7.9
rating
Ludopedia
7.3
rating
BGG
Our Verdict
If you're looking for a two-player abstract strategy game that's easy to learn but offers surprising depth, Hive is a fantastic choice. Its unique "living board" mechanic makes every game feel fresh and engaging.
Highlights
- Deep strategy from simple rules
- Excellent two-player abstract game
- No setup, highly portable
- Tactile, high-quality components
- Quick to learn, challenging to master
Keep in mind
- Can feel repetitive over many plays
- Abstract theme not for everyone
- Requires strategic thinking
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Hive is one of those games you grab thinking it'll be a quick match and suddenly an hour has passed. No fixed board, no setup phase, no fuss — you drop the first piece and you're off. The game consists of twenty-two tokens, eleven per side, each representing an insect with its own quirky movement rules. There's no board to speak of; instead, the pieces themselves gradually form the playing field as you take turns placing and sliding them around. Each bug moves differently — the queen bee is slow and precious, the beetle can climb over others, the ant is versatile, the spider and grasshopper leap in specific patterns. Nobody gets eliminated; pieces just relocate across the growing cluster. The goal is to completely surround your opponent's queen bee while keeping yours safe. It sounds straightforward, but the game hides surprising depth inside a tiny, pocket-sized box. It's the kind of title where you say "just one more round" and suddenly it's three. The hexagonal layout gives everything a tidy, strategic feel, and the lack of a fixed board means you can play on literally any flat surface — even the living room floor, if you're feeling adventurous.
GALLERY
11 photos · from the community
Tap any photo to open fullscreen. Photos submitted by the community or publisher.
In English
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How to Play Hive | Learn to play Hive in 3 Minutes | Family Friendly Board Game Tutorial
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DIY Magnetic Hive Board
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How to Play Hive the Board Game | How to Game
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Counting Bugs, A Play Hive Like a Champion video
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Winning with a Proximit Pillbug
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Hive How to play in 2 minutes
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Rings are Bad?, Play Hive Like a Champion Video Series
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Counting Tempo, a Play Hive Like a Champion video
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Play Hive Like a Champion - An End Game Plan
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Play Hive Like a Champion - Winning With a Plan
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Rings are Bad, Play Hive Like a Champion Video Series, Elementary Tactics
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Simple Strategy Hive
2
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Mechanics
Categories
Families
Publisher
Gen42 Games, 64 Ounce Games, Crómola, G3, Ghenos Games, Gigamic
Designer
John Yianni
Artist
John Yianni
How long does a game take?
Usually between 15 and 25 minutes — short enough for a coffee break, long enough to feel meaningful.
Do I need a board or does it work on any flat surface?
No board required. Play on any flat surface — table, floor, paper, whatever you have handy.
How many players?
Exactly two. It's a pure head-to-head affair.
What's in the box?
Twenty-two plastic pieces — eleven black, eleven white — each shaped like a different insect, with distinct silhouettes so you never mix them up.
Are pieces ever removed from the game?
Nope. Nobody gets eliminated; pieces just move around. You lose only when your queen is completely surrounded.
Is it hard to learn?
Not at all. The rules fit on one page, and after a quick practice round you'll have it down.