Take a trip to Madagascar for a battle of clever card play in Mada, a compact travel card game where ring-tailed lemurs compete to collect the most delicious prickly pears. Simple to learn yet packed with risky decisions, every turn asks whether you should play safely or push your luck for a bigger reward.
 
Each player builds their own discard pile, playing cards in ascending value throughout the round. You can play a card equal to or higher than the previous card, draw a fresh option or take a risk by revealing the top card from the draw pile. If your risky card is high enough, it joins your pile. If it is too low, you lose the round while your opponents claim their accumulated cards as prickly pear rewards.
 
High-value cards can be tempting because they are worth more points, but they also bring the round closer to an end. This creates a tense balance between grabbing valuable cards, protecting your progress as well as watching your rivals. Special cards can add unexpected twists, giving you another way to disrupt plans or turn a dangerous situation in your favour.
 
The game ends when a player collects five Cactus cards, at which point everyone counts their prickly pears. The lemur with the largest haul wins the game. With quick rounds, portable gameplay plus a playful Madagascar theme, Mada is an excellent small box travel game for families, holidays or anyone who enjoys hand management with a push-your-luck twist.