mind where Noah steps next in a quick, clever card game.

Designers: Bruno Cathala, Ludovic Maublanc
Published by: Bombyx
Editions by: asmodee, REXhry, Popcorn Games, Jolly Thinkers

The flood is coming and Noah has a very particular boarding policy. Each round you hold eight animal cards, and five ferries sit in a circle with Noah standing on one of them. On your turn you play one card onto the ferry where Noah currently stands, and two rules apply: the total weight on board may not exceed 21, and the animals must either alternate by gender or all share the same gender. Then Noah moves. Play a female and he steps to a neighbouring ferry; play a male and he jumps across the circle. This French card game, Noé in the original, is short, cute and surprisingly tricky once the ferries fill up.

Five ferries in a circle, one NoahWeight limit of 21 per ferryGender rules decide where Noah moves

Who it's for

You enjoy small card puzzles with a cute theme and want something to play with kids or adults for half an hour.

Not for you if…

You want deep strategy or heavy theme. This is a compact, rule-driven card game.

Vibe's take

Light on the surface, sneaky in practice. Every card you play also points Noah toward the next player's problem, and the weight limit keeps shrinking your options.