SPIKE is a game of beach volleyball for two teams of two players. It is played on a square grid board, with a 4x8 court in the centre.
Players move on the grid by playing cards numbered from 1 to 5. The higher the card value, the further they can travel to receive the ball - but also the more inaccurate their pass. Most cards have symbols that allow special actions, e.g. Spike, Dig or Block.
The basic game is played with four preset decks, but in Tournament Mode each player can customise their deck to reflect their strategy and individual playing style by focusing on speed, power, accuracy...
Partners are not allowed to communicate during rallies, except by selecting a Blocking Strategy card that is hidden to their opponents.
As play progresses and points are scored, players remove cards from their decks, resulting in a boost at first as the weaker cards are weeded out, and representing fatigue and predictability in the end-game, where fewer options are available.
The winner is the first team to score 11 points, or 21 in Tournament Mode.