Matthew BaileyOn the 6th day of Christmas, my children played with me Six locking safe keys… FIVE CARLSBERG CHIPS!, Four Sad Snowmen, Three Magnetic Mazes, Two “Unmatched: Witcher” sets, and a reaction game I played with all three!
Today, we’re looking at “Clever Keys” a delightful push-your-luck and memory game that’s an excellent introduction to the push-your-luck mechanic. Played with all 3 of my boys.
Here’s how it works…
On your turn, you start with three keys and four potential holes to insert them into on a circular grid. If you put a key into a hole and it goes all the way in, you win a gem. You can choose to take that gem and end your turn or keep testing your luck by trying other holes to collect up to three gems. However, if you pick a blocked hole, you lose all the gems you’ve collected that turn.
The play then rotates to the next space on the grid, and the next player takes their turn. This continues until all the gems are gone.
What makes “Clever Keys” stand out from a typical push-your-luck game is its memory element. As the game progresses, you can start to remember which holes are blocked and which are safe, adding an extra layer of strategy to an otherwise simple game.
And that’s it! No big fancy review today, just a quick shoutout to say that if you, as an adult, enjoy push-your-luck mechanics, “Clever Keys” is a fantastic way to introduce your little ones to the genre. I’d also recommend “Stomp the Plank” as a great next step for children who are keen to explore similar games.
Alternatively, check out the reviewer recommendation archive (pinned at the top or, if you’re reading this after February 2025, on the website) for more push-your-luck games to enjoy.
