Intense Oud Fragrance Review
Mind Games Cologne: Full Review & Who It's For
Updated November 2026 · 8 min read
Mind Games is one of the most searched-for niche brands right now, and most of those searches come from guys asking the same thing: is Mind Games cologne actually worth almost $400 a bottle?
We stock the full Mind Games line at Intense Oud, so we've smelled every one of them on skin and heard what customers come back to say. This is our honest review: how the colognes perform, where the money goes, the 8 best Mind Games colognes for men, and who should skip the brand altogether.
New to the brand? Start with our complete Mind Games perfume guide, then come back here for the verdict.
The Verdict
Our Verdict at a Glance
Overall: 4.5 / 5. Mind Games makes some of the best-performing niche colognes you can buy in the US right now. They're expensive, but every bottle is an extrait, and the strongest scents in the line easily last a full day. If you want one luxury signature scent, it's worth it. If you rotate ten bottles or only like fresh, light scents, it probably isn't.
What We Love
- Every bottle is an extrait de parfum, so a few sprays go a long way.
- Big-name perfumers, including Christelle Laprade and Carlos Viñals.
- Heavy chess-piece bottles that look incredible on a shelf and make an easy luxury gift.
- A wide range, from fresh fig (Castling) to dark leather (Ruy Lopez) to gourmand (Check Please).
What to Know Before You Buy
- $395 is a lot for one bottle, and some Perfumer Extraordinaire scents cost $475.
- The lighter, fresher scents sit closer to the skin after a few hours.
- With 25+ scents, it's easy to blind-buy the wrong one. Sample first.
What Is Mind Games Cologne?
Mind Games is a New York niche house founded in 2022 by Alex and Mariana Shalbaf. Every scent is named after a chess move or piece, and every one is unisex, so "Mind Games cologne" and "Mind Games perfume" are the same bottles. Guys just tend to call them cologne.
The line comes in two main collections. The Artisan Collection launched first, with ten scents paired black and white like pieces on a board. The Soulmate Collection followed in 2023, inspired by pawns, and newer releases like Check Please keep adding to it.
Performance: How Long Does Mind Games Cologne Last?
This is where Mind Games earns its price. Every bottle is an extrait de parfum, the most concentrated type of fragrance, so you need two or three sprays, not eight.
- Darker scents last longest: leather, oud, amber and gourmand picks like Ruy Lopez, Mentor and Check Please usually last a full workday on skin, and longer on clothes.
- Fresher scents wear closer: Castling and Gambit project well for the first couple of hours, then settle into a clean skin scent.
- Projection is strong, not loud: you'll be noticed in a room without choking out an elevator.
Price and Value: Is Mind Games Worth It?
Most Mind Games colognes are $395 for 100 ml, and a few Perfumer Extraordinaire releases are $475. That puts them in the same league as Xerjoff, Parfums de Marly and Initio. Here's what you're paying for:
- Extrait concentration: less spraying, so a bottle lasts longer than most designer colognes.
- Master perfumers: Mind Games works with perfumers like Christelle Laprade and Carlos Viñals, who also create for some of the biggest houses.
- The bottle: heavy glass with a metal chess-piece cap. It's part of the appeal, especially as a gift.
Our take: if you'll wear it often, yes, it's worth it. If you're not sure, spend $75 on the Artisan Discovery Set or $155 on a travel trio before committing to a full bottle.
The 8 Best Mind Games Colognes for Men
Every pick is a 100 ml extrait de parfum, in stock at Intense Oud. We chose them for range, from office-safe to after-dark.
#1 · Best Overall Mind Games Cologne
Mind Games Blockade
If you only try one Mind Games cologne, make it Blockade. A juicy, peppery mango opening with tomato leaf and bergamot gives it a fresh, almost green start. Lavender and star anise smooth the heart, then soft leather, patchouli, amber and oud take over.
It's polished, versatile and masculine without being heavy: office in the morning, dinner at night. Want to try it first? The Blockade Travel Trio gives you three 7.5 ml sprays.
Top: Mango Skin, Pink Pepper, Tomato Leaf, Bergamot · Heart: Lavender, Mango Flower, Cyclamen, Star Anise · Base: Leather, Patchouli, Amber, Oud
Shop Mind Games Blockade
#2 · Best for the Office
Mind Games Gambit
Created by Carlos Viñals, Gambit is the most classic cologne in the line. Clove, lavender and petitgrain open it like a modern barbershop fougère, then warm woods and amber settle underneath.
Clean, spicy and confident. It's the one to reach for on a weekday.
Key notes: Clove, Lavender, Petitgrain, Woods, Amber
Shop Mind Games Gambit
#3 · Best for Date Night
Mind Games Grand Master
Grand Master opens bright with bergamot and lemon, then a rose and coffee heart turns it rich and a little mysterious. Incense, myrrh and dark woods give it a smoky, spicy trail.
A rose cologne for men who don't think they like rose. Wear it in the evening.
Key notes: Bergamot, Lemon, Rose, Coffee, Incense, Myrrh, Dark Woods
Shop Mind Games Grand Master
#4 · Best Leather Cologne
Mind Games Ruy Lopez
Named after one of chess's oldest openings, Ruy Lopez is dark and boozy. Black tea, black pepper and cherry open it, rose, dark rum and davana fill the heart, and patchouli, leather and oak finish it.
Think a leather armchair in a whiskey bar. One of the longest-lasting colognes in the line.
Top: Black Tea, Black Pepper, Cherry · Heart: Rose, Dark Rum, Davana · Base: Patchouli, Leather, Oakwood
Shop Mind Games Ruy Lopez
#5 · Best Fresh Cologne
Mind Games Castling
If you usually wear fresh scents, start here. Created by Christelle Laprade, Castling opens with fig leaves, bergamot and a salty fleur de sel note. Iris, freesia and lotus soften the heart, and vanilla woods, skin musk, vetiver and sandalwood make the base.
Clean, airy and a little salty, like a white shirt after a day by the sea. It wears closer to the skin than the others.
Top: Fig Leaves, Bergamot, Fleur de Sel · Heart: Iris, Freesia, Lotus · Base: Vanilla Woods, Skin Musk, Vetiver, Sandalwood
Shop Mind Games Castling
#6 · Best Spicy Chocolate
Mind Games Double Attack
Double Attack is built around chocolate, but not the sweet kind. Orange bitters, pimento and pink pepper open it, then bittersweet chocolate and woods take over.
Warm, spicy and a little unusual. A great cold-weather cologne for guys who want to stand out.
Key notes: Orange Bitters, Pimento, Pink Pepper, Chocolate, Woods
Shop Mind Games Double Attack
#7 · Best New Release
Mind Games Check Please
One of the newest additions to the Soulmate Collection, Check Please smells like apple cognac. Green apple, nougat and hazelnut open it, black plum, Bulgarian rose and cinnamon bark warm the heart, and oak barrel, bourbon vanilla, sandalwood and amber finish it.
Sweet, boozy and very smooth. If you like Kingside, try this next. The Check Please Travel Trio is an easy way to test it.
Top: Green Apple, Nougat, Hazelnut · Heart: Black Plum, Bulgarian Rose, Cinnamon Bark · Base: Oak Barrel, Bourbon Vanilla, Sandalwood, Amber
Shop Mind Games Check Please
#8 · Best Luxury Pick
Mind Games Mentor
From the Perfumer Extraordinaire line, Mentor is Carlos Viñals at his richest. Juicy plum, caramel and coffee sit on a smoky oud base.
Deep, serious and perfect for winter nights. At $475, it's the splurge on this list.
Key notes: Plum, Caramel, Coffee, Oud
Shop Mind Games MentorFAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Thoughts
Mind Games cologne lives up to most of the hype. The chess story gets people talking, but it's the extrait strength and the quality of the perfumers that keep them coming back. Start with Blockade if you want one bottle that does everything, Gambit if you need an office scent, and Ruy Lopez or Mentor if you want something darker. Not sure yet? Grab the Artisan Discovery Set, wear a few for a week, and let your skin make the final move.