Groundhog Day: The Game
Groundhog Day: The Game Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Download the Free App
Download the free app that replaces the sand timer with a polka-themed musical countdown! This app is optional and is not required to play the game.
Groundhog Day: The Game App is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Components
- 60 Cards: 12 Selfish cards (worth 0 hearts each), 12 Wild cards (worth 1 heart each), 12 Nice cards (worth 2 hearts each), 12 Learning cards (worth 3 hearts each), and 12 Perfect cards (worth 4 hearts each)
- 1 Alarm Clock Tile
- 1 Groundhog Mover
- 26 Score Tokens
- 1 Sand Timer
- 1 Game Board
Each card shows a card number (representing the order this event takes place in Phil's day), a card title, and a score (the hearts on a card, which add to the Score for the day). Some Learning cards also show an unlock ability: playing that card unlocks a matching Perfect card and adds it to the deck. For example, the Learning card "Learn Ice Sculpting" carries the unlock ability "Unlock: Sculpt Rita, 12" — playing it adds the Perfect card "Sculpt Rita" (card 12) to the deck.
Setup
- Place the game board in the middle of the table, leaving room for up to eight rows of cards below it.
- Choose your level of difficulty. For your first game, we recommend playing at the Standard level.
- Standard: place the Groundhog on the 24 space.
- Hard: place the Groundhog on the 22 space.
- Heckfire: place the Groundhog on the 20 space.
- Remove the six Perfect cards (with black numbers) from the deck and place them next to their matching spots above the game board.
- Shuffle the rest of the cards and place them near the game board.
- Place the Score tokens in a pile to the right of the game board.
- The player whose birthday is closest to February 2nd is the dealer for the game.
- Place the Alarm Clock and sand timer within reach of the dealer.
Winning the Game
You win the game if you play seven Perfect cards in a single day (a Perfect Day) before time runs out.
How to Play
It took a long time for Phil Connors to live his perfect day, and it will take practice for you to get there, too. Each day (a round in the game), you will need to play seven cards in ascending, but not necessarily sequential order, while also playing more hearts than the previous day. Unfortunately, you cannot communicate with each other! It will take multiple days to rid the deck of less desirable cards, so you can unlock Perfect cards, and give you a greater chance of living the Perfect Day!
Starting a Round
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The dealer divides the number of cards shown under the Groundhog as evenly as possible among all the players. Some players may receive more cards than others. Players keep their cards hidden from each other.
Example: Rita is the dealer for a 4-player game. The Groundhog is on the 22 space this round, which means Rita deals out 22 cards as evenly as possible to the players. Two players receive six cards and two players receive five cards.
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Before anyone looks at their cards, players can spend some time strategizing, but as soon as a player picks up their hand of cards, all communication must stop!
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Once all players have looked at their cards, they signal they are ready by touching the Alarm Clock. The dealer flips over the sand timer (or hits Start on the app), and the day begins. Players may now start playing cards!
Note: If this is your first time playing, spend some time reading the Card Play Rules and Card Play Tips sections before starting the timer.
Card Anatomy
Each card shows:
- Card Number — the number represents the order this event takes place in Phil's day.
- Card Title — the name of the event.
- Score — the hearts on a card will add to the Score for the day.
- Unlock Ability — some Learning cards unlock Perfect cards and add them to the deck.
Example: card 6, "The Seer of Seers," reads "Sorry folks, six more weeks of winter!" and is worth 2 hearts. Card 7, "Discuss the Perfect Man," carries the unlock ability "Unlock: Romantic Dinner, 9" — playing it unlocks the Perfect card "Romantic Dinner" (card 9).
Card Play Rules
Follow these rules each day as you play cards:
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There are no turns. Once the timer starts, all players can begin playing cards.
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Cards are only played one at a time to the leftmost space and must be in ascending, but not necessarily sequential order.
Example: If a player plays a 3 card, the next card played must be a 4 or higher.
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Players cannot communicate with other players about the cards in their hands.
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If another player plays a card equal to or higher than a card you have in your hand, place your card face-up in front of you to show you can no longer play this card.
Example: Buster has a 1 Perfect card in his hand. Nancy plays a 3 Selfish card. Buster then reveals the 1 Perfect card face-up in front of him to show the other players that he can no longer play that card.
Unlocking Cards
There are six Perfect cards that start the game above the game board. These cards represent skills that Phil may learn as the game progresses. You gain access to these cards by playing Learning cards with the unlock ability during a day. At the end of each day, the dealer will add any unlocked cards to the deck for the next day.
Note: You will need to unlock at least one Perfect card to have enough in the deck to complete the Perfect Day. The more Perfect cards you unlock, the better your chances of winning!
End of a Day
When the sand runs out or the timer stops, the day ends. Next you will need to determine if you won, lost, or keep playing.
If you played seven Perfect cards this day, you have won the game and lived the Perfect Day!
If any of the following has occurred, you have lost the game:
- You did not play seven cards before the time ran out.
- You did not get a combined Score greater than the previous day's Score.
- You played six Perfect cards over the course of the game, but have not yet completed the Perfect Day.
If you have not won or lost the game, you get another day to try again.
Setup for the next round:
- Leave any cards played this day below the game board. On the following day, you will play cards below this row.
- Count up all the hearts on cards played this day. This is your Score. Place the appropriate Score token number(s) next to the row of cards for that day.
- Gather up the unused cards and any cards unlocked this day and shuffle them back into the deck.
- Move the Groundhog to the next numbered space to its right. You are ready to start the next day.
Card Play Tips
- On the first day, players try to get the lowest Score possible.
- You may want to skip numbers while playing cards in ascending order during the day. You will only play seven cards each day, and card numbers range from 1 to 12.
- Try to avoid playing Perfect cards until just the right time. Sometimes you may need to play a Perfect card to complete the day or to get a higher Score than the previous day.
- Be mindful of when you play the Learning cards that unlock more Perfect cards. If you play them too soon, you may make your Score too high to beat on a later day.
- Don't get discouraged if you lose. Much like Phil on his journey, you can start Groundhog Day again, and play until you get it right!
Winning Example
A sample seven-day game, showing how the Score climbs from a low first day up to a winning Perfect Day:
- Day 1: Cards 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12 played, for a Score of 5 hearts. A great, low score for the first day!
- Day 2: Cards 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 played, for a Score of 6 hearts.
- Day 3: Cards 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 12 played, for a Score of 9 hearts.
- Day 4: Cards 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 played, for a Score of 11 hearts. Learning cards are best played in later days!
- Day 5: Cards 1, 2, 3, 7, 9, 11, 12 played, for a Score of 12 hearts.
- Day 6: Cards 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11 played, for a Score of 18 hearts.
- Day 7: Cards 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12 played — all seven cards from the Perfect category. Seven Perfect cards in one day. That's a win!