Pieces feel nice and game is decent. Not my favorite game as first to go seems to have a massive advantage, I'd say more so than in other abstract calculation games (i.e. chess), but I'm not exactly an expert at this game so maybe I'm wrong on that.

Since my husband bought this game. We play it often at coffe break. I didn't know this game, but the instructions are very simple to follow. Is a strategy game wich is awesome, despide the fact that the instructions are simple, there are so many possibilities that makes you create new strategies every time you play, which is facinating. This pocket size version is not too small, actually is a very good size to play with and perfect to travel.

The Distribution Solutions Hive Pocket game is an excellent choice for adults who are traveling. Its compact size and portable design make it easy to pack and take along on trips. Plus, the strategic gameplay ensures hours of entertainment, whether you're waiting at the airport or relaxing in your hotel room. It's the perfect way to unwind and have some fun while on the go!

If you are looking for a 2-player game that is both strategic and fun, Hive is it! This game requires some forward thinking, but not to the degree of chess. The tiles have a very pleasing feel to them for tactile, or kinesthetic types. The portability of the pocket version makes this an excellent travel game or even to take with you to the local pub to play over a pint. I am already looking forward to adding the 'pill bug' expansion to my set!

We've played Hive with our 2 boys 9 & 12 for years on trips. It's the most portable game ever, easy to play adults v a child at 7 or 8 but then just as fun adult v adult. A really cool game.

I’m always on the lookout for two player games and this one is so unique! It’s definitely worth watching a video to learn or thoroughly reading the instructions because it’s a bit complex. But it’s fun to play and the length of play can very between a couple minutes to a half hour - every game is different. The pieces are high quality. Would recommend

Hive is a fun game that doesn't take long to learn and has elements not unlike chess or checkers. We were able to learn the game in less than 10 minutes, but that's only the beginning since each game we've played since, we've realized new stragies and methods to beat your opponent. This game can provide hours of fun and has great replayability. The one thing to note is that if you don't enjoy games like chess or checkers there is a good chance you won't like this game.This is the perfect edition of hive as it comes with a travel bag, and the peices are the perfect size, not too big or small. It also comes with the expansion peices which you would have to pay extra for otherwise.Package came in good condition.

Hive is a game that's been on my radar for a while now. My wife and I were looking for a new 2 player game, and I'm glad we finally pulled the trigger. The game took maybe 10 minutes to learn, but it is patently obvious that it has supreme depth. Literally look up "how to play hive" on YouTube, and you'll learn just as quickly.The game is like chess/checkers but much faster. Typically, we set a timer and allow 1 minute for each move. It says games take up to 20 minutes, but 10 seems like the average for my wife and I.•• Pocket vs Regular/Carbon ••I'm so glad we went with the pocket version. The tiles are already quite large; I honestly don't think I'd want them any bigger. Pocket is supremely sized for playing anywhere, anytime, without sacrificing the quality feel of the tiles. The pieces are about the circumference of normal chess/checkers pieces.•• Meet the pieces! ••Each piece has its specific, allowable movement.◘ Ants can move anywhere around the hive.◘ Grasshoppers can leap as far as the board in a straight line.◘ Beetles can actually move on TOP of the hive, effectively pinning pieces (but only one space at a time).◘ Spiders are the most limited and must move exactly 3 spaces.EXPANSION BUGS -- these pieces are a little more complex. Although they are included with Pocket, I recommend starting without them to learn the flow of the base game.◘ Ladybugs must move exactly two on top of the Hive and then move one down on its last move. It may not move around the outside of the Hive and may not end its movement on top of the Hive.◘ Mosquitos take on the characteristics of one of the bugs they around. If they are surrounded, you can choose, and if they are by one, they emulate that single bug. Exception: If moved as a Beetle on top of the Hive, it continues to move as a Beetle until it climbs down from the Hive.•• GAMEPLAY ••The gameplay is where it's at. At first, I was worried it would be a little too simple, but it's quite robust. Different starts make for completely different games. It'll only be redundant if your opponent (or yourself) do the same thing every game, but it's quite easy to vary it up. As a non-competitive, new player, it doesn't SEEM like there's a defined meta that crushes. I read some complaint threads about certain strategies, and people immediately offered counters to counters to counters. Will you use grasshoppers offensively or set them up defensively? Are you a beetle finisher, or are you all about them ants? How many pieces do you place before you start moving? Again, it's simple to start, complex to master.Each games starts with players placing a single piece. They may then place up to 3 pieces or the Queen. By the 4th turn, you MUST place your Queen. You can place her earlier, just not immediately on the first turn (per tournament rules). Once your queen is placed, you may start moving your pieces to surround the enemy queen.It's so much fun creating the game-board from scratch every time. It's quite ingenious, really, and it's the thing that keeps me coming back for more.•• A big rule no-no ••At no point in time may you cause a break in the hive. For example, if you have an Ant tile in the middle of the "board," and moving it would sever the hive into two, you cannot move the Ant. The Ant has become a fixture of the board, unless the board shifts around it, allowing it an escape route.•• Conclusion ••Hive Pocket is fun, reasonably priced, and surprisingly deep. It doesn't take long to learn, and I look forward to busting it out on the regular. The Pocket Version is the way to go. I thought the tiles might be too small, but in reality, they're just right. I love the elegant simplicity of the rule set... and I ain't mad at the price, especially considering how expensive the expansion tiles are on their own.After only a few days, my wife and I are looking to add the expansion pieces to our regular games now that we've gotten the basics down. I'll probably buy the Pillbug pocket expansion at some point, too... but there's plenty of depth to be found in the base game alone.Happy hiving :)Note: if my pictures are weirdly rotated, I apologize. No matter how I rotate and save them, Amazon has some weird ideas about how they should be oriented. This is the first time in hundreds of reviews it's happened.