Durian, the King of Fruits, might be one of the most polarizing foods out there, but Durian Dash designed by Daryl Chow and published by Origame is a great party game without a doubt.
The Durian is a delicacy enjoyed throughout Southeast Asia, and Singapore-based game publisher Origame have put their own spin on a very easy to play card game.
Designed for 3-6 players, Durian Dash is all about collecting the Durians you love, while avoiding the ones you don’t.
The concept and mechanics are extremely simple. There are several popular durian types in play – Red Prawn, Golden Phoenix, Black Pearl, Sultan, and everyone’s favourite Mao Shan Wang.
Each player gets a secret card that tells you what durian type you love, like and hate, which will give you extra points when you reach the end of the game.
You then choose to go to one of Malaysia’s Durian havens – Johor or Pahang. Each city has a row of durian cards that basically form the plantation that you’ll be collecting from.
The cards from your hand allow you to pick and discard cards from the plantation. Play goes on until cards run out and then you tally points. Extra points are gained and/or deducted depending on the stockpile you end up with and how many of them you love, like or hate.
Along the way, you can get cards that hinder your opponents and even leave rotten fruit behind.
A very simple game to pick up, Durian Dash is best with four or more players and is a great filler game.
The art by Marcus Lim is vibrant and yet has a very 70s/80s classic feel to it. The cards also communicate instructions and actions easily making the game very beginner friendly.
It doesn’t matter if you long for the sweet fragrance of the Durian, or run away in fear, Durian Dash is easy to love and perfect for quick play.
Durian Dash is available from the Origame website.