Looney Labs claims to have sold more than 350,000 copies of Fluxx, which is a truly remarkable number for a hobby game from a tiny publisher -- remarkable also because Fluxx is in some ways a game designer's game, exploring the nature of "the rule."
In a sense, Fluxx is a stripped down version of Nomic -- a self-modifying game with a small initial set of rules and the ability to change them. Nomic depends on player voting; Fluxx depends on card-play.
Fluxx can also be thought of as a form of what Richard Garfield calls an "exceptions game" -- a game that, like Magic or Cosmic Encounter, has a small base rules set that is modified and complexified by additional rules printed on components that may or may not come into play over time. (The additional rules are "exceptions" to the original rules; the virtue of this style of game is that learning the base rules is quick, and additional rules need be learned only as they appear, thus allowing a game that appears simple but actually possesses considerable depth and complexity.)
Here's Fluxx's base rules: Draw one, play one. Okay, it's a bit more complicated than that; you shuffle the cards, deal three to each player, and when it is your turn, you draw a card from the deck and play one. Initially, there is no win condition.
Some cards are "keepers," which you play to the table in front of you and keep. Keepers have names (e.g., "Bread"), but mean nothing in themselves--but if a Goal card has been played, it stipulates a win condition (e.g., "the player who has both Bread and Chocolate wins"). Naturally, only one Goal is in effect at any time, but a player can change the game's Goal by playing a new Goal card.
Similarly, rules cards can be played to change the rules--increasing or decreasing the number of cards drawn and/or played each turn, and establishing a "hand limit" (e.g., a hand limit of 3 means you must discard any cards you possess above three at the end of your turn). Other cards are "instants," meaning you play them and follow the instructions, after which they are discarded--typically, these might allow you to take a keeper from another player or the like.
The charm of Fluxx lies partly in its Nomic conventions, and partly in the game's instability -- the play of a single card can alter its dynamics drastically. It is, in some ways, a flawed game; its instability also means that it's virtually impossible to conceive and execute a strategy, since things change unpredictably and frequently. Yet it's worth playing to experience its unique and original design.
Fluxx implemented on Volity
The game can be played against humans or AIs here:
http://volity.net/games/gamefinder/ruleset.html?uri=http://volity.org/ga...
Volity is itself a Cool Thing.
Yuck
I've played and rated over 250 board and card games and playing Fluxx is one of the most god-awful worst game experiences. I will play nearly any game other than Fluxx.
The game is slightly funny, true. Play it once, and you might get a laugh. From then on, it is nothing but "do what the cards say" over and over again. It is terminally dumb, incredibly stupid, and dull as hell when it's not your turn.
It is, however, an interesting "idea" of a game. It just doesn't translate into fun. It's not like Calvinball because You don't get to decide the new rules, the cards do.
Many other Nomic games, such as Nomic, 1000 Blank White Cards, and others are much more enjoyable as games.
Sorry, Looney Labs, but that's my opinion. Some people do enjoy the game, but then some people enjoy nearly any game. Check out its reputation on boardgamegeek.com before deciding whether or not to buy it.
Yehuda
Funny thing about Fluxx: a
Funny thing about Fluxx: a lot of gamers hate it, and a lot of non-gamers love it. Probably for the same reasons, too.
A more moderate comment
Fluxx is tons of fun. Fluxx is generally more fun while slightly inebriated, overtired, or otherwise overly giddy. Fluxx is only fun for about five games. I have never seen someone intentionally win a game of Fluxx by strategy. (Usually someone either gets incredibly lucky, or someone else gets sick of the chaos and sets up a situation for someone else to win.)
But it is definitely something that has to be played once. Fluxx is sort of the anarchist's version of Mao.
Beer & Pretzels
Eh... You know, it's a beer-and-pretzels game. Not everything has to be Puerto Rico; once in a while it's nice to kick back with something brainless and goofy.
Nice as an intro
Also, Fluxx is nice to play with non-gamers to get them started down the road to becoming gamers. Or just a fun way to get a game in when you have a mixed group of gamers and non-gamers.
Lack of control = bad game
I've also noticed that gamers tend to dislike this game and non-gamers often like it.
I think it's because of the lack of control. The winner is more or less random. This is why Candyland isn't fun if you're a grown up - you have no choices. In Fluxx, you have choices, they just don't actually matter much at all but it's sufficiently well disguised that only gamers notice.
I think there are much better contenders out there for a casual "beer and pretzels" filler game or intro game for non-gamers.
Fluxx not
It's been 13 or so years, but I remember it being more of an activity, not a serious game. Kind of UNO for GenCon gamers.
I think the randomness is
I think the randomness is being exaggerated, and pursuing an intelligent strategy does increase your odds of winning. You can definitely mod the rules to the point where the deck decides the rest of the game and no further choices can be made, but that strategy is more attractive once you are already in a poor position, and if you didn't prepare you can't just make it happen. As well, other players with a better position will be fighting to keep the rules sane.
The leaderboard on volity suggests there are players who win much more frequently than random chance can explain.
Fooled by Randomness
You might want to read Nassim Nicholas Taleb's "Fooled by Randomness." Short version: Randomness is lumpier than you think. Otherwise, it wouldn't be random.
Majority
"I've also noticed that gamers tend to dislike this game and non-gamers often like it."
I love how a group who are numerically almost certainly the minority of those who play games, and have racked up the minority of total games played, manage to call themselves "gamers," and castigate the majority of both categories as "non-gamers."
Very reminiscent of the historical origin of the term, "bolshevik."
Fluxx
The thing about Fluxx is that its rules-orientation tends to be well-suited to programmers, lawyers, or others learned in logical argumentation.
Strangely enough, I don't think it's the randomness as such that's the big differentiator between people who like or dislike the game. It's probably the tension between those who think rules are worthwhile in the first place and don't obsess about what Emerson called "foolish inconsistencies," and those who don't think rules are terribly useful but try to put up a valiant front for social reasons, and get agitated by the idea that no investment in individual rules pay off as much as an investment in the regime of rules in the big picture.
I'm not sure how clear that is. Hm.
It's kind of like the difference between a natural, gifted athlete, and a drunk trying to concentrate on performing one physical gesture -- and then getting very upset when the gesture called for changes. The athlete just improvises. (Or the jazz musician, or the abstract artist, or what have you.)
Still not sure that gets across what I mean, but I'm lousy writer. Fortunately, I don't obsess about that, either.
Know what other game is
Know what other game is highly random? Poker. Skill gradients emerge only after a dozen hands or so. Same with Fluxx.
I'm kind of baffled by the negative reaction to Fluxx. I hang out with both hardcore-gamers and non-gamers (whatever the hell that means), and so far I've never met anyone who's disliked Fluxx after a few hands.
It's frustrating when you're building on a victory and then someone wins by purely luck of the draw, but it makes it so much more satisfying when you play off a 5-card combo and take the win that nobody expected.
Srsly, it's a light and fluffy game. If I wanted a game with depth, complexity, and nuance, I'd be playing something else. But sometimes you and your friends just want to play a quick game that doesn't require too much thinking so they can still watch the movie or talk or whatever. For these situations, Fluxx fits the bill perfectly.