Danger Danger
Danger Danger Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- 64 Cards (32 Pink and 32 Yellow)
- 5 Point Tokens
To play this game, you'll need a phone, or an egg timer, or anything else that can keep track of 60 seconds and makes a loud noise (or vibrates)!
"Why isn't there a timer in the box?" Chances are good that you already have something that keeps time, and by using what you have, we can reduce the production of unnecessary plastics!
What Is This?
Danger Danger is a card game for 2 teams (2-8 players, ages 7+, 10 minutes). The goal is to have more Cases showing than the other team at the end of each round. Each round only lasts 60 seconds.
The team with the most Cases showing at the end of the round earns a Point Token. The first team to collect 3 Point Tokens wins the game!
Setup
- Split into 2 teams. Each team sits on opposite sides of the table. It doesn't matter how many players are on each team, or if the teams are uneven.
- Shuffle the Yellow and Pink Decks separately, then give one deck to each team. Place your deck face down - this is your team's Draw Pile.
- Place the top 3 cards from your Draw Pile face up next to each other in the middle of the table. These are the Stacks.
- Draw 1 more card and place it face up behind your Draw Pile. This is your team's Swap Card.
- Place the Point Tokens on the table.
- Grab a phone and place it on the table. Don't have a phone? No problem! Grab anything that makes a loud noise or vibrates after 60 seconds - just make sure you also have a way to hide it (like an egg timer under a napkin, an alarm clock in a shoe, or a trained rooster in a backpack).
The Stacks and Cases
This game is all about having more Cases showing than the other team. Ignore the numbers on the cards for now.
Example: the Pink Team has 12 Cases showing and the Yellow Team has 7. If the round ended right now, the Pink Team would win. The Yellow Team will want to play cards on top of the Pink Team's cards so they'll have more Cases showing instead.
Only count the Cases on the top cards in each Stack, and DON'T count the Cases on your Swap Card.
Playing Cards
When the round starts, draw the top card from your team's Draw Pile and try to play it on any Stack.
Every card has a number in the corner. You can play your card on any Stack with a number 1 higher or 1 lower than your card. For example, you can only play a 4 on top of a 3 or 5.
The cards are numbered 1 through 8, and they wrap around. This means you can play a 1 on an 8, or an 8 on a 1.
You can play your card on top of any color card, but the best strategy is to play your cards on top of the other team's cards to cover up their Cases. You can't move a card once you've played it.
Example: The Yellow Team played a 4 on top of the Pink Team's 3. If the round ended now, the Yellow Team would win because they have more Cases showing. The Pink Team wants to win, so they're going to have to play more cards.
There are no turns in this game! Both teams are playing cards as fast as they can at the same time. When the round is over, your team wants to have the most Cases showing.
NOTE: Keep the Stacks clean! If they get messy, your team must stop and tidy them up while the other team keeps playing.
Starting the Round
Set a 60-second timer on the phone (or other timer) from Setup, and make sure the volume is turned all the way up. Hit Start, then TURN IT OVER SO NO ONE CAN SEE IT! (If you're using an egg timer, put a napkin over it.)
As soon as you've started the timer and it's face down, both teams can start playing cards at the same time.
Ending the Round - The Most Important Part of the Game!
While you're playing cards, the timer is ticking down. Nobody should be able to see how much time is left in the round. If the timer goes off while you're still playing, your team IMMEDIATELY LOSES THE ROUND.
Nobody can see the timer, and if it goes off while you're still playing, your team loses the round!
To avoid losing, your team must "Go Out" before the timer goes off. To "Go Out," every player on your team must have both hands flat on the table at the same time. If anyone is holding a card, they must successfully play it before your team can "Go Out."
When (and only when) your whole team decides to "Go Out," the decision is final. Your team is safe for the round, but you can't draw or play any more cards! The other team can continue playing as long as they want, but if the timer goes off before they "Go Out," they immediately lose the round.
NOTE: If the timer goes off while both teams are still playing, both teams lose, and the round must be replayed.
For extra fun, pick the loudest, most annoying alarm sound you can!
Team Play
If there's more than one person on your team, play one at a time: one player on your team will play a card, then the next player, and so on.
Talk a lot! If you're being quiet, you're playing wrong!
Your team can help you find the best place to play your card, but no one can look at or draw the next card until you've successfully played the card in your hand.
Think of it like a relay race! You don't have to wait on the other team, but you do have to wait on your teammates before you can go again.
Special Cards
Most cards have 1 Case, but some have 5 Cases or even 10 Cases! If the other team plays one of these high value cards, try to cover it with one of your cards before the end of the round!
There are also New Stack cards. When you draw a New Stack card, you can play it on top of a Stack (following the normal rules) OR you can use it to start a new Stack next to an existing one.
If you draw a New Stack card during setup, treat it like a normal card.
What If I Can't Play My Card?
You have 3 options: Wait, Swap, or Trash.
Wait
Do nothing. Waiting for the other team to play a card might open up a Stack for you to play on.
Swap
Swap the card you're holding with the Swap Card. Now you have a new card you can play! (The card you were holding becomes your new Swap Card.) You can do this as many times as you'd like.
Trash
Instead of playing your card on a Stack, you can trash it by playing it face up next to the other team's Draw Pile. This still counts as playing your card. At the end of the round, the other team gets to add the Cases on every card you trash to their Case total! (This is just helping the other team, so only trash cards as a last resort!)
Scoring
If both teams "Go Out" before the timer goes off, add up the Cases on each of your team's cards on top of a Stack. Then take any cards the other team trashed and add those Cases to your total.
The team with the most Cases wins the round and earns 1 Point Token. If both teams are tied the round must be replayed.
Example: Yellow Team: 5+1+1+1 = 8 Cases. Pink Team: 1+1+1+1+1 = 5 Cases. Yellow Team wins the round!
Starting the Next Round
Collect the cards on the table and shuffle each team's deck separately. Then reset the game and play another round.
Winning
The first team to earn 3 Point Tokens wins!