Few board games get an entire table of people on their feet, leaning over the play surface, squinting to line up a shot, and erupting into cheers or groans when a disc connects or sails wide. Flick ‘em Up from Pretzel Games does exactly that. Set in a dusty Wild West town, the game pits two teams of cowboys against each other in scenarios ranging from bank robberies to classic high-noon duels, all resolved through the simple act of flicking wooden discs across the table. The community response has been enthusiastic about the energy it brings but divided on whether the game surrounding that energy holds together well enough.
The premise is immediately appealing. Cowboys are represented by disc-shaped wooden pieces that players flick to move around the board. Shooting works the same way, with a smaller disc flicked toward enemy cowboys. Hit someone and they lose a life point. Knock over a cactus or a building and… well, things get chaotic. The physical nature of the gameplay creates a kind of tension and comedy that card draws and dice rolls simply can’t replicate.
Cowboys, Chaos, and the Joy of the Perfect Shot
The moments that make Flick ‘em Up special are impossible to manufacture in other games. A desperate long-range shot that threads between two buildings and clips an enemy cowboy off the board. A carefully planned advance that falls apart when a flick goes sideways and sends your own piece tumbling off the table. A clutch move from the losing team that turns an entire scenario around. These are the stories people tell afterward, and they happen with surprising regularity.
The scenario system gives the game more structure than most dexterity games offer. Ten included scenarios each introduce different objectives, special rules, and terrain layouts. Early scenarios keep things simple with basic team elimination, while later ones add bank vaults to crack, prisoners to free, and dynamite to deploy. Each additional scenario layers on new elements that keep the game from becoming a simple flicking contest. The designers clearly encourage players to create their own scenarios too, turning the western town into a sandbox for creative play.
Accessibility is a major strength. The core rules can be explained in under five minutes, and the physical nature of the gameplay means nobody needs to process complicated card text or remember intricate rule interactions. People who would never sit down for a two-hour strategy game will happily spend forty minutes flicking cowboys around a table. Even players who are terrible at flicking tend to have fun, because the comedy of wild misses often matches the excitement of accurate shots.
The Setup Problem and Scenery That Gets in the Way
Setting up Flick ‘em Up takes longer than it should. Placing buildings, cacti, barrels, and character pieces according to scenario diagrams requires patience, and tearing everything down afterward adds more time that cuts into the fun. For a game that thrives on spontaneous energy, the overhead of construction and cleanup works against its strengths. Playing two games back-to-back on a weeknight feels ambitious once you account for the setup between rounds.
The scenery pieces create another problem during play. Buildings and terrain objects look fantastic on the table and draw attention from anyone passing by, but they frequently interfere with shots in ways that feel cramped rather than tactical. A dexterity game needs open space for players to execute satisfying flicks, and the cluttered board sometimes turns skillful shooting into a frustrating exercise of trying to navigate around obstacles that are too close together. Some groups have started spacing terrain further apart than the scenario diagrams suggest, which helps but changes the intended balance.
Odd player counts create bookkeeping issues. The team-based structure works best with even numbers, and accommodating five or seven players requires workarounds that slow the pace. The game advertises support for up to ten players, but the experience becomes increasingly diluted above six, with too much downtime between individual turns.
When the Dust Settles on the Table
The physical components deserve praise regardless of the setup complaints. The wooden pieces feel substantial, the town structures look charming, and the overall table presence is striking. Flick ‘em Up is one of those games that draws a crowd just by being set up, with people wandering over to ask what’s happening and often getting recruited into the next round.
For families with younger children, the game hits a sweet spot. The age recommendation of seven and up is accurate, and kids who might struggle with the abstract thinking in most board games can immediately understand and enjoy flicking discs at targets. The western theme is universally accessible, and the team structure means less experienced players can be paired with veterans without unbalancing the game.
Is Flick ‘em Up Right for Your Table?
This game is built for groups who value energy and laughter over strategic depth. If your game nights tend toward animated conversation, physical comedy, and memorable moments rather than quiet calculation, Flick ‘em Up delivers. It works particularly well as an opener or closer for heavier game nights, providing a release valve of pure fun between more demanding titles.
Skip it if setup time is a dealbreaker for you, if your gaming table is too small for the sprawling town layout, or if you prefer your games to reward planning over physical skill. Players who get frustrated when outcomes depend on manual dexterity rather than strategic decisions will find Flick ‘em Up more annoying than entertaining.
The Verdict
Flick ‘em Up succeeds at something most board games don’t even attempt: getting everyone out of their chairs, generating genuine excitement, and creating stories that survive long after the pieces are packed away. The setup overhead and cramped scenery prevent it from reaching the effortless fun that the best party games achieve. But when a clutch shot lands and the table erupts, nothing else in the hobby feels quite like it.