Wave
Wave Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Idea
Get rid of all cards by placing them on the common discard pile. The value of the cards must always increase - in that the new card has a higher number or a higher suit (colour). As soon as someone is unable to play a card, the game ends immediately. Count all the remaining cards and check the table to see how good you were.
Game Setup
For the basic game, put the special cards "Color swap" and "Number Swap" back into the box. Place the overview-card "Color value" and "Direction of play" overview cards in the middle of the table. Shuffle all the remaining cards and place them face down as a draw pile. Draw the top card and place it face up next to it. Use it to start your common discard pile.
Deal 5 cards to each person. However, everyone must hold part of their cards in such a way so that only the other players can see the fronts. Here's how it works: first deal each person 3 cards, which they take into their hand facing them as usual. Then deal each person 2 more cards. Everyone takes this card in their hand so that they cannot see the front and that they are facing the team. The game can begin.
Gameplay
Whoever was last at the sea starts. You start to play clockwise, but the direction of play will change over the course of the game. The "Direction of play" overview card always shows the current direction of play.
In your turn, you must play exactly one card from your hand to the common discard pile. Then you draw a card from the draw pile and the next person in the direction of play takes their turn. It's very simple!
What do you have to consider when playing?
Important rule: The value of the cards must always increase. You may only play a card if it has a higher numerical value or a higher suit (colour) than the card on the discard pile. The value of suits/colours is shown on the overview-card "Color value". White has the lowest value, followed by yellow, orange, red, turquoise and blue.
It is sufficient if one of the two characteristics, i.e. number or suit/colour, is higher. If you play a card with a higher numerical value, the color does not matter, if you play a higher-value color its numerical value is irrelevant. Of course, both characteristics may also be higher.
Communication - What is allowed?
You want to ride the wave together. However, since no one knows all of their cards, you can give each other tips at any time. But: At no time are you allowed to talk about the numbers or colors of the cards! Paraphrases or comparisons are also not allowed.
Statements such as "This card has a higher color than ..." or "... has the same number" or "...has a higher number than that one" are therefore prohibited. If someone still talks about colors or numbers numbers, the game ends immediately.
What you are allowed to say is which hand cards you or an other person could or should play. For this you can also point to specific cards. This way you give each other recommendations. E.g. it is allowed to say "I/you can/cannot play this/these cards" or "If you play this card, I can/cannot play one of my cards."
Ultimately, however, the person whose turn it is always decides which card they want to play.
Note the change of direction
If you play a card with this "change of direction"-symbol in the corner, the player order is immediately reversed. Turn the overview card "Direction of Play". It always shows the correct direction of play. The change of direction symbol can be found on all white cards and on every 0.
Example: Julia has played a red 4. Hardy now plays a blue 0 (higher value color). Because his card shows a change of direction, he turns the overview card "Direction of play". It is Julia's turn again.
What do you have to consider when you draw a new card?
Once you have played a card, you draw a new one from the draw pile. Important rule: You must always draw "opposite"! If you have played a card facing you, take the new card into your hand so that it faces your team. If you have played a card facing your team, you take the new card facing you into your hand.
Once the draw pile has been used up, you continue playing without drawing any cards. If one person has no more cards in their hand, you simply skip them for the rest of the game. They may may of course continue to give the team tips, but will not play any more cards themselves.
End of the Game
The game ends at the latest when you have placed the last card on the discard pile. Then you all have won the game.
If a player is unable to play any of their hand cards during the game, the game ends prematurely. In this case, count up all the remaining cards in your hand and the remaining cards in the draw pile and check the following table to see how well you did.
| Number of remaining cards | Your result |
|---|---|
| 0 | Very well done, dudes! You surfed a truly perfect wave. Have you tried the professional versions yet? |
| 1-2 | Super impressive! You only missed perfection by the width of a surfboard. |
| 3-5 | That was pretty good. A touch more luck and you'll make it next time. |
| 6 - 10 | Not bad, but it could be even better! Try it again right away. |
| 11+ | What bad luck! Sometimes things just don't work out. Just don't lose heart, the next wave is guaranteed to come. |
Changes in the Two-Player Game
The rules of the basic game apply with the following changes: You play with your surf buddy "Silver". Silver sits at the table like a third player and takes turns just like a "real" person. When setting up the game for Silver, place 2 cards face down on the table between you. Then place 3 face-up cards on top, slightly offset. These are Silver's hand cards.
On Silver's turn, he can only play one of his 3 face-up cards. You decide together, which one. Then draw a card from the draw pile and place it face up in the empty space. Unlike you, Silver does not draw the opposite way. Once the draw pile has been used up, you turn over one of Silver's face-down cards, and after his next turn, then the second. If Silver has no more cards, you skip him in the order of play.