SPIKE

Can you feel the sand under your feet? In SPIKE you step onto the beach for a game of beach volleyball, two against two. The board is full of squares, with the court in the middle, where you try to hit the ball over the net. You move across the board by playing cards with a value of 1 to 5. A high card takes you further, so you can just reach that distant ball, but it also makes your pass wobblier. Most cards have symbols that let you perform a special action. Think of a rock hard smash, a save just above the sand or a block at the net. In the basic version you play with four ready-made decks, but in Tournament mode you build your own deck. Will you go for speed, power or precision? That way everyone plays in their own style. During a rally you may not talk things over with your partner, except with a block card that you secretly hide from your opponents. As the game goes on and points are scored, you discard cards from your deck. At first that makes you stronger, but towards the end you feel the fatigue and your options run out. The first team to reach 11 points wins, or 21 in Tournament mode.