Automatic Pile It

One of the first games I ever reviewed on Spillingthebeans was Ruckus. This card game has since become a success, thanks to the exceedingly simple and exceptionally fun concept. Dan Levy is the founder of Funstreet Games, and the brain behind Ruckus. Until now, he’s been a one-trick pony, but he’s just released a new game, Pile It.

I really like Ruckus, so I was looking forward to playing Pile It when the sample arrived at my desk this morning. Sure enough, Dan has done it again. Pile It is a delightful game that’s easy to learn and fun to play. Like Ruckus, it is exceedingly simple. Basically, players race to flip and sort their cards into three piles, first by color, then by number and finally by picture. Each player is working independently, and points are awarded based on the order in which the players finish their piles. There’s not much conversation or interaction between the players, since the game requires concentration (as I unfortunately discovered while trying to answer a question in the middle of a round). Any mistakes result in lost points, so it’s important to be careful.
Pile It is recommended for ages 6 and up. According to the rules, younger players can hold their cards face up, eliminating the need to flip the card before sorting it and helping them to be more competitive when playing with older kids or adults. Simplicity is a double-edged sword, though. Pile It is a great game but there’s not much depth to it. After a few rounds, many kids will be ready to move on to something else.

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