The Game

Game principle

The Game is a cooperative card game for 1 to 5 players, in which players join forces to place all their cards on 4 piles: 2 ascending, 2 descending. To help them in this task, players can jump backwards by 10. But will this be enough to beat the game, given that they won't be able to communicate the value of the cards in their hand?

The game is called The Game because we play together against the game. Players have to cooperate, make decisions together and not crack when the pressure's on!

The "On Fire" expansion pack is included.

Start of the game

The four stacking bases are laid out face-up, one on top of the other, in the center of the table. Carefully shuffle the 98 numbered cards. For a 3-, 4- or 5-player game, each player receives 6 cards (7 cards for a 2-player game), which make up his or her hand. Form a deck with the remaining numbered cards and place it face-down on its side on the table.

How to play The Game

Each player looks at his or her hand, then decide together who goes first. They then take it in turns to play clockwise. On your turn, you must place at least two cards from your hand to the right of one of the four base cards. If possible, you can lay down as many cards as you like, possibly until you have no cards left in your hand. Lay down the cards one after the other. You're free to choose which pile to play on, as long as you follow the rules described above, in ascending or descending order depending on the pile. You can place all your cards on the same pile, or on several piles in any order you like.

Once you've finished laying down your cards, take from the deck the same number of cards as you laid down, to complete your hand. The next player then plays, laying down at least two cards and then completing his or her hand via the deck.

During the game, players are never allowed to ask others for the exact value of their cards. Nor may they reveal the value of their own cards.

The game is over as soon as a player fails to play the minimum number of cards during his turn.

The retro rule

There is a single exception that allows you to play in reverse order, by playing a card with a value difference exactly equal to 10.

You can place a descending card on an ascending pile when the value of that card is exactly 10 less than the value of the card at the top of the ascending pile.

You can place an ascending card on a descending pile when the value of that card is exactly 10 higher than the value of the card at the top of the descending pile.

Game contents

102 cards

6 "On Fire" cards

Game rules