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Ever wondered what it would be like to mix Shakespearean mischief with a card game? Well, in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, you’ll be stepping into a world of clever plays and strategic card climbing, all inspired by Shakespeare’s famous comedy. The game draws from the chaos and romance of the original play, but don’t worry—this one doesn’t require you to brush up on your 16th-century English!
👥 2-5 players, ages 10+
⌛ Playing time: 15-30 minutes
📝 Design & Artwork: Icerain Lin
🏢 Publisher: Icerain Games (Review copy provided by Taiwan Boardgame Design)
In this ladder-climbing game, players take turns playing card sets that must either match or beat the previous set. If you’re stuck, there’s always the love-in-idleness card to help, acting as a wild that can turn the tide in your favor. The goal is simple: be the first to play all your cards, while the remaining players lose points based on what’s left in their hands. The game continues over multiple rounds until someone’s score drops below zero, crowning the highest-scoring player as the winner.
It’s a game of balance, strategy, and sometimes pure luck—but it moves quickly and keeps everyone on their toes. Perfect for a group looking for something light, yet still competitive.
Gameplay Overview
Published by Icerain Games and designed by Icerain Lin, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a ladder-climbing card game that starts with one player playing a pair from their hand. Other players can either pass and draw a love-in-idleness wild card, or play a higher set of cards. When playing, you can either match the rank with higher numbers or jump to the next rank entirely. The ranks range from pairs to larger sets like five-of-a-kind, with the interesting twist of some cards having two numbers when flipped upside down for extra flexibility.
Play continues until a player empties their hand or can no longer draw a wild card. Points are lost based on the cards left in hand, and once someone’s score drops to zero, the player with the highest score wins. It’s simple, but leaves room for some clever moves and tactical thinking.
Our Thoughts
A Midsummer Night’s Dream strikes a good balance between being accessible and offering just enough complexity to keep players engaged. The quick rounds make it easy to fit into any game night, and while the theme adds charm, it’s the gameplay that stands out. Fans of ladder-climbing games will enjoy the familiar mechanics with a few unique twists, though careful planning and timing are crucial to executing the perfect strategy.
📝 We received a copy of the game from Taiwan BoardGame Design. If you’re attending Spiel in Essen, you can check it out at Hall 2, booth 2D411.
