DEEP DIVES
UNBOXED
Rob Burman kicks off a new series that takes a closer look at classic games. This issue, there’s a real buzz about Hive
Written by Rob Burman
Welcome to the first of our new ‘deep dives’! Have you ever wondered about the creation of a particular tabletop game? Perhaps you’re worried you’ve missed out on a classic and have always been curious how it plays. Then again, maybe you just like reading about really cool games and their history. Well then, this is the feature for you. Each issue we’ll be looking back at a well known title and perhaps even interviewing its creator. Exciting stuff!
For our first deep dive we’re heading back to the turn of the millennium (2000 to be exact) when some people were worried nuclear power plants would explode and planes would drop out of the sky due to the Millennium Bug. Instead we’re going to focus on a different type of bug - those seen in twoplayer abstract game Hive by John Yianni.
If you’ve never played Hive, then we’ll briefly explain what it’s about. If you have played Hive you can skip this bit and get to the nitty gritty below. So, Hive! It’s a two-player game that is themed around different insects. Each player has a Queen Bee and four other insects (Beetle, Spider, Soldier Ant and Grasshopper) and the aim of the game is to use these insects to surround your opponent’s Queen Bee.
The most obvious comparison for Hive is actually chess - another classic tabletop game you may have heard of. This is because each insect has their own unique way of moving, e.g. the Grasshopper must jump over other creatures, while the Beetle only moves one space but it can move on top of other critters and pin them down to stop them moving. Like chess the rules are fairly simple to grasp but it’s the tactical element of Hive that really elevates it into something special. Each game is a battle of wits as the players vie for supremacy with clever positioning. Unlike chess though, Hive is particularly clever because it doesn’t require a board. Instead the chunky, hexagonal bugs form their own playing area, which means you can crack out a copy of Hive and play it anywhere you want.