BoardGameGeek
User Review
September 2005
USA

Outfox is the kind of abstract strategy game that is easy to enjoy. That is, the rules are quite simple, but it can be a bear to win. The game is played on a hexagon that consists of 19 intersecting points. Each player gets an identical set of nine pieces, each containing three shapes (square, triangle, circle) in three different colors (red, brown, white). The winner is the first person to get three pieces in a row, either three different shapes in one color or the same shape in three colors.

The twist comes in the placement of pieces. On the first player’s turn, he places a piece on any intersection. After the initial move, play goes as follows: A player must place a new piece on the board from his set next to a piece already on the board. Once he places the new piece, the piece that was next to it must slide on the board to a new location. It can stop wherever the player wishes, but it must travel in a straight line and can not jump pieces. Therefore, the three-in-a-row can be achieved either by placing a piece that makes three-in-a-row, or by placing a piece that causes an adjoining piece to slide into a three-in-a-row position. Therefore, the board is always changing, and as available spaces start to dwindle, it gets harder to make a “safe” move.

After playing several games in a row, some things about the game become obvious. For example, if you’re too busy trying to create your three-in-a-row, it’s easy for your opponent to take advantage and land their three. You also have to be good with shapes and colors, because the game has kind of Quarto feel to it, with observational skills being key to winning. As the pieces move to their new positions, it’s easy to miss three shapes in a row if you’re trying to focus on colors. It’s important to keep an eye on what pieces your opponent has available, because it helps to think a couple of steps ahead.

The first couple of times we played, games were over in less than five minutes. But as we got better with placing (and sliding) pieces, the games began to stretch out to the 15-minute mark. There was a lot of analyzing of the board, with “if I move this there, you’ll put this piece here” type of strategizing. In the latter games, it was the sliding pieces that determined the winner, not the ones placed.

It’s a solid game, but feels a brief. One wishes the hexagon was bigger, with more pieces, to make the games last longer. But it’s thoroughly enjoyable and challenging, and there’s some minor brain burning going on. It’s made by Pin International, and it’s handsomely designed, with a wooden board and all-wooden pieces. It’s worth checking out.

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