The Basics:
- For ages 7 and up (publisher suggests 12+)
- For 2 to 5 players
- Approximately 40 minutes to complete
Geek Skills:
- Active Listening & Communication
- Counting & Math
- Logical & Critical Decision Making
- Reading
- Pattern/Color Matching
- Strategy & Tactics
- Hand/Resource Management
Learning Curve:
- Child – Easy
- Adult – Easy
Theme & Narrative:
- Compete to become the most incredible ice cream scooper ever born to scoop!
Endorsements:
- Gamer Geek mixed!
- Parent Geek approved!
- Child Geek approved!
Overview
I scream! You scream! We all scream for ice cream! This frozen dairy goodness has been associated with good times and hot days for time immemorial and for a good reason. We live in a golden age with so many flavors and toppings that everyone can find something they love. In this game, you’ll take on the role of an ice cream shop employee who has to meet the demands of the many customers filing through your front door. Don’t freeze up and get scooping!
Triple Scoops, designed by Michael Faciane and published by Fun First Productions, is comprised of 90 cards. The cards are as durable as your standard playing card. Illustrations by Shyne Faciane are bright and colorful, adding character to the game.
Get Ready to Scoop
To set up the game, complete the following steps.
First, find and set aside the “Customer” cards. These cards represent the individuals asking for very specific – and large – orders of ice cream. They are easy to spot, as they have a set of icons and a picture of an individual. They are also double-sided with a starting side (yellow border) and a flipped side (purple border).
Second, shuffle the “Customer” cards with their starting side facing in a single direction. Then draw a set number of starting customers and place them in a row to form the “Line,” ensuring that the starting side of the “Customer” card is visible. Place the deck of “Customer” cards next to the “Line.” When completed, several customers will wait for their ice cream order, including the customer on top of the “Customer” draw deck.
Third, find and set aside the “Scoop” cards. These represent the different flavors of ice cream as well as providing actions. Shuffle these cards and deal two to each player. Place the remaining “Scoop” cards face-down to one side of the game-playing area. This is the Scoops draw deck for the duration of the game.
Fourth, find and set aside the “Assignment” cards. These represent secret agendas the player will attempt to complete during the game. Shuffle these cards and deal two to each player. Each player will then look at their “Assignment” cards and decide which one to keep. The one they elect to keep is placed face-down in front of them and hidden. The other is passed back to the dealer and returned to the game box.
Fifth, find and set aside the “Scoopers” cards. These represent the individuals working in the ice cream shop and who the player will help during the game. You may randomly deal these cards or have the players select the character they want to assist. Each “Scoopers” card provides the player with a unique action. Place any “Scoopers” cards not used back in the game box. The “Scooper” cards are placed face-up before their owning player.
Sixth, give each player a “Cone” card. These are also double-sided, but the starting side is unimportant to the gameplay. Player’s choice!
This completes the game setup. Determine who will go first and begin!
Scooping It Up!
Triple Scoops is played in turns with no set number of turns per game. A player’s turn comprises multiple actions that can be taken in any order the player likes and as many times as they like if they can meet the requirements.
Playing a Scoop
Each player has a “Cone” card in front of them. In this cone, the player will play “Scoop” cards to build a tower of yummy ice cream or discard the card to get it out of their hand.
If the player decides to use the card to add to their cone, they place the card above any other card previously placed, overlapping the card. However, if the card added to the cone now is the fourth card in the stack, the bottom-most card on the cone is discarded. This is referred to as “overload.”
Finally, the player may elect to use the action noted on the “Scoop” card they just played, resolving it immediately. If the “Scoop” card being activated for its action has the same action icon as the player’s “Scooper” card, they may elect to use their “Scooper” card’s action instead, but not both.
Serving the Customer
Each customer has a specific order called a “flavor sequence.” This includes ice cream scoops in a particular order and a specific cone type (sugar or traditional). If the player’s cone and stacked ice cream scoops match any of the visible client’s flavor sequences, they may serve that customer.
To do so, announce what customer you are serving. If the flavor sequence is accurate, the player takes the “Customer” card and tucks it behind their “Scoopers” card so only the flavor icons are visible. Then all the “Scoop” cards on the player’s cone are discarded. Finally, all the “Customer” cards are shifted forward on the Line (away from the “Customer” draw deck), and the top-most “Customer ” card is placed in the empty spot on the Line.
Flipping the Cone or Customer
Part of a customer’s flavor sequence is the cone type. If the player’s “Cone” card is currently empty, they may discard one card of their choice to flip the “Cone” card to its other side.
Alternatively, the player may discard two cards of their choice to flip any “Customer” card to the other side that currently resides on the Line. Doing so also changes what ice cream they want on their cone.
Players cannot use the effects of the cards they elect to discard.
Restock the Cards
The last action the player can take also ends the player’s turn. The player may take this action at any time. Once they announce their Restock action, they draw enough cards from the Scoops draw deck. The number of cards drawn is two plus the player’s current number of scoops on their cone. For example, if the player had two cards on their cone, they would draw four cards from the Scoops draw deck.
After the player completes their turn, the next player in the turn order sequence takes their turn until the game ends.
Closing Time
The game continues until a player completes their turn serving four or more customers. The endgame now begins.
Each player, but not the player who triggered the endgame, now takes one final turn.
After everyone has had their turn, points are scored. Each player reveals their hidden “Assignment” card and uses it to add to their score.
The player with the most points wins the game! Have yourself a scoop of ice cream to celebrate.
Game Variants
Two different ways to play the game are included with the rules. They are summarized here.
- Two versus Two: Instead of competing against everyone, players work together to win the game. Gameplay is unchanged, but the final score is the combined value of both players on the team. The team with the most points wins.
- One versus Two to Four: This game type gives one player a special ability. Specifically, the ability the draw extra cards. All the other players are a team, working against the player with the special ability. When the game ends, the team players combine their scores. The player with the unique ability calculates their score and then multiplies it by the number of opponents. Victory is determined by who scored the most points.
There are also two expansions for the game, bringing more goodness. Triple Scoops: Rivals introduces five additional Scoopers, one new Assignments card, and 30 additional Scoop cards. Triple Scoops: Showing Off introduces six additional Assignment cards, three new Scooper cards, and 18 new Scoop cards. Also included are the Boss cards that provide random rules during the game, adding additional challenges for the players. Both expansions require the base game and are well worth it.
To learn more bout Triple Scoops, visit the publisher’s website.
Final Word
The Child Geeks enjoyed the game very much, demanding ice cream before, during, and after each game was completed. Most Parent Geeks had mixed feelings about this uptick in frozen dairy demands. What was not in dispute was the Child Geek’s enthusiasm for the game. One Child Geek said, “I like the game just about as much as I like ice cream!” Another Child Geek said, “I was a bit confused at first, and it doesn’t feel good when someone switches the customers on you, but there are always enough customers and enough ice cream to go around to make you happy again.” When the last scoop was plopped down on the cone, the Child Geeks took a vote, and all agreed that Triple Scoops was a tasty treat.
The Parent Geeks also found the game entertaining but did not report a strong need for frozen dairy products after playing a few games. One Parent Geek reported, “I enjoyed the game. It reminded me a great deal of BaristaCat, but with more thought put into it. I found it challenging and fun. Best of all, fast. I’d play it again.” Another Parent Geek said, “It is a bit like a puzzle when you think about it. The cards keep the player active and provide multiple things to do on a turn. My only grumble is when players switch the customers on you in the Line, but I suppose that is pretty realistic when you consider that many customers don’t know what they want.” When the shop closed, and the freezers were locked, the Parent Geeks all agreed that their time scooping was worthwhile.
The Gamer Geeks were not as enthralled by the game, finding it similar to games they had played in the past and long since walked away from. But hold a minute because the Gamer Geeks have more to say. According to one Gamer Geek, “The game is balanced and enjoyable. While I do not believe I would ask for this game by name, I don’t believe I’d turn it down. It does feel like it stays a bit too long at the table sometimes, but that might be because everyone I played it with was highly competitive.” Another Gamer Geek said, “It’s OK. I was pleasantly amused but not engrossed by it. Would I play it again? Sure, but only as a filter or as a game I’d play with friends at a convention late at night with some drinks and snacks. I will say, though, that it did make me hungry for some ice cream.” When the last customer was pushed out the door, the Gamer Geeks took stock and found that Triple Scoops didn’t meet their demands fully. Still, there was enough love for the game to visit it again.
Triple Scoops was a good time, mixing and balancing a continuous need to be offensive and defensive with the gameplay. It can be very annoying – to say the least – when an opponent shifts the customers’ needs, but that is also part of the fun. The game gives players enough choices and methods to make or break a cone, whether their own or neighbors’.
Of particular note was the balancing of the ice cream in the cone itself. Too much, and it topples over. This added a unique twist that forced players to consider how they played the cards carefully. For example, I found it helpful to place a card flavor I didn’t intend to use on my cone just so I could get the action, knowing full well I would be dumping it out of my cone the first chance I got. It’s choices like these – small little tactical bits – that made the game engaging to me.
Do try Triple Scoops when time allows. It brings to the table a sense of familiarity and fun. The overall outcome of all those who enjoy it at the table will depend more on their ability to manage their emotional outrage when an opponent messes with their progress. That said, everyone should take into account this is a game about ice cream and fickle customers, meaning they should just cool down.
This game was given to Father Geek as a review copy. Father Geek was not paid, bribed, wined, dined, or threatened in vain hopes of influencing this review. Such is the statuesque and legendary integrity of Father Geek.
