Kites Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Setup
• Gameplay
• The Grand Finale
• Game End
• Scoring
• Some Details
  • Working Together
  • Playing a Kite Card
  • Flipping Sand Timers
• Warm-up Mode
• Challenge Mode
  • Setup - Challenge Cards
  • Gameplay - Challenge Cards
    • Storm Cards
    • Crossed-Lines Cards
    • Airplane Cards
• Credits

Components

• 6 Timers
  • Red (30 sec)
  • Orange (45 sec)
  • Yellow (60 sec)
  • Blue (75 sec)
  • Purple (90 sec)
  • White (60 sec)
• 53 Kite Cards
• 12 Challenge Cards
  • Storm (4)
  • Crossed Lines (4)
  • Airplane (4)

Times are approximate—small variations in timer length are expected and don't impact gameplay.

Setup

1. Make sure all the sand is on one side of each timer. Then place all 6 timers in the middle, on their sides.

2. Set aside all 12 Challenge Cards (Storm, Crossed Lines, and Airplane cards).

   NOTE! These Challenge Cards can be added back in to make the game more challenging.

3. Shuffle all the Kite Cards together. Then deal cards to each player, face-down, based on the number of players. Players shouldn't look at their cards just yet.

   • 2–3 players: 5 cards each
   • 4 players: 4 cards each
   • 5–6 players: 3 cards each

4. Place the remaining Kite Cards in one or more piles within reach of all the players.

5. Whoever has most recently flown a kite is the Start Player (or choose randomly).

Gameplay

Once you begin the game, there's no way to pause. So be sure everyone knows the rules and is ready to play until the end.

1. To begin the game, stand up the white timer (sand on top).

   NOTE! If the timer is on its side, place it so the sand is on top.

2. Players may now look at their hand of cards.

3. Beginning with the Start Player, each player takes a turn. On your turn, play a card face-up in a pile in front of you.

4. Then, flip the timers matching the icons on the card you just played.

   NOTE! Any card with a single symbol can flip the white timer.

5. Finish your turn by drawing a new card from the supply.

6. The next player in clockwise order takes their turn.

7. Gameplay continues until the game ends (see below).

The Grand Finale

Once all the draw piles are empty, you're getting toward the end of your kite show—it's time for the grand finale! Players must still play all the cards in their hand, but now the white timer may no longer be flipped. At this point in the show, you'll have a limited amount of time to play all the remaining cards in your hand for a big finish!

Game End

The game ends in one of two ways:

1. When all cards are played (including those in everyone's hand)—everyone wins! Add in challenge cards and try again!
2. When one or more sand timers run out—check your score below and try again!

Scoring

After you've finished your show, you can see how much the crowd enjoyed it by how many cards are left (in piles and players' hands). Check your score in the chart below:

Cards left	Result
0	You've blown everyone away — well done!
1–6	Flying high...can you fly even higher?
7–15	You're lifting people's spirits! Keep trying.
16–20	Your lofty plans are starting to play out — keep at it.
21–39	A slight breeze... warming up!
40–60	No wind in sight.

Some Details

Working Together

Remember, you and the other players are working together to put on the best kite show possible. Feel free to communicate to help everyone know which timers might be running out soon, or to let others know that you plan to flip a particular timer on your next turn. Working together is the key to a great kite show!

Playing a Kite Card

• During your turn, you must play 1 card from your hand, face-up in front of you.

• The color and symbol on the Kite Card determine which sand timer must be flipped over.

• When playing a single-color/symbol Kite Card, you must turn over the matching sand timer or the white timer.

• When playing a double-color/symbol Kite card, you must turn over both matching timers.

• Any single-color/symbol Kite Card can be used to flip the white timer.

  NOTE! Double-color/symbol Kite Cards cannot be used to flip the white timer.

• You're free to delay playing your card on your turn – this is risky, but can occasionally be very beneficial.

Flipping Sand Timers

• On your turn, you must flip the sand timers yourself.

  NOTE! If you're not able to flip the sand timers yourself, select another player before beginning the game who will flip them on your behalf.

• You may use both hands to flip timers on your turn.

• You may only draw a new card after you have finished flipping all matching timers.

• It's OK for the next player to start their turn after you're done flipping timers (once they're all back on the table) but before you draw your card.

• If you knock over any timers, just stand them back up the way they were. When in doubt, put the side with less sand on top.

Warm-up Mode

Need to make the game a little easier? Set aside the orange and purple sand timers and all the Kite Cards with either orange or purple symbols on them (this is about half the deck of Kite Cards).

Challenge Mode

Once you have the hang of the game, you can increase the difficulty by adding Challenge Cards to the deck. After these are drawn, they must be played on a player's next turn, adding new twists to the rules.

You can choose to add any number of each of these cards to the game. The more you add the bigger the challenge!

Setup - Challenge Cards

1. Select which Challenge Cards you're including, set them aside and return the rest to the box. Don't shuffle them in with the Kite Cards yet.
2. Deal cards to players from the deck, face-down, as normal.
3. Then shuffle the Challenge Cards into the deck of remaining Kite Cards.
4. Continue setup & gameplay as normal.

Gameplay - Challenge Cards

Storm Cards

1. If you draw a Storm Card, immediately announce: "A storm is coming!"

2. On your next turn, you must play the Storm Card. This is the only card you'll play this turn.

3. After playing the Storm Card, flip every sand timer.

   NOTE! This will flip the white timer even during the Grand Finale, when all the draw piles are empty.

   NOTE! You must flip all of the sand timers yourself.

4. Draw a new card and continue playing as normal.

Safety Note: Never fly a kite during a storm!

Crossed-Lines Cards

1. If you draw a Crossed-Lines Card, you may not tell the other players.

2. On your next turn, you must play the Crossed-Lines Card and announce: "Crossed lines" This is the only card you'll play this turn.

3. Each player must swap any one card in their hand with the player on their left and any one card in their hand with the player on their right.

   NOTE! Players may pass a card they received from one side to the player on their other side.

4. Draw a new card and continue playing as normal.

Airplane Cards

1. If you draw an Airplane Card, you may not tell the other players.

2. On your next turn, you must play the Airplane Card and announce: "Airplane!" This is the only card you'll play this turn.

3. After playing an Airplane Card, players may not speak until the Airplane Card is covered up by another card (played by that player on their next turn).

4. Draw a new card and continue playing as normal.

   NOTE! If there are multiple Airplane Cards on top of two or more players' piles, nobody may speak until all of them are covered.

   NOTE! Not speaking includes announcing storms and airplanes, so you'll have to pay careful attention to other players' turns.

Credits

• Game Design: Kevin Hamano
• Illustration: Beth Sobel
• Development: Ben Harkins, Ian Birdsall
• Graphic Design: Matt Paquette & Co., Komboh Creative / Michael Mateyko
• Published by: Floodgate Games

© 2022 Floodgate Games, LLC. All rights reserved.