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FroGames — Moments You'll Remember
The Supreme Appliance is dead. You already have your heartfelt speech ready — and your plan to seize the throne.
What it's about
A trick-taking game that's also a political farce
The Supreme Appliance has been unplugged. Five of its subordinates — a blender, a telephone, a toaster, and other low-voltage marvels — all want to take its place. Each has a secret agenda: to decide who rises, who falls, who ends up dusted under the couch.
Power Vacuum is a trick-taking game with four suits — Media, Bureaucracy, Money, and Violence — plus a hidden fifth, Spies, which trumps even the trump suit. Winning the trick isn't enough. The player who plays the lowest card uses the Control Board to shift Power between opponents. That discarded card that seemed useless? It can be the most lethal weapon of the round.
Hand-drawn by Malachi Ray Rempen (no AI), designed by Kaleb Wentzel-Fisher. A sharp satire on authoritarianism disguised as a card game.
What they're saying abroad
"The rare trick-taker with ideas larger than the game itself."
A rare trick-taker, with ideas bigger than the game itself.
— Meeple Mountain
"A finer example of how far the genre punches above its weight. It's viciously good."
A very fine example of how much the trick-taking genre punches above its weight. Viciously good.
— Space-Biff!
Power Vacuum
The "Party Apparatus" automa truly emulates trick-taking thanks to the visible suits on the back of the cards — a rare thing in solo games of this genre. Multiple difficulty levels, a tense puzzle, and fully playable solo.
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews and play sessionsYour arsenal
What you control in each game
4 suits + Spies
Media, Bureaucracy, Money, Violence. Plus a hidden fifth suit that trumps even the trump — Spies, omnipresent, never secure.
Visible suits on the back
You already know which suit your opponent has in hand. Not how many, but enough. The calculation shifts from counting cards to reading intentions.
Secret agendas
Each round you receive two target appliances: one must win, the other must fall. Surgical sabotage disguised as a fair game.
The Control Board
The player who plays the lowest card shifts Power on the wheel. The discarded card becomes the weapon. This is where you win Power Vacuum.
No one wins with the strongest card. You win with the lowest, played at the right moment. Welcome to Power Vacuum.
🃏Recommended Sleeves1 size · 56 cards total
📖RulebookEnglish · Official PDF
A game in five acts
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The conspiracy.
The moving speech
Cards and secret agendas are dealt. Everyone looks at their own and pretends not to notice. Someone must rise, someone else must fall — but only you know who. At the table, everyone exchanges strained smiles, like at state funerals.
The first trick, and the first suspicious move
Someone opens with high Media. You have the strong card to win — but you decide to keep it. You play a very low Violence. You don't win the trick, but you get to turn the Control Board. And you move Power right towards the blender, which your agenda dictates must win. No one understands yet.
The Spy arrives
The toaster plays a trump. It seems like a done deal. But the phone plays a Spy — and takes the trick. Five Power tokens travel from the toaster to the phone and the table erupts. "But where did that come from?!" The Spies had always been there. You hadn't seen them.
The final calculation of the lowest card
Last two tricks. You have a 2 and a 10 in hand. The 10 wins the trick and gives Power to your correct target — but the 2 lets you turn the Control Board and you can overturn everything. You lose the trick on purpose. Two seconds later, the blender is in the lead and the kettle is plummeting. You barely smile.
Agendas are revealed
Everyone shows their own. You hit both targets — maximum bonus, statue pieces as a reward. Someone looks at you and says: "but you lost that trick on purpose, didn't you?" You nod. Drinks are poured, cards are redealt, a new round begins. The Supreme Appliance still awaits a successor.
How to play
The flow of each round
Four phases that repeat round after round. The first game is understood in 15 minutes. Subsequent games become increasingly vicious.
Each player receives an Agenda card with two target appliances. One must finish first in Power, the other last. You choose who is who — the others will never know.
You play like a classic trick-taking game: follow suit, the winner takes the trick. But whoever plays the lowest card activates the Control Board — and moves Power between players.
The fifth suit is hidden among the other four on the card fronts — but only visible to those holding them. Spies even trump trumps. No trick is ever guaranteed.
At the end of the round, agendas are revealed. Those who fulfilled them collect bonuses. Points are converted into statue pieces. The first to complete their statue becomes the new Supreme Appliance.
Why it's different from the others
Six mechanics that make a difference
Losing the trick is a strategy
The lowest card activates the Control Board and moves Power wherever you want. In Power Vacuum, deliberately losing a trick can be worth more than winning it. It overturns everything you know about trick-taking.
Suits visible on the back
You know which suit your opponent holds — not the value, but the type. No mental card counting: the game frees your mind to think about nasty moves.
Spies trump trumps
A fifth suit hidden among the other four, which can appear by surprise and turn the trick even against Violence. It's the unexpected blow that produces the most nervous laughter of the evening.
Hidden agendas and pure conflict
Everyone has two secret targets: one to crown, one to sink. Interaction is very high but masked — everyone seems to be playing for themselves, but they are actually sabotaging you.
Intelligent political satire
Four suits with a message: Media, Bureaucracy, Money, Violence. If you've seen "The Death of Stalin," you'll understand the spirit. It works even without catching the references — but with them, it's a blast.
A true trick-taking solitaire experience
The Party Apparatus is one of the few automa that truly simulates trick-taking — thanks to cards with suits visible on the back. Multiple difficulties, intense games even solo.
How it ends
Statue or dust — there are no other options
At the end of the round, points become pieces of your statue. The first to complete it takes the throne. The others continue to conspire for the next cycle.
Victory
- Be the first to complete your statue by collecting all necessary pieces
- Pieces are obtained by converting Power points at the end of the round
- Fulfilling your secret agenda gives you a massive point bonus
Dust-up
- You don't fulfill your agenda and score few points at the end of the round
- Others read you and sabotage you before you can build up
- No one is ever truly out — you conspire until the last card
Power Vacuum is one of the smartest trick-taking games in recent years. Fast, vicious, and with a satirical soul that isn't easily forgotten.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Power Vacuum
I've never played a trick-taking game. Is it suitable for me?
Yes, and it's probably the best entry point to the genre along with The Crew. Trick-taking rules are explained in five minutes, and visible suits on the back eliminate the most tedious part — remembering what has been played. All that's left is the fun part: reading your opponents and choosing when to strike.
Is it really a political game, or just a theme?
The theme is not just aesthetic. The four suits — Media, Bureaucracy, Money, Violence — literally represent the tools of power, with Violence as the trump. But no one forces you to interpret it that way. You can play it as an excellent trick-taking game, plain and simple. Those who grasp the satire laugh more; those who don't still play a great game.
Does the solo mode really work, or is it a fallback?
It works. The Party Apparatus is a custom-designed automa that uses the visible suits on the back of the cards to simulate choices similar to those of a real opponent — something almost no solo trick-taking game manages to do. It has multiple difficulty levels and becomes a stimulating puzzle. It's still a solo game, not a social evening, but it's among the best in its genre.
With how many players does it work best?
With 4-5 players, it's at its best: more agendas floating around, more manipulation, more potential Spies. With 3, it's still excellent and finishes in under half an hour. With 2, it works but is more tactical and less chaotic. Solo is a different but valid puzzle. In all formats, it's a great game.
How much does luck influence drawing cards?
Cards matter, but the game is designed to reduce their impact. Opponents see your suits on the back, so you always have meaningful choices — having high cards isn't enough to win. A weak hand can become very powerful if you use the Control Board well. Spies add variability but are a tactical element, not blind luck.
Is it available in Italian?
This is the English edition. Good news: Power Vacuum is designed almost entirely with icons — the cards have very little text. English is only needed to read the rulebook and Agenda cards. Once you've learned the game, you can play it without language issues.
Power Vacuum is a competitive trick-taking game with political satire for 1-5 players (ages 8+, 30-45 min duration). Designed by Kaleb Wentzel-Fisher, illustrated and published by Malachi Ray Rempen for Keen Bean Studio. Core mechanic: trick-taking with hand management and hidden agendas. Four thematic suits (Media, Bureaucracy, Money, Violence) plus Spies as a hidden fifth suit that trumps trumps. Suits are visible on the back of cards, the Control Board allows moving Power between players by playing the lowest card. Official solo mode against the Party Apparatus automa with adjustable difficulty. English edition with entirely hand-drawn artwork. Available on FroGames.it.
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