Modern trick-taking games are evolving far beyond the traditional confines of Bridge and Whist. From the “quantum” mechanics of Cat in the Box, where card colours remain undecided until played, to the cooperative space-faring missions of The Crew, these titles offer innovative twists on classic mechanics for players of all skill levels.
Trick-Taking Games: The Wizard, The Crew, and The Fox in the Forest
Bridge, whist, and euchre are some of the first things people imagine when they think of trick-taking games … But they aren’t the only ones out there, and games like Wizard, The Fox in the Forest, and Cat in the Box incorporate the idea of taking tricks into the game too.
A “trick” refers to games in which each player leads their cards; the highest-ranked according to the game then wins the trick.
If you’re looking for trick-taking games, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve put together a list of the best trick-taking games for 2026.
A Quick Introduction to Trick-Taking Games
A good portion of the play in a hand of bridge involves winning tricks and earning the basics of trick-taking is the best start to learning the game. The ACBL knows this, and has recently developed and launched Bridge Battle which challenges players to win as many tricks as possible. Whist, the precurser of bridge, is a fun way to introduce your friends and family to the game. But it’s not the only trick-taking game out there!
Watch this quick video by YouTube user kovray for an introduction to trick-taking card games:
According to wikibooks/Card Games, “A trick starts by one player leading a card (or rarely more than one card).” to which others lead their cards. Usually, the highest-ranking card on the table will take the trick – and the maximum amount of tricks will take the game.
Of course this includes games like whist, bridge, and euchre.
This also includes games on this list like Wizard,Potato Man, and Cat in the Box.
The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine
The Crew is not to be confused with the Ubisoft video game of the same name.
Instead, this version is where “… the players set out as astronauts on an uncertain space adventure.”
The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine is meant for 2 to 5 players. Tricks take the form of different actions – and the board unfolds as the crew makes their way through space.
This is a great thematic trick-taking game that can still give you a different experience every time it’s played. Designed by Thomas Sing – who it turns out has made a whole lot of games including The Key: Escape from Strongwall Prison and a dice game called Kribbeln.
Potato Man
According to its description, Potato Man is a trick-taking game for 3-4 players. The deck features four suits: Red, Blue, Yellow, and Green, and the “Potato Man” a specific card (lowest value) that can defeat the “Evil Potato”
Doesn’t that sound like the most fun you could have in an afternoon?
Meeple Mountain gets bonus points for being able to explain this oddity in full for a written review; this is fantastic if you’re looking for a family-friendly and quirky game with a funny theme.
Sail
Sail uses the concept of tricks to move players over five rounds of challenges.
Simply designed, the game takes two players and about 20 minutes; this review on What’s Eric Playing is a visual walkthrough of the board setup and game rules (thanks!).
According to the description, Sail has players “avoid storms, take tricks, and use your pirate abilities to navigate various challenges over up to five rounds.”
It’s high on replay value, and can be fun for all ages.
Maskmen
Maskmen is a trading-card-game based on masked wrestlers – and with beautifully designed cards.
Made by Oink Games, each wrestler in your hand has their own attributes, and can be played on the field. Their description states simply, “Find out if your wrestlers are the strongest or the weakest.”
This is a great cartoony battle-style game: it’s also a solid introduction to playing tricks.
The Fox in the Forest
The Fox in the Forest is a trick-taking game in the most traditional sense – and yes, somewhat similar to bridge, but with a mythical theme that captivates you from the first cards.
Almost like bridge, players are playing 13 cards with the objective of winning the highest-ranked tricks.
The game is also available in digital format from the Play Store.
If you want to see the game played in action, check out this video from Boardgaimz:
Wizard: The Card Game
Wizard: The Card Game was first created in 1984 – and many readers might have seen a deck lying somewhere around the house (or remember playing this when they were younger). Wizard is played with a a 60-card deck with suits and Jesters or Wizards.
A game of tricks and trumps; this is what might happen if you turned contract bridge into a trading-card game.
The Two Towers: Trick-Taking Game
Fans of Lord of the Rings or any Tolkienesque games will love this one.
The Two Towers (Amazon) has been turned into a trick taking game designed for 2 to 4 players: yes, it’s true to the story – and stays true to trick-taking games at the same time. Players progress through their round by winning tricks and collecting cards from the deck.
If you’d like to see it being played first, here’s a review from The Dice Tower:
Cat in the Box
Cat in the Box (Amazon) was found recommended on almost every Reddit thread seeking trick-taking games.
It’s pretty creative, and called a “quantum trick-taking game.”
According to its box description: “Before each hand, players declare the number of tricks they expect to win then place tokens on the shared research board to build connected groups that unlock powerful bonuses and influence future decisions.”
What makes Cat in the Box interesting (and bizarre) that the color of cards only becomes relevant “once they’re played” – much like following suit in some other traditional trick-taking games, and much like the thought-puzzle of Schrodinger’s Cat in the closed box.
If you loved Exploding Kittens – even if you just love cats or cards – you will definitely love Cat in the Box.
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