Hoity Toity (1990) Board Game

Hoity Toity is a board game designed by Klaus Teuber and first released in in 1990. It is a game of bluffing and set collection that has been popular among board game enthusiasts for its unique gameplay mechanics. The game has been published by alea and has received several awards for its innovative design and engaging gameplay.

Game Components of Hoity Toity

Board: Represents the journey through an auction house and a castle.

Cards: Include items for bidding, thieves for stealing, and detectives for arresting thieves.

Player Tokens: Each player has a token, a detective, and two thieves.

Money: Used for bidding on items.

Objets d’art: The valuable items players aim to collect.

How To Setup Hoity Toity

To set up Hoity Toity, players start by placing their tokens at the beginning of the board. Each player receives a set amount of money and their respective detectives and thieves. The items to be auctioned are shuffled and placed at the auction house on the board. Setup time is approximately 5 minutes.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Bluffing: Players must bluff to outmaneuver each other in bidding and thievery.

Auction House: Players can bid on items or send a thief to steal the bidding money.
– If only one thief is sent, the thief steals all the bidding money.
– If multiple thieves are sent, the auction proceeds normally.

Castle: Players can exhibit collected items to move forward, send a thief to steal, or send a detective to arrest a thief.

Objective: The first player to complete a circuit of the board and return to the club wins.

Player Experience

Hoity Toity is a game that thrives on player interaction and strategy. It requires players to read each other’s moves carefully, making it more engaging with repeated plays among the same group. The game’s clever use of bluffing mechanics adds a layer of social deduction, making each game unique.

Pros

Engaging Social Interaction: The game fosters a lot of player interaction and bluffing.

Clever Mechanics: The movement system and auction mechanics are highly praised for their originality.

High Replayability: The game becomes more interesting as players gain an understanding of each other’s strategies.

Awards and Recognition: Won the 1990 Spiel des Jahres and Deutscher Spiele Preis.

Cons

Complexity: Some players may find the rules and strategies a bit complex at first.

Player Count: Best with 3-6 players; gameplay can be less dynamic with fewer players.

Personal Thoughts on Hoity Toity

Hoity Toity is perfect for those who enjoy strategic games with a strong social element. It’s ideal for groups of friends who play together frequently, as the game’s appeal grows with familiarity. The game’s unique blend of bluffing, bidding, and thievery makes it a standout in the board game world, particularly for fans of games that require clever planning and social deduction.

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