If you ever wanted to flick little discs at a bullseye and call it a game night, you’re not alone. When my friends and I cracked open Target for the first time, we expected a silly twenty-minute diversion. Instead, we found a game that made us laugh, curse, and question each other’s hand-eye coordination. In this review, I’ll tell you everything you need to know before you risk your social standing (and maybe your coffee table) on a round of Target.
How It Plays
Setting up
First, pop out the Target board and lay it flat on any table. Give each player their colored disks and put the target piece in the middle. Make sure everyone can reach the board, unless you want to watch Uncle Bob crawl across the floor (funny, but not practical).
Gameplay
On your turn, you flick one of your disks at the target piece in the center. Try to knock it closer to your side or into your scoring zone, but don’t blast it off the table or you’ll hear groans. Players take turns flicking until all disks are used. If anyone flicks so hard the target ends up under the sofa, you must retrieve it. House rules.
Winning the game
After all disks are gone, check where the target piece landed. The player whose color is closest to the target (or has their disk actually touching it) scores a point. Play a few rounds—first player to three points wins! Or play until everyone’s fingers are sore, whichever comes first.
Want to know more? Read our extensive strategy guide for Target.
Game Mechanics and Player Interaction in Target
Let me tell you, the first time I got my mitts on Target, I thought, “How hard can it be?” It’s a game with rules so simple even my cousin Dave could follow them—and he still thinks TikTok is a kind of watch. But Target has a few tricks up its sleeve. The game mechanics focus on precise flicking and aiming, which means your hand-eye coordination gets a real workout. If you’re the type who believes thumb wars are a sport, Target will speak to your soul.
In Target, you take turns flicking your discs to land as close as possible to the bullseye, or if you’re particularly mean (like my friend Julie after her second coffee), to knock your rival’s discs out of the way. The game doesn’t bog you down with lots of set-up or complex rules. It just gets right to the action—a blessing if you’re hosting and everyone is already fighting over snacks.
What I love most is how Target brings out the competitor in everyone. People start friendly, but two rounds in, Aunt Linda is heckling you, and someone (naming no names) is eyeing my dog, wondering if he’ll chase the discs for them. But it’s not all laughs. If you like strategic back-and-forth, Target rewards clever plays, blocking, and the nerve to go for risky shots.
Before you put your money on Target, though, you’ll want to know how much fate and how much skill decide the winner—so next up I’ll get into the eternal battle of luck versus skill!
Luck or Skill: Who Really Wins in Target?
When I first cracked open Target and read the rules, my skeptical eyebrow shot up. You know the drill—some games claim skill rules the day, then toss you into a pit of luck. So, where does Target fall on the luck versus skill scale? Well, let me tell you, my friends. Target leans much more into skill, but with a little sprinkle of luck to keep it spicy.
Your main tool in Target is your own flicking finger. If you have control, aim, and hands that don’t tremble like a squirrel in a thunderstorm, you’ll have a pretty good chance at winning. The best thing is, you can practice and actually see improvement! In one of our games, my friend Dave went from rookie to semi-pro, all in an evening. It was both impressive and, frankly, a bit annoying for the rest of us.
But it’s not all skill. Sometimes that disc bounces off a corner weirdly, or you misjudge the power and send your piece flying off the table—straight into the snack bowl. That’s the tiny bit of luck peeking through. I’d say 85% skill and 15% chaos, and that’s a pretty good mix if you ask me. What I really like is that you never feel cheated by the game itself. When you lose, you know it’s probably because you blinked at the wrong time, not because the game decided to mess you up.
So, does Target reward steady hands or lucky breaks? Mostly steady hands! Next up, let’s see if you’ll get bored after one round or beg for just one more play.
Why Target Keeps Hitting the Table: Replay Value & Game Length
Let’s be real, some games come out once and then get buried under a pile of dust and shame in your closet. Not Target. Target is that game that keeps saying, “hey, let’s play again!” until you realize it’s midnight and you haven’t eaten dinner. This replay value comes from how quick and satisfying each match feels. Most games run about 10-20 minutes. That means you can fire off several rounds in an evening, swapping in new players or keeping a tournament going for bragging rights (and, in my friend group, a slightly gross trophy cup).
What really brings me back to Target is the endless ways you can play. Want some harsh competition? Go head-to-head, best of three. Got six people hanging around? Set up a winner-stays-on rotation. I’ve even played Target as a warmup at bigger board game nights. People who’d never heard of it suddenly want “just one more game.” I don’t know what kind of cardboard voodoo they put in that box, but it’s addictive.
The game doesn’t drag on either. There’s no fiddly bookkeeping or waiting ages for your turn. Flick, plan, win or lose, it’s back to the start. The short game length also means you’re not stuck watching someone else’s winning streak drag out—unless, of course, you’re my smug cousin Greg. I still owe him a rematch.
So, Target scores top marks on replay value and keeps the action snappy. Up next: Let’s talk about the bits and pieces that make Target look so good on the table, you’ll want to clear your dinner plates to play.
How Does Target Look and Feel on Your Table?
Let me talk about component quality, because wow, “Target” knows how to make a first impression. When I opened the box, the chunky wooden discs looked like they just ate a bag of Miracle-Gro. These things are solid. You could probably use them to prop open a door if you ever lost the instructions (which, by the way, are printed on super thick paper that feels almost criminal to bend).
The board itself is the real star, though. It’s sturdy – I mean, you could eat dinner on it if you really wanted. It’s got a nice finish that lets your discs glide without sending them straight into the neighbor’s yard. And it cleans up easier than my kitchen after a microwave meal. The artwork is simple, almost minimalist, but it pops on the table and everyone in my group immediately commented on how “official” it looks. It’s the kind of game that makes people walking by stop and ask, “Hey, what are you playing?”
Storage is a breeze because everything fits back into the box with that rare, satisfying click. No fiddling to make pieces fit. No inventing new curse words. It’s like the designers actually tried putting it away themselves—imagine that!
If you want a game that looks good, feels good, and won’t fall apart after one too many heated sessions, “Target” delivers. I’d let it sit on my table any day—heck, I recommend it! It’s got shelf appeal and table flair. What more could you ask for?
Conclusion
So, that’s a wrap on my Target board game review. After smacking my fingers into that board more times than I’d like to admit, I can say this game is a winner for a quick, skill-based showdown. It’s got great build quality, replay value, and laughs for all ages. Sure, luck plays a tiny part (it’s possible to ricochet your disk into the neighbor’s snack bowl), but skill takes the front seat here.
If you’re looking for a party game that’s easy to learn and hard to master, Target checks all the boxes—unless you hate flicking things, in which case, may I recommend chess? Otherwise, grab your friends, clear the table, and get ready for some competitive finger-flicking fun. Thanks for reading!
