Geeks love their complex board games, but sometimes you want something quick and fun. Last Fall, we got to check out the Something Wild! line from Funko Games and I liked the game so much that I was really happy to see more versions get released. I grew up on Indiana Jones as a vital franchise in my house, so seeing famed adventurer Indy get added to the collection was super fun for me. Luckily, Funko Games was kind enough to send us a copy for doing this review.

What is Something Wild! Indiana Jones?

Something Wild! is a card game similar to Rummy but with a fandom tie-in. if you’re like our house at all, there’s probably some of Funko’s famous Pop! Vinyls hanging around (or a lot of them). I love my Pop! Vinyls so I really love that the visuals for this gamed are based off of Pop! Vinyl styled characters. The idea of this game is you create sets of cards to Score but there are also Powers you can use to help create those sets. Each Something Wild! Set comes with a little Mover based off the franchise it represents. The sets can be combined with each other as well. The game is designed for 2-4 players ages 6+ and takes about 15 minutes to play with an MSRP set at $8.99.

Something Wild! Indiana Jones Components

Something Wild! Indiana Jones contains the following:

• 45 Character Cards
• 10 Power Cards
• 1 Pop! Mover
• Instruction Booklet

As I mentioned previously, since the Something Wild! line is based off of fandoms, the components for each game are all designed around a particular franchise. Since this version is based off of Indiana Jones, we get a little Pop! Mover that looks like the beloved whip and fedora packing adventure hero in mini Pop! Vinyl form with the cards featuring various Indian Jones allies and enemies In Pop! Vinyl style artwork.  The cards are typical playing card thickness and should hold up decently for lots of play sessions. The Power Cards do use symbols that have a guide in the Instruction Booklet, so make sure that doesn’t get lost. The Instruction Booklet has all of the rules set up in a quick-to-read and easy to understand manner with good use of diagrams. I tend to like how Funko Games makes their components and this game is no different. 

How to Play Something Wild! Indiana Jones

When a game says it’s meant for players ages 6+, one of the ways I judge this is by how fast and simple setting the game up and playing it actually is. In this case, it’s fast, simple, quick, and clean up isn’t a hassle. Do I believe that a group of six-year-olds could play this game without adult help? Yes, I do.

Set-up

The hardest thing about setting this game up really comes down to how well you can shuffle up to 45 Character Cards at once. To get a game going, you just have to do the following steps:

1. Shuffle the 10 Power Cards (with the character on the back) and put them face down in a pile in the middle of the play area. 
2. Flip the top Power Card face up on the pile.
3. Place the Pop! Mover next to the Power Card Pile
4. Shuffle the 45 Character Cards and deal three to each Player. Don’t show your cards to other Players. 
5. The remaining Character Cards go into a deck next to the Power Card Deck leaving room for a Discard Pile.

You’re now ready to move on to playing. 

Goal

The goal of any Something Wild! game is to be the first player to claim 3 Power Cards by creating Sets (or Runs). Each Run is a set of 3 cards in the same color with consecutive numbers. 

Gameplay

This is one of those games where by the end of the first round, you get a pretty good feel for how to play things. 

Player Turn

On a Player’s turn, they do the following (note youngest Player goes first):

1. Draw the top card from the Character Cards and put it in your hand.
2. Play one card from your hand face up in front of you.
3. Take the Mover if you played a card that’s the same color as the face-up Power Card in the center or if it has the Take the Mover Symbol (a grey Pop! silhouette with a question mark). The Pop! Mover may be taken from the center or another Player.

4. Use Powers if you have the Pop! Mover. The Power can be from a Power Card you won or the Power Card in the center. You do not have to play a Power even if you have the Mover.

5. Score if you have a completed Run (three Character Cards in any color but the same number). When you Score, you claim the Power Card from the center and the cards used to create your Run are placed in the Discard pile. The next Power Card in the pile is flipped over.

6. Discard cards if you have more than five in front of you until you only have five left.

Game End

As soon as a Player Scores their third Run, they become the game-winner. If the Deck runs out before this happens, shuffle the Discard Pile to make a new Deck.

Combining Something Wild! Sets

To make a combination game, each Power! Mover goes to its matching Power Deck, but the Character Cards are shuffled together. Here are the additional combination rules:

1. If you play a Card that matches a Power, take only the matching Mover. If your color matches more than one Mover, pick just one to take.
2. If you play a “Take a Mover” Card, you may take any Mover.
3. You may only play a Power if you have the matching Mover, but you can possess multiple Movers at the same time.
4. When you Score, claim any Power Card in the center to take and replace it with the top card from its pile.

Why You Should Play Something Wild! Indiana Jones

Overall, it’s a fun card game that is fast to setup, play, and clean up. Don’t let the simplicity deceive you though, there’s a good amount of strategy that comes from figuring out how to steal the Pop! Mover to activate Powers to complete runs. I played this game with my middle schooler and we were a little ruthless with each other and I don’t think any of us scored a Run without using a Power and most of the time we were using a Power to steal a needed card from the other.

The game travels well and the small size and play space needed is great for vacation games, sitting in convention lines, airplane trays, restaurants etc. It’s great for a variety of ages which is nice for family gatherings that can often happen during the summer. While my in-laws might be more intimidated by some of the board games we own, this is one the kids should be able to get them engaged in since you don’t have to be a hardcore boardgamer to get it. 

The pieces are done well and up to Funko Game standards and at a MSRP of $8.99 this one won’t break the bank either. You can grab a copy directly from Funko Games here as well as see what other brick and mortar stores carry it. Don’t forget to see if your Favorite Local Gaming Store offers it as well.