Reviewed by Joe Huber

LUZ (Korokorodou/Big Cat Games, 3 to 4 players, ages 10 and up, 30-45 minutes; $35)

One of the most popular game design challenges is coming up with a truly novel trick-taking game.  There are thousands of trick-taking games – both with special decks and using traditional cards (from many different traditions) – and while many are novel, and many are enjoyable, it’s quite difficult to design a game that meets both criteria. Luz (designed by Taiki Shinzawa and originally published in 2014, and then released in a new edition in 2021) dives into this challenge.