Video summary

Top 10 Games at 6 Players - BGG Top 10 w/ The Brothers Murph

Main summary

Key takeaways

Gaming

Game storyline (what’s going on)

This video is a roundup of The Brothers Murph’s Top 10 games suited for 6 players (and sometimes more). The focus is on games that work well when you can’t split into smaller groups and want everyone sharing one table experience.

Many of the games lean on light “themes” (pizza, pirates, deduction mysteries, racing, city/castle building, etc.) rather than a single connected narrative.

Gameplay highlights + key strategies / tips by game

10) New York Slice

  • Core idea: An I Split, You Choose pizza-splitting game with mind games.
  • How it plays at 6:
    • The “pizza” is divided into 11 slice-pieces (pizza types with different numbers of pieces).
    • Each player creates 6 portions (one for each player).
    • Turn order twist: The player to your left chooses first, then everyone chooses, and you get whatever remains.
  • Scoring strategy:
    • Each pizza type has a number of pieces (e.g., pepperoni = 10, cheese = 11, supreme = 3, etc.).
    • Players score based on majority/most of each type.
    • Practical mind game: Don’t make portions too “tempting” for others, or you’ll never get the ones you want.

9) (Numbered as “one” in the video) (erasable clue word game; unclear exact title)

  • Core idea: A clue-based word-writing game using an erasable board mechanism.
  • How it plays:
    • One person receives a clue (example: soccer).
    • Everyone writes a related word simultaneously.
  • Deduping mechanic:
    • If multiple players write the same answer, those duplicates are erased, leaving only unique answers.
  • Gameplay tip:
    • Pick words that are:
      • clearly related to the clue, but
      • not so obvious that everyone selects them.

8) Between Two Castles of Mad Ludwig (with the mashup: “Between Two Castles of Mad Ludwig” + “Between Two Cities” feel)

  • Core idea: Build two castles—one on each side—interacting mainly with neighbors, not across the table.
  • Key system:
    • You only care about the left and right neighbors; players across from you don’t meaningfully affect your building.
    • You score by taking your worst castle, so you can’t “snipe” others without hurting yourself.
  • Why 6 players feels good:
    • More players increases variety without creating huge downtime.
    • It creates semi-cooperative tension: you want both sides to do well.

7) Don’t Mess with Cthulhu

  • Core idea: Social deduction where good investigators face cultists.
  • Round structure / information feel:
    • Players have face-up-card identity uncertainty created by shuffling and drawing reveal locations.
    • Players can have “Elder signs,” “empty rooms,” or “Cthulhu” cards—uncertainty fuels paranoia.
  • Deduction/lying dynamic:
    • Even a “good” player can look suspicious if luck flips the wrong tiles.
    • Even a “bad” player’s persuasion using “proof” can backfire.
  • Strategy emphasis:
    • Suspicion arises naturally, reducing the need for advanced bluffing.

6) Key Flow

  • Core idea: Drafting / tableau engine-building inspired by Keyflower.
  • What you do:
    • Build a tableau of Kingdom buildings (e.g., wood shop, blacksmith).
    • Use resources (wood/stone/coal/gold) to upgrade and score via placed cards.
  • Neighbor-interaction mechanic:
    • Some cards let you activate neighbor buildings via left/right arrows, without harming them.
  • Why it works at 6:
    • The “between neighbors” design keeps complexity and time from ballooning.

5) Seven Wonders: Architects (intro-friendly Seven Wonders)

  • Core idea: A faster, more approachable version of Seven Wonders, focused on building your Wonder.
  • Key simplification vs original:
    • Wonder costs typically require either:
      • three different resources, or
      • three of the same resource,
    • rather than more granular mixed costs and money juggling.
  • Why it’s liked:
    • Smooth difficulty ramp, easier onboarding, and compact components in trays.

4) Detective Club

  • Core idea: Deduction/mind puzzle with a “trick” role: one player doesn’t get the clue.
  • How the clue works:
    • One player writes a clue that fits a chain of illustrated tarot-like cards.
    • Players receive clue-notepads randomly, except one person gets an incorrect/blank one (the “outsider”).
  • Round flow:
    • Players take turns placing cards that they claim connect to the clue.
    • The clue writer reveals the clue, and everyone (starting from a set order) explains how their cards match.
  • 6-player sweet spot tip:
    • More people gives more opportunities to deduce, but beyond 6 it can get longer and crazier.

3) Downforce

  • Core idea: Racing + betting where you win by landing in top places and accumulating money.
  • Core decision loop:
    • At setup, you draft cars (6 cars total; at 6 players, everyone effectively gets one car).
    • During play, you bid to determine which car you control—bids cost money, so don’t sink too deep early.
  • Race interaction:
    • Cars can block each other, potentially pushing you backward.
    • You can adjust betting priorities mid-game depending on the race.
  • Strategy tip:
    • Control risk: chase a car you think you can steer to podium, but don’t overpay before you know the race is going well.

2) Libertalia (new/old both mentioned)

  • Core idea: Simultaneous selection with pirates, ranks, and treasure tiles.
  • Round flow:
    • Each round, players secretly choose pirate cards (captain down to low-rank roles).
    • Pirates resolve in rank order; higher ranks grab treasure first.
    • Pirate abilities can change rank and disrupt the table.
  • Why 6 players shines:
    • Everyone effectively has the same pool of pirate cards across rounds (distributed differently in your hand), creating “Now or later?” pressure.
    • Players often collide—timing-wise you may want the same optimal card play.

1) Heat: “Heat—Pedal to the Metal” (explained as a top racing game fit for higher player counts)

  • Core idea: Hand-management speed control on a racing track with turn limits and overheating risk.
  • How movement is decided:
    • On your turn, you choose a gear (gears 1–4; gear affects how many cards you play).
    • You play a number of cards equal to the gear effect; the sum determines how far you go.
  • Turns + speed limits:
    • Tracks impose a speed limit through turns.
    • If movement exceeds the limit, you must pay heat to compensate.
  • Heat mechanics / risk:
    • Heat is stored on your engine; paying heat helps avoid penalties.
    • If you can’t pay, you spin out and lose progress, forcing you to restart before the turn.
  • Strategy tip:
    • Manage “push vs control” by paying heat to stay in higher gears when possible.
    • Shift down to regain heat, then shift back up later.
  • More players benefit:
    • More cars create more opportunities for drafting/slipstreams and blockage interaction.
  • AI option:
    • AI bots can fill seats so you can still run a full 6-player match.

Gamers / sources featured (named at the end of the video)

  • Nick
  • Mike
  • The Brothers Murph

Original video