Blaze

Well, my friend, so be it. If you wish to catch the blazing Firebird for its magical feathers, I won't stop you. But remember, these woods are filled with dark secrets, and it is said that this bird could bring both fortune and misery. Be careful, or no one will ever find you in the vastness of the forest. Farewell then, and may you return to tell your tale...

Blaze is based on the classic and world-renowned card game from Russia called Durak. In Blaze, players try to get rid of their cards, but must do so in extremely ingenious and unusual ways. The player whose turn it is plays with the second-to-last player, resulting in constantly shifting alliances. In the end, the player who collects the most feathers wins. Challenge the next player by playing cards of the same value. By playing higher cards, they can reject your cards. Extend the challenge with your supporter by playing additional cards of any number that are already in play. If successful, the challenged player must take all the played cards into their hand; otherwise, all played cards are removed from the game. Once the draw pile is empty, the fun begins: who can get rid of all their hand cards first?

Blaze is part of the series along with Spicy, our Game of the Year 2020 Recommended Card Game, as well as the later titles Coyote and Anansi. The box and card backs feature a special metallic print: while the box is metallic green, the card backs shimmer in all the colors of the rainbow, just like the firebird. Blaze also stays true to the series' idea of culturally grounding the theme and artwork, with Russian artist Nadezhda Mikryukova drawing both the legendary firebirds and the decorative frames in a classic illustration style.