We had never played this game before, but are familiar with and enjoy rummy card games, so I was interested in Rummykub, which seemed to allow for some very interesting variations in play, esp the way the 'board' is constantly being modified as turns progress. In reading reviews online, flimsiness of the components, as well as overall cheapness, were a constant complaint, which is why I decided to invest a little more money to purchase a better set. (I did luck into picking up a copy from Amazon Warehouse, marked down in price because of minor surface damage to the box. Gameplay: The rules were not terribly difficult to learn, although we had to go back and review the included instructions a few times, to make sure we were playing correctly, and not forgetting anything. Once we were up and going, we all really enjoyed playing. We picked up strategies as we went along, and have had a lot of fun with this. Although we had a background in rummy card games, we now prefer to play this instead. It seems more challenging, more interesting, and more involving over all. I highly recommend it. Components: --The rule book is easy to read, being well-formatted, written in clear, proper English, and containing some illustrations for the sake of clarity. --The racks or stands are large, and designed to help conceal how many tiles you have remaining in your hand. We also found them very stable. ???? (Many negative reviews for any and all versions of Rummykub noted that the racks were poorly made or ill-balanced, and would often tip over, spilling a player's tiles. In the many games we've played since this arrived, I have *never* had this problem, or come even close, despite the fact that I am clumsy in general, and often knock things over and drop stuff all the time.) --The tiles are large, thick, and heavy. They have a satisfying weight in the hand, and make a nice click on the dining room table when played. They're sturdy, too. I've dropped a couple by accident, onto a tile floor, and although I was afraid they would shatter, they appear unmarked! The numbers are engraved, rather than simply painted onto the surface, and the difference between the four colors seems clear and unambiguous. --Even the box is a nice, heavyweight material, with plenty of room for everything to fit comfortably. It's smooth all the way around, which I prefer to other versions of this game which come in tins, and therefore have a raised edge around the lid and, more importantly for stacking and storage purposes, around the bottom; I don't want one game to make a stamp or impression on the ones around or under it. --The last piece is the bag, for mixing up and drawing the tiles. It certainly doesn't have the same quality as the rest of the components, however it serves its purpose, and could easily be replaced by a similar item in future, if necessary. Overall: --If you are looking for a travel version, this isn't the right set for you, as the tiles, racks, and box are all large and heavy. If you need small and lightweight, keep looking. There are plenty of options online. --For home-use, this is a high-quality version of a very fun game. It is pricey, but they clearly put that money into the components. If your family enjoys this game, you might want to treat yourselves to an upgrade, and if you are shopping for someone, this would be a lovely gift.En lire plus
