Sea Battle or Thirty-One?
Both games come with Gather. Here’s how they differ and when each one fits better.
The key differences
- From 3 players on, only Thirty-One works: it goes up to 9 players, Sea Battle only up to 2.
- Thirty-One is louder than Sea Battle (lively vs. calm).
- Sea Battle is quicker to learn than Thirty-One (explained in a minute vs. quick to learn).
- Sea Battle is one of the Board and dice games, Thirty-One one of the Card games.
At a glance
| At a glance | Sea Battle | Thirty-One |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Board and dice games | Card games |
| Players | 2 players | 2–9 players |
| Length of a game | 10–20 min | 10–20 min |
| Age | ages 7+ | ages 8+ |
| Luck or skill | skill and luck | skill and luck |
| Noise level | calm | lively |
| 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?
Sea Battle
Each of you hides a fleet on your own phone, then you take turns firing into the other’s sea. A hit earns another shot – so a game can swing in a handful of moves.
Pick Sea Battle when two people want a tense guessing duel with a bit of tactics.
Thirty-One
Three cards in your hand, three in the middle: swap until one suit gets as close to 31 as you can. Whoever knocks ends the round – and the worst hand then loses a life.
Pick Thirty-One when a bigger group wants a fast card game with a bit of a thrill.
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.
- In both, everyone has secret information on their own phone.
- Both work from age 8.
- Both come free with Gather and need no account.