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Strange Vending Machine
2018
Rules assistance for Strange Vending Machine
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–6 players
- 20–30 min
- 8+
- Complexity 2.0/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Strange Vending Machine
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Strange Vending Machine is a board game released in 2018 for 3–6 players, 20–30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Tsai Huei-Chiang, LEE WEI HSUAN, and Clark Lee and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Push Your Luck, and Simultaneous Action Selection.
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About the game
Numerous vending machines are placed at a busy corner of the city. When pedestrians put coins into these machines, surprises await them as they open the packages. Strange Vending Machine is a fast-paced and light family game. Players choose which vending machines to buy food from in order to score points. If a player has no cash in hand, they can shake money out from a vending machine, so watch carefully and observe which vending machines have the most money! Strange Vending Machine comes with two rule sets: "Muscle Man's Purchase Challenge" and "Ingredients and Recipes of the Mysterious Wizard". The two games have independent rule sets and cannot be combined in play. In "Muscle Mans Purchase Challenge", each player has a vending machine full of food cards. During the player's turn, every one choose one of following actions to perform simultaneously: Buy a food card, stock a food card and take coins, take one coin from the supply. If the end condition is satisfied, the game ends. Score food cards in front of the players, and the total coins owned. The player with the most points wins. In "Ingredients and Recipes of the Mysterious Wizard', there are six vending machines placing on the game box. During a player's turn, the active player either buys a food card from one of the vending machines, or takes all the coins from one of the machines. Each food card is contained of an ingredient and a recipe. The recipes provide victory points in the end of the game, as the required ingredients are satisfied. Once a player purchases their fifth food card, all other players take one more action, and a Final Coin Shake occurs. Score the recipe points at the bottom of the food cards. Each ingredient may be scored multiple times. Each fake coin is worth negative 1 point. The player with the most points wins. -description from designer
Categories
Publishers
- Soso Studio
Questions and answers
Strange Vending Machine supports 3–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Strange Vending Machine is 20–30 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Strange Vending Machine for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Strange Vending Machine has a complexity rating of 2.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Strange Vending Machine belongs to these categories: Card Game and Action / Dexterity. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Push Your Luck, and Simultaneous Action Selection. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Strange Vending Machine are: Tsai Huei-Chiang, LEE WEI HSUAN, and Clark Lee. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Strange Vending Machine as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.