At this point Fluxx may be a familiar term to you if you’ve been in the board/card game scene for a bit. Looney Labs has released a bunch of different versions of the game focusing on everything from Monty Python to Zombies. They’re all based around the same basic rules but each brings a new wrinkle to the table. They’re similar enough that you can actually combine decks at your whim and they mesh together perfectly, but each one offers enough variety to stand on it’s own.

After Zombie and Martian versions of the game I suppose it’s not a huge shock that they decided to go with Pirates next. So, what’s Fluxx and what makes this edition the best version yet? Read on!

Fluxx is really a simple card game of “draw a card, play a card” and there’s no way to win. At least, that’s how it starts. Once someone plays a goal card, then the table has something to play towards. Except, that goal card could get changed. Then the next thing you know someone plays a new rule card and everyone’s strategy goes out the window.

Fluxx advertises itself as “The Card Game of Ever Changing Rules” and it most certainly is just that. During the game the players not only have the ability to change the rules of the game, but also the victory conditions as well. It’s lighthearted, fun, and simple to learn since the rules and how to play each card is printed right on each card. So once you get the brief overview of how it works you can usually answer any question you might have by reading the cards themselves. Now since the game is always in Fluxx (ba-dum-dum) it is a game based largely on luck. It’s meant to be more of a party type game, something to play while drinking and telling stories. It’s nonsensical, goofy, and chaotic (but in a good way).

Like the other versions of Fluxx there are cards for Rules, Goals, Actions, Keepers and Creepers but there’s also a new addition this time around. Surprise! cards can be played out of turn and you are given a few choices as to what they can do. The can do things like cancel just played cards or to steal keeper cards for instance throwing even more chaos into the game. It also adds an air of unpredictability, which for me makes Pirate Fluxx the best version of the game I’ve played yet by far.

One of the really nice things about Pirate Fluxx is that it works really well as a 2 player game, which up until now isn’t something I would’ve said about Fluxx in general. Most of the Looney Labs game rely on the chaotic nature that multiple people shooting for different goals provide (This is certainly true in Chrononauts and Back to the Future) and sure that’s still a big factor here. But the addition of the surprise cards can help keep one person from just rolling over their opponent.

Fluxx occupies a weird space in the board/card game world. There seem to be people that both absolutely love and hate the game. I’m easily in the former’s camp, but that’s probably because I try not to take myself that seriously. Fluxx is a goofy game pure and simple. If you regularly play historical tactical battle games and that’s what you’re always looking for then Fluxx will be a disappointment. But for those of us that like to laugh with friends and goof off with some gaming, Fluxx is perfect. Pirate Fluxx is the best Fluxx yet and introduces enough new elements that even if you own some Fluxx you could easily feel justified buying some more!