Menu Mash-Up (2013) Board Game

Menu Mash-Up is a card game released in 2013 designed by Kelly Abeln and published by Chronicle Books. It is a humor party game that is suitable for 3-7 players, with a runtime of approximately 30 minutes. The game involves dice rolling, hand management, and simultaneous action selection mechanics, making it a fun and engaging experience for players aged 12 and up.

Game Components of Menu Mash-Up

Ingredient cards: Featuring various food items such as papaya, caviar, asparagus, and more.

Prep cards: Actions like baked, flambéed, omelet, etc.

Dish cards: Describe the dishes to be created, such as Romantic Dinner, Tickle the Senses, Break the Bank.

Linking Cards: Words like “with,” “followed by,” “on” to connect ingredients and preps.

Menu folders: To present the created menus to the Diner.

How To Setup Menu Mash-Up

To set up the game, each player is dealt a hand of ten cards: seven ingredient cards and three prep cards. One player takes on the role of the Diner, who draws a Dish card that outlines the meal to be prepared. The other players, acting as Cooks, use their ingredient and prep cards to create menus that match the Diner’s order.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Gameplay Mechanics:
– Players create menus using ingredient and prep cards.
– Menus are presented to the Diner in menu folders.
– The Diner chooses the best menu and awards the Dish card to the winning Cook.
– Some Dish cards include special instructions like rolling a die or using a timer.

Game Objective: The player who earns the most Dish cards wins the game.

Player Experience

Menu Mash-Up is a hilarious and engaging game that encourages creativity and laughter. Players can create both delicious and outrageous menus, making it a fun experience for foodies and non-foodies alike. The game caters to a wide age range, from 12 and up, and is suitable for both casual and serious food enthusiasts. It stimulates conversations about food preferences and can even inspire real-life culinary experiments.

Pros

Encourages Creativity: Players can come up with innovative and sometimes ridiculous menu combinations.

Versatile: Suitable for both kids and adults, making it a great family or party game.

Multi-Age Appeal: Engages players from age 12 and up.

Interactive: Promotes social interaction and laughter.

Award-Winning: Won a 2014 Parents’ Choice Award Silver medal.

Cons

Production Quality: The cards are flimsy and lack rounded edges, which can lead to wear and tear with heavy use.

Game Length: Some players find the game too long and suggest tweaks to speed up gameplay.

Personal Thoughts on Menu Mash-Up

Menu Mash-Up is perfect for anyone who enjoys food, creativity, and social gaming. It’s an excellent choice for dinner parties, family gatherings, or casual game nights. The game’s ability to balance humor and culinary imagination makes it a standout in the party game category. However, it may not appeal to those who prefer more strategy-oriented games or have high expectations for card quality. Overall, it’s a fun and engaging game that can spice up any social gathering.

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