Crazy Mau or Nine Men’s Morris?
Both games come with Gather. Here’s how they differ and when each one fits better.
The key differences
- From 3 players on, only Crazy Mau works: it goes up to 8 players, Nine Men’s Morris only up to 2.
- Nine Men’s Morris rewards skill more than Crazy Mau (pure skill vs. lots of luck).
- Crazy Mau is louder than Nine Men’s Morris (lively vs. silent).
- Crazy Mau is over sooner: usually 5–15 minutes, while Nine Men’s Morris takes 10–20 minutes.
- Crazy Mau is quicker to learn than Nine Men’s Morris (explained in a minute vs. quick to learn).
- In Crazy Mau everyone has secret information on their phone; in Nine Men’s Morris more is out in the open.
- Crazy Mau is one of the Card games, Nine Men’s Morris one of the Board and dice games.
At a glance
| At a glance | Crazy Mau | Nine Men’s Morris |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Card games | Board and dice games |
| Players | 2–8 players | 2 players |
| Length of a game | 5–15 min | 10–20 min |
| Age | ages 6+ | ages 6+ |
| Luck or skill | lots of luck | pure skill |
| Noise level | lively | silent |
| Learning curve | explained in a minute | quick to learn |
| Interaction | you react to each other | you react to each other |
| TV | not needed | not needed |
| Against the computer | yes | yes |
| Teams | no | no |
| Bluffing | no | no |
| Reading needed | no | no |
Which one suits you?
Crazy Mau
The classic card game with action cards: match suit or number, stack penalty cards and play your wild card at just the right moment. Quick to explain, quick to play, and mean enough to stay interesting.
Pick Crazy Mau when a mixed group wants to start right away and nobody wants to read rules.
Nine Men’s Morris
The old board game with nine pieces each: place, then move, and finally fly. Close a mill and you take one of your opponent’s pieces – and a well-built double mill often decides the game.
Pick Nine Men’s Morris when two people want a calm strategy game that’s settled in about a quarter of an hour.
What they have in common
- Both only work with exactly 2 players.
- Both also work without a TV, right on iPhone, iPad or Mac.
- You can play both against the computer.
- Both work from age 6.
- Both come free with Gather and need no account.