Panika
Panika Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
The game contains 120 cards:
- 66 number cards (8× 0, 18× 1, 20× 2, 10× 3, 10× 4)
- 30 vegetable cards (10× Tomato, 10× Broccoli, 10× Carrot)
- 24 special cards (6× Reverse, 8× Play Two, 10× Tap!)
The Panika App
To be able to play, one of you needs the Panika App. Scan the QR Code with your mobile phone or tablet or find the app in the Google Play Store or Apple App Store and download it for free.
Throughout the game, you will play cards whose values indicate how many times you have to tap the counter in the app. The number shown on the counter will increase by 1 each time you tap it.
As long as the counter shows a value of 20 or lower, you are safe. However, the counter will burst on a random number from 21 to 30. If you cause the counter to burst, you receive penalty cards from the others (see Penalty Cards).
If you tap by mistake, use the red or green button. With the red button, you can go back step by step, and with the green button you can reset the counter to 0. However, if the counter bursts while you are tapping, you cannot go back and you will receive penalty cards.
- Red button: go back 1
- Green button: reset to 0
Setup
Open the Panika app on your mobile phone or tablet, place it in the center of the table, and leave enough space beside it for a discard pile. A 0 will appear on the screen.
Shuffle all the cards and deal them out equally amongst you. Do not look at your cards and place them as a face-down draw pile in front of you instead. You then each draw the top 4 cards from your draw pile into your hand.
How to Play
Whoever has the smallest hands begins. Then, the others take turns in clockwise order.
On your turn, pick one of the cards in your hand and place it face up on the discard pile. Depending on the type of card you play, you will either tap the counter in the Panika app or trigger the effect of a special card.
Number Cards
When you play a number card, the card's value indicates how many times you have to tap the counter in the Panika app. For example, if you play a 3, you tap the counter 3 times and the number in the app will increase by 3.
Vegetable Cards
When you play one vegetable card, tap the counter 5 times.
Do you have two identical vegetable cards in your hand? Lucky you! You may play both cards simultaneously and you do not tap the counter.
Note: This rule only applies to vegetable cards. Number cards are always played on their own, unless the previous player has played the Play Two special card (see below).
Special Cards
When you play a special card, do not tap the counter. You instead trigger the effect of the special card you played, as described below:
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Reverse: The direction of play reverses and the previous player takes another turn. The new direction of play remains until the next reverse card is played or the round ends. A new round always begins in the clockwise direction. In a two-player game, this card has no effect and the other player takes their turn.
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Play Two: The next player must play two cards simultaneously. The following rules apply:
- If you play two number cards, the sum of both cards is the number of times you must tap the counter.
- If you play a number card and a vegetable card, add 5 for the vegetable card to the value of the number card. The sum is the number of times you must tap the counter.
- If you play two identical vegetable cards, do not tap the counter. However, if you play two different vegetable cards, tap the counter 10 times.
- If you play a number or vegetable card and a special card, first tap the counter and then trigger the effect of the special card. If the counter bursts while you are tapping it, the round ends and the special card's effect is not triggered.
- If you play two special cards, you only trigger the effect of the second special card you played.
- If you only have one card left in your hand, you cannot play. You receive penalty cards from the other players as described under Penalty Cards. The counter remains at its current value and the next person plays their turn as usual.
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Tap!: Each of the other players must tap the counter once without playing a card. Then it is your turn again.
At the end of your turn, draw from your draw pile until you have 4 cards in your hand again. Then it is the next player's turn.
Example: Nicole plays a 3 and taps the counter 3 times. She then draws a card from her draw pile into her hand. Brendon plays a single carrot and taps the counter 5 times. The counter now shows an 8. He also draws a card into his hand.
Ryan plays the Play Two special card, does not tap the counter, and draws a card. Nicole now has to play two cards. She plays a 3 and a 4 and therefore taps the counter 7 times. This brings the number on the counter up to 15. Since she played two cards, she also draws two cards from her draw pile.
End of the Round
The round continues until the counter bursts. If you cause the counter to burst, you receive penalty cards from all the other players as described below.
After the counter bursts, it automatically resets to 0 and is ready for the next round. If you caused it to burst, the player to your left begins the next round. Always start the new round playing in a clockwise direction again.
Penalty Cards
If you have to take penalty cards, each of the other players gives you the top card from their draw pile. Place these cards on top of your own pile without looking at them.
If anyone has run out of cards in their draw pile, draw a card from their hand at random instead and place it on your draw pile without looking at it.
Example: Later in the game, the counter shows 21. Nicole does not want to risk the counter bursting, so she plays the Tap! special card. She does not tap the counter herself, and draws a card from her draw pile. Now, all the other players must tap the counter once each. Brendon taps the counter first and it reaches 22. However, he is lucky and the counter does not burst. Since he did not play a card, he does not draw one.
Ryan also taps the counter once and this time, it bursts! He receives penalty cards.
Nicole and Brendon give him one card each from their draw piles and Ryan places them onto his own pile. The counter resets to 0 and Nicole begins the next round.
End of the Game
Once you have run out cards in your draw pile, continue to play with just the cards in your hand. If you only have one card left at the end of your turn, you must call out, "Last card!" If you forget, you receive penalty cards from the other players as described under Penalty Cards. The counter remains at its current value, and the next person plays their turn as usual.
Whoever is the first to get rid of the cards from their draw pile and their hand wins. But, if you cause the counter to burst when you play your last card, you still receive penalty cards as normal and the game continues. You also win if someone draws the last card from your hand as a penalty card. In the case of a tie, all tied players win.