There is some old saying about there being no new ideas, and that certainly seems true when it comes to board games.
It is very, very rare when a game comes across The Meeple Guild game table and seems completely fresh and new.
Wicked Cribbage is a game that has been done before and since, at least in terms of the end result of twisting cribbage into a more random and, for some, more fun game.
This one, from designer Jamison Klagmann and published by Only Then Studios, launched in 2024.
So, to start with, this game is essentially an add-on to cribbage, meaning you need a regular deck of cards and a cribbage board (or another way to keep score).
From the core game, Wicked Cribbage gives cribbage players an auxiliary deck of cards they draw from at certain times.
These drawn cards impact the game in some fashion, with some needing to be played immediately and others that you can hold on to and play when it is felt to be most advantageous.
In true cribbage fashion, the cards here have unusual names.
A “twinkler” is a card that must be played immediately and is drawn when the count reaches 15 or 31 during play.
A “lugger” is a card held until ready to play and is drawn during The Show by pegging at an exact multiple of five. That is, when a player’s peg lands directly on a 5, 10, 15, 20, etc.
Draw the Wicked Cribbage card as described above and obey its instructions.
Victory is achieved in the same way as cribbage: when one player reaches 121 points.
Now, as noted, the idea of adding cards that twist up cribbage is not new, and Wicked Cribbage is not the only recent example of this, with Cribbagio releasing in 2025 and doing somewhat similar things, but with the special card draw triggered in a different way.
Earlier efforts included Wild Cribbage in 2002 and Chicago Cribbage in 2007.
That said, Wicked Cribbage is well worth grabbing if you want something to shake up standard cribbage. The cards are high-quality, they look nice, and the rules are simple, so you get into it smoothly.
The cards here won’t overpower cribbage, but they will add some spice.
About Author
Calvin Daniels is a Saskatchewan-born, self-taught journalist. He is currently Editor of Yorkton This Week, with 35-years in the newspaper business.
Wicked Cribbage Adds a New Twist to a Classic Game
It is very, very rare when a game comes across The Meeple Guild game table and seems completely fresh and new.
Wicked Cribbage is a game that has been done before and since, at least in terms of the end result of twisting cribbage into a more random and, for some, more fun game.
This one, from designer Jamison Klagmann and published by Only Then Studios, launched in 2024.
So, to start with, this game is essentially an add-on to cribbage, meaning you need a regular deck of cards and a cribbage board (or another way to keep score).
From the core game, Wicked Cribbage gives cribbage players an auxiliary deck of cards they draw from at certain times.
These drawn cards impact the game in some fashion, with some needing to be played immediately and others that you can hold on to and play when it is felt to be most advantageous.
In true cribbage fashion, the cards here have unusual names.
A “twinkler” is a card that must be played immediately and is drawn when the count reaches 15 or 31 during play.
A “lugger” is a card held until ready to play and is drawn during The Show by pegging at an exact multiple of five. That is, when a player’s peg lands directly on a 5, 10, 15, 20, etc.
Draw the Wicked Cribbage card as described above and obey its instructions.
Victory is achieved in the same way as cribbage: when one player reaches 121 points.
Now, as noted, the idea of adding cards that twist up cribbage is not new, and Wicked Cribbage is not the only recent example of this, with Cribbagio releasing in 2025 and doing somewhat similar things, but with the special card draw triggered in a different way.
Earlier efforts included Wild Cribbage in 2002 and Chicago Cribbage in 2007.
That said, Wicked Cribbage is well worth grabbing if you want something to shake up standard cribbage. The cards are high-quality, they look nice, and the rules are simple, so you get into it smoothly.
The cards here won’t overpower cribbage, but they will add some spice.
About Author
Calvin Daniels
Calvin Daniels is a Saskatchewan-born, self-taught journalist. He is currently Editor of Yorkton This Week, with 35-years in the newspaper business.
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