Hive Pocket

Is Hive Pocket worth taking on holiday?

Hive Pocket is one of our favourite games to take away, particularly when there are two of you looking for something that can be played almost anywhere.

There's no board and there are no cards. The game consists of chunky tiles that are placed directly onto the playing surface, which makes it unusually practical for holidays. A table is useful, but you don't need a perfect indoor setup to play it.

Individual games can be very quick — sometimes only a few minutes — although a closer game might take around 10 minutes. The important difference compared with something like Dobble is that we're quite happy to keep starting another game. We've played Hive repeatedly for a couple of hours without feeling like we've exhausted it.

Why is Hive so good outdoors?

This is probably Hive Pocket's biggest advantage as a travel game.

Most small games are card games, which immediately become awkward when you're outside and there's any wind. Hive's pieces are chunky and heavy enough that this isn't really a concern.

That means it's the sort of game we'd be much happier getting out on an outside table, balcony or somewhere breezy where we wouldn't even consider opening a deck of cards.

There are also very few components to worry about. Once the pieces are out, you're essentially ready to play.

Is it good for short games?

Yes, but unusually it's also good for much longer sessions.

A single game can take only a few minutes, so Hive works perfectly well when you've got 10–20 minutes to fill. But because each game develops differently, losing a game tends to make us want another attempt rather than put it away.

That gives Hive a useful combination: it works as a quick filler, but it's also something we'd happily sit and play repeatedly for a couple of hours.

Who is Hive Pocket best for?

The main limitation is obvious: Hive is primarily a two-player game.

If you're looking for something the whole family can sit around and play together, we'd choose something else. But for two people, that limitation becomes one of its strengths.

There is very little setup, games are quick, and there's enough strategy to make repeated games interesting.

It's therefore particularly useful for couples, two family members who regularly play together, or simply as an additional game when the rest of the group is doing something else.

How easy is it to pack?

Hive Pocket is specifically the smaller travel version of Hive, and its pieces can be kept together without needing a large traditional board-game box.

The pieces themselves are heavier than a simple pack of cards, but we'd happily accept that extra weight because it is precisely what makes the game so useful in conditions where lightweight cards become impractical.

It's a good example of why we don't judge holiday games purely by which one weighs the least.

Our verdict

Hive Pocket is one of the strongest dedicated travel games we've used.

It's small, extremely quick to set up, excellent for two players and far more practical outdoors than almost any card game.

What particularly earns it a place in our luggage is its flexibility. We can play one or two games when we've got 10 minutes to spare, or keep going for a couple of hours.

If you regularly have two people who enjoy playing games together, Hive Pocket is very easy for us to recommend for a holiday.

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