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Score Cards is a two-player abstract "play-one-draw-one" card game with one simple goal: score! Each turn you’ll play a card from your hand, score it, then draw a new card to replace it. Every card has a unique scoring condition that will score differently based on the cards you have already played--as well as those your opponent has played. Map out your strategy to maximize your scoring, while also trying to limit your opponent’s! At the end of the round, a victory point is awarded to the player with the highest total score, as well as the player with the highest individual card score. Players' hands are carried over between rounds, allowing you to save powerful scoring combinations for just the right moment. After four rounds, whoever has the most victory points wins! Rules are also included for a three-player "Captain" variant, as well as a four-player "Partnerships" game.
—description from the publisher
- Cleanliness of the system has potential.
- Could have been some cool things going on.
- Too luck dependent.
- Mirage/illusion of playing cleverly when it's purely down to luck.
- Purely top decking.
- Four rounds was one too many, dragged on too long.
- Frustrating when you can do nothing with the cards you have.
- Less potential than opponents can have.
- Scoring points based on played cards and criteria.
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Play — Players play cards from their hand and score criteria on that card based on what has been played by all players.
- Hand Management — Players hold off on playing cards that might build up point scoring until the end of the round.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- This one is just simple to the point where it's boring.
- In reality, it was bone dry.
- I think this is more of an activity than a good game.
- You are as good as the cards in your hand.
- This game completely caught me by surprise because I wasn't quite expecting it to be as good as it is.
- One of the standout things which I cannot praise enough about this game is how tense it is from the very start.
- This one just completely throws it on a side. It adds in that battleship feel to it and it's just a a totally fresh design.
- It is a true point salad, but the game is actually pretty rapid.
- All in all, it just ticks every single box that I want um from a Euro.