Onstage
2024Michael Orion
- Videos
- 9
- Creators
- 8
Mostly reviews. Onstage is covered on BoardGameVideo.com by 7 reviews, 1 how-to-play guides, and 1 other video.
3 - 5 players
15 - 30 min
Medium weight: Teach it in one sitting
From BoardGameGeek
Onstage is a "must follow" trick-taking game in which you play as a theater company competing for the best performers to join your troupe. By winning tricks, you claim performers onstage. The trump suit is determined by the most valuable performers currently onstage and will change throughout the game as you recruit and manipulate the line of performers. The deck consists of 36 cards, numbered 1-9 for each of the four suits. Each suit has three performers, one each valued at 1, 2, and 3 points, which represent the featured, supporting, and lead actors respectively. The values 1, 4, and 7 of each suit have effects to manipulate the performers onstage and in line, which can change the current trump and scoring opportunities each hand. If at the end of the round, you are the only player with no performer tokens, you claim all the performers currently on stage as your score for the round. Keep one card between each round and put all used performers back in line behind the current line before starting the next hand in the new turn order. After playing an equal number of rounds per player, whoever has the high score wins. In the two-vs-two team variant, partners combine their scores at the end of each round, but they may not discuss their hands during play.
Watch first
Which Onstage video should I watch?
Onstage has 9 videos from 8 creators: 7 reviews, 1 how-to-play guide and 1 other video. They date from 2025 to June 2026.
To learn the rules, start with "All the Games with Steph: Onstage - Teach" by Steph Hodge, which runs 12 min.
For an opinion before you buy, start with "Onstage Review: Best Stage Hand Wins" by The Dice Tower. 7 creators have reviewed it.
If you like it, try Stem & Branch and Phố Phở, also by Michael Orion.
All videos
Creators who cover this
The Dice Tower
2 videos of this game
Board Games Land
1 video of this game
Board Games With B7
1 video of this game
Cardboard East
1 video of this game
Garrett's Games
1 video of this game
Jamie, Tabletoptiktok
1 video of this game
Steph Hodge
1 video of this game
The Frozen Gamer
1 video of this game
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About Onstage
From BoardGameGeek:
Onstage is a "must follow" trick-taking game in which you play as a theater company competing for the best performers to join your troupe. By winning tricks, you claim performers onstage. The trump suit is determined by the most valuable performers currently onstage and will change throughout the game as you recruit and manipulate the line of performers. The deck consists of 36 cards, numbered 1-9 for each of the four suits. Each suit has three performers, one each valued at 1, 2, and 3 points, which represent the featured, supporting, and lead actors respectively. The values 1, 4, and 7 of each suit have effects to manipulate the performers onstage and in line, which can change the current trump and scoring opportunities each hand. If at the end of the round, you are the only player with no performer tokens, you claim all the performers currently on stage as your score for the round. Keep one card between each round and put all used performers back in line behind the current line before starting the next hand in the new turn order. After playing an equal number of rounds per player, whoever has the high score wins. In the two-vs-two team variant, partners combine their scores at the end of each round, but they may not discuss their hands during play.
Designer
Michael Orion
Artist
Toàn Nguyễn
Publisher
Ngũ Hành Games
Categories
Mechanics
Trick-taking & Climbing