Foxy - Incontri Ravvicinati
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🐸 A wise frog knows when to split the order… and when to wait for the right leap.
- Arrives
- by the end of November 2026
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The FroGames review
You write the number. You flip the card. And it’s a cat that was never there. You have to redo your calculations. But you've already written it down.
WHAT IT IS
The expansion that rewrites the rules of memory
Foxy - Close Encounters is the expansion that turns Foxy into its opposite. Designed by Christian Giove and David Spada (the creator of the base game), with illustrations by Stefano Tartarotti, it introduces a deck of cards that don't add animals to the game: they erase them. It's called Close Encounters because when one of these cards appears, something different happens compared to the base game.
In the base game, you kept count of the animals seen. Here, when a Close Encounter appears, you subtract an animal you thought you had seen. And if that animal had never appeared? The total remains at zero. Suddenly, remembering is no longer enough: you have to adapt, question what you thought was certain a moment ago, and bet on unstable counts.
What they're saying abroad
"The expansion that turns memory on its head. Forgetting becomes a weapon."
The expansion that turns memory on its head. Forgetting becomes a weapon.
— GateOnGames
We still don't have verifiable reviews for this newly released expansion. But the idea is clear: Foxy asked you to remember. Close Encounters asks you to forget at the right time. And that changes everything.
— FroGames
Foxy - Close Encounters
The base Foxy game includes an official solo mode. The Close Encounters expansion integrates perfectly: the Close Encounter cards are shuffled into the deck and work the same way. The challenge changes (less memory, more adaptation), not the game system.
FrogScore · editorial review by FroGames · first look: based on the rulebook and official presentation, updated after the first gamesWhat's in the deck
The cards that change everything
Close Encounter cards
The heart of the expansion. When one appears, you cancel an animal you thought you had seen. If you never saw it, the total remains zero. Every card destabilizes your counts.
Integration with base Foxy
The new cards are mixed into the base game deck. They don't replace anything; they are added. The setup remains identical, but the game becomes unpredictable.
Subtraction mechanic
In the base game, you added the animals seen. Here, you subtract them. It's a paradigm shift: you no longer trust your memory, you have to do the math in reverse.
Deck variability
Each game, the Close Encounter cards end up in different positions. Sometimes they arrive early, sometimes late. You can't prepare, only react.
🎲How to playThe rules in four moves▼
How to play
The flow of each round
Identical to the base game, with one exception that changes everything.
Reveal the top card of the deck. It can be a normal card (with animals to add up) or a Close Encounter (which subtracts an animal already seen).
If it is a normal card, write down how many animals of that type you have seen so far (including those on this card). If it is a Close Encounter, subtract one from the indicated animal. If you have never seen it, it remains zero.
Once per game you can circle the number you wrote. If it is exact at the end of the game, you double your points. If you are wrong, zero points for that round.
Continue until the fox card appears (as in the base game). At the end, recount everything and assign points: every number that is correct or lower than the total is worth points, every number that is too high is worth zero.
⏱️Your first gameThe chronicle, moment by moment▼
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
Quiet setup
Shuffle the Close Encounter cards into the base deck. Take your erasable boards. It looks identical to Foxy. But you don't yet know where the new cards have ended up. Turn the first card: normal animals. All as usual.
The first encounter
Fifth, sixth card. The first Close Encounter appears. Someone has already written their number. Too late: an animal disappears from the count. Whoever bet high finds themselves with an impossible number. Whoever played cautiously smiles.
Unstable counts
Halfway through the game, no one trusts their calculations anymore. You write low numbers for fear of being wrong. But then a normal card appears and those who dared earn points. The tension is in not knowing when the next subtraction will arrive.
Double or nothing
Someone circles a number to double their points, as in the base game. But with Close Encounters in play, it is riskier than ever. An animal that disappears can ruin the perfect bet. Nervous laughter at the table.
Final count
Turn over the deck, recount the animals one by one. Subtract the Close Encounters. Those who were off by one see their points disappear. Those who played conservatively win by narrow margins. No one says "I told you so": everyone says "I didn't see that coming".
🐸Good to knowThree honest things, from friends▼
Good to know
Three things that really change
The base game is required
This is an expansion, not a standalone game. Without base Foxy, you cannot play. The Close Encounter cards are shuffled into the original deck, not replaced. If you don't have the base game, this box is useless.
The learning curve
In the first few turns, you play as usual. Then the first Close Encounter arrives and you have to redo your mental math. Those accustomed to base Foxy must unlearn their certainties. It takes one round to understand, but the confusion is part of the fun.
More unpredictable, less controllable
In the base game, you could improve with practice. Here, luck counts for more: where the Close Encounters end up in the deck changes everything. A card that arrives early doesn't destabilize much, one that arrives late can turn the game around. Accept it.
🏆Victory and defeatWhat the ending rewards▼
How it ends
How to win and how to lose
The scoring system is identical to base Foxy. The numbers you write change, not how you count them.
Victory
- Add up all the correct numbers: every number equal to or lower than the real total is worth those points.
- If you circled a number and it is exact, you double the points for that round.
- Whoever has the most points wins. In case of a tie, the person who risked more (wrote higher numbers) wins.
Zero points
- If you write a number higher than the actual total of animals seen, zero points for that round.
- If you circle a number and are wrong (even by one), zero points for that round.
- Close Encounters can make you miss numbers that seemed safe. You cannot erase them.
This expansion does not add complexity, it adds instability. And that instability is exactly what makes each game different from the last.
💬Frequently asked questionsQuick answers before the cart▼
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Foxy - Close Encounters
Can I play only with the expansion, without the base game?
No. Foxy - Close Encounters is an expansion, not a standalone game. You need the Foxy base game deck, the erasable boards, and the markers. The Close Encounter cards are shuffled into the original deck.
How many Close Encounter cards are in the deck?
BGG data does not specify the exact number. From descriptions, we know it is a small deck that is shuffled into the 40 base cards. Likely between 5 and 10 cards, enough to destabilize without dominating the game.
What mechanics does Foxy - Close Encounters use?
Memory, Betting and Bluffing, Flip-and-Write. The core mechanic is cumulative memory: you see cards, remember how many animals you have seen, and bet on that number. The expansion adds subtraction: some cards remove animals already counted.
Does the duration change compared to base Foxy?
No, it remains 15 minutes per game. The total number of cards increases slightly (you add the Close Encounters to the base deck), but the pace is identical: one card per round, write a number, continue.
Is it available in Italian?
Yes, the edition sold on FroGames is in Italian. The cards have animal illustrations (language-independent), but the rules and special cards are translated.
The people behind the game
Who invented it, who illustrated it, who publishes it — and what else they have done.
Foxy - Close Encounters is the expansion for the memory game Foxy, for 1-5 players, duration 15 minutes, recommended age 8+. Designed by Christian Giove and David Spada, published by GateOnGames, it introduces a deck of cards that flips the mechanics of the base game: instead of adding seen animals, Close Encounter cards subtract those you thought you had counted. It is a flip-and-write with reverse memory, bluffing, and solitaire mode. Available on FroGames.it.
Foxy - Incontri Ravvicinati
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers you're looking for, no beating around the bush.
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