First in Flight
- Players
- 1-4
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 3 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 75 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 12+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 2.3 / 5
- Year
- 2023
About the game
First in Flight is a push-your-luck deck-building game about the early race to conquer the skies, casting players as the Wright Brothers, Samuel Langley, and other flight pioneers. Each player builds a growing deck representing their flyer's design, which may hide unknown flaws alongside genuine improvements. Testing a flyer is a blackjack-style push-your-luck challenge to set new records without crashing, after which players return to the workshop to refine their designs. Dozens of technologies, pilot skills, and expert allies let players customize their strategy across the race.
Hobbli's Notes
A clever mash-up of deck-building and push-your-luck tension around a fresh aviation theme. The risk of a flyer crashing mid-flight adds real stakes that keep the deck-building decisions meaningful.
What we like
- Fresh aviation theme stands out among typical deck-building games.
- Blackjack-style flight test adds genuine push-your-luck tension.
- Deep customization options through technologies, pilots, and allies.
- Solid solo mode for a deck-building/push-your-luck hybrid.
Keep in mind
- As a newer, less established title, it's less proven at the table long-term.
- The hybrid of deck-building and push-your-luck may feel unfamiliar to genre purists.
- 75-minute playtime with moderate complexity may run long for casual groups.
Who it's for
Medium-weight strategy gamers, 1 to 4 players, who enjoy deck-building and push-your-luck mechanics.
