Cactus Game
Cactus Game Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
The game contains 90 cards with white backgrounds and 30 Point cards with black backgrounds, in the following quantities:
- 36 Character cards:
- 16 × Charlie cards
- 12 × Spike cards
- 5 × Walter cards
- 3 × Wild cards
- 54 Action cards:
- 3 × Free Point cards
- 3 × Swap Hands cards
- 6 × See and Steal cards
- 6 × Draw 3 cards
- 6 × Steal a Point cards
- 10 × Request a Card cards
- 10 × Steal a Card cards
- 10 × Stop cards
- 30 Point cards (black background)
Goal of the Game
The winner is the player with the most Point cards!
Setup
- Shuffle the Action cards and Character cards together and deal 5 cards to each player, face down. The remaining cards form the deck. Allow some space next to the deck for a discard pile.
- Place the 30 Point cards near the deck.
- The player with the most green items on them is the first player.
Time to start playing!
How to Play
The game is played over a series of rounds. Take turns in clockwise order.
On your turn, play cards from your hand until one of these 2 situations arises:
- you gain at least 1 Point card
or,
- you draw at least 1 card.
As soon as one of these things happens, your turn ends immediately.
Action Cards
If you play an Action card, place it face up on the discard pile and follow the instructions at the bottom of the card.
The icon in the top left of the card shows you which type of action it is.
The card effect is explained in the box at the bottom of the card.
Certain Action cards make you draw cards or gain a Point card (e.g. cards that say Draw 3, or Steal a Point). Your turn therefore ends as soon as you have played these cards. See: Explanation of Action Cards.
Character Cards
Playing Character cards gives you Point cards. You can only play Character cards as a set of 3 identical cards. On your turn, play them by placing the 3 cards face up on the discard pile.
- 3 Charlie cards gives you 1 Point card.
- 3 Spike cards gives you 2 Point cards.
- 3 Walter cards gives you 3 Point cards.
Place your Point cards in front of you so that they remain visible to all players.
Wild cards can replace any Character card to make a set of 3. You can play more than one Wild card in a set.
[Diagram: three example sets, each completed with Wild cards.]
[Diagram: 2 Spike cards and 1 Wild card = 2 Point cards.]
If you play 3 Wild cards, you gain 3 Point cards.
Reminder: gaining 1 or more Point cards immediately ends your turn.
Draw 1 Card
On your turn, you may draw 1 card. This immediately ends your turn.
If you started your turn with 0 cards in your hand, you may draw 3 cards instead. This immediately ends your turn.
When the deck of white cards is empty, shuffle the discard pile to form a new deck.
End of the Game
The first player to reach the right number of points wins the game!
| Number of players | Number of Point cards needed to win |
|---|---|
| 2-3 | 7 |
| 4-5 | 5 |
| 6 | 4 |
Explanation of Action Cards
Stop
The Stop cards are the only cards you can play when it's not your turn. Playing a Stop card cancels the effect of another Action card. Both the Stop card and the cards being stopped are discarded.
You cannot stop someone from playing a set of Character cards.
You must play a Stop card onto an Action card before that card's effect has taken place.
Example: To prevent a Swap Hands card action, you must play your Stop card before the players swap their hands.
A Stop card may be used to block another Stop card.
Free Point
Playing a Free Point card gives you 1 Point card. This immediately ends your turn.
If this card is stopped, you do not gain a Point card and your turn continues.
Swap Hands
Pick 2 players to swap their hands. You can choose yourself as one of those players.
If one of the 2 players you chose has 0 cards in their hand, that player gets their opponent's hand but the opponent receives nothing in return.
Playing this card does not end your turn.
This card can no longer be stopped once one of the players has taken the other player's hand.
See and Steal
You can look at another player's hand and steal 1 card of your choice. Playing this card does not end your turn.
Once you have seen your opponent's hand, this card can no longer be stopped.
Draw 3
Playing this card allows you to immediately draw 3 cards. Your turn ends as soon as you draw your 3rd card.
This card can no longer be stopped once you have drawn your 1st card.
If this card is stopped, your turn continues.
Steal a Point
Playing this card allows you to take a Point card from another player. This immediately ends your turn.
If this card is stopped, your turn continues.
Request a Card
Choose another player and name an Action or Character card.
- If the player you chose has that card in their hand, they must give it to you.
- If the player you chose does not have the card you requested, nothing happens.
Playing this card does not end your turn.
Steal a Card
Choose another player, then steal 1 card at random from their hand, without discussing it with them. If they wish, the player you chose may shuffle their hand before you steal their card.
Playing this card does not end your turn.