Marvel Snap

Marvel Snap compresses a card game into three minutes without losing the decision-making. Decks are twelve cards, matches are six turns, and locations with random effects change what each board position is worth. The design constraint is severe and the result is a game with almost no dead time.

The snap mechanic is the invention. At any point either player can double the stakes, and either can retreat to cut their losses, so a lost board is not a lost match, and a winning board is only worth what your opponent is willing to pay for it. Ben Brode's team built a game where reading the person opposite matters as much as the cards. Collection progression slows down noticeably at higher levels, which is the main caveat.