Lovestruck

Lovestruck Rulebook

Table of Contents

Overview

Scan the QR code on the back of the game box to watch a how-to-play video.

Game Contents

100 Action Cards
1 Episodes Board
1 Couples Board
12 Contestant Cards & Tokens
11 Intention Cards
1 Episode Marker
1 Viewership Marker
1 Main Character Token
1 Villa Action Token

How to Win

At the end of the game, every contestant (i.e. player) reveals their Intention Card. Contestants win if they are in a couple with someone revealed to be here for the "Right" reasons.

However, if the show's viewership ever reaches 10 million people, the game ends early. Everyone here for the "Wrong" reasons immediately wins and everyone else immediately loses.

BEFORE YOU START: We recommend walking first-time players through the example.

Example

The Season Finale episode has ended so every contestant reveals their Intention Card. In the example (couples: Lauren and Cameron; Juan and Chloe; Nick and Francesca; Rachel is not in a couple; Lauren, Cameron, Juan are here for the Right reasons and the others for the Wrong reasons as shown by the example)...

Lauren and Cameron both win
Juan wins, Chloe loses
Nick and Francesca both lose
Rachel loses (because she is not in a couple)

But if the viewership had ever reached 10 million, the game would have ended early. Juan, Nick, and Francesca would have won while everyone else would have lost.

Set Up

Set out the Couples board, Episodes board, and corresponding markers. On the Episode board, put the Episode marker on Ep. 1 and the Viewership marker on 1.
Each player chooses a Contestant Card and matching token (there's no gameplay difference between contestants). Place the chosen tokens in the center of the Couples board. Put unselected Contestant Cards and tokens back in the box.
Shuffle all the Action Cards into one face-down deck. Action Cards have the heart on the back.
Randomly deal one face-down Intention Card to each player. Follow the table below to determine how many cards to deal. After dealing, there will be one remaining Intention Card. Put it back with the leftover Intention Cards without revealing it. Each player then secretly looks at their Intention Card.

Players	"You are here for the Right" Reason Cards	"You are here for the Wrong" Reason Cards
5	4	2
6	5	2
7	5	3
8	6	3
9	7	3
10	7	4

For 5 - 6 players there are 1 or 2 contestants here for the Wrong reasons. For 7 - 9 players there are 2 or 3 contestants here for the Wrong reasons. For 10 players there are 3 or 4 players here for the Wrong reasons.

Identify the Main Character and begin play. Give the Main Character token to the player who most recently watched reality TV. Keep the Villa Action token in the box for now.

Gameplay

Lovestruck is played in rounds called Episodes. There are two types of Episodes: Villa Episodes and Date Episodes. The type of Episode you are in is indicated on the Episodes board (e.g. Ep. 1 is a Villa Episode).

During Villa Episodes, EVERY contestant draws Action Cards and takes a Villa Action to advance their goals, which can include coupling up with another contestant. During Date Episodes, SOME contestants will be chosen for a Date that impacts the show's viewership.

The game ends after the Season Finale episode when everyone's Intention Cards are revealed. Winners are then determined based on the couples (see How to Win). The game also ends early if the viewership ever reaches 10 million.

WHAT YOU CAN SAY: Throughout Lovestruck, you are always allowed to discuss and share any information you have (e.g. Intentions, Action Cards, cards you played, etc.). You can also decide to keep the information to yourself or even lie. However, you are NOT allowed to physically reveal any Intention Cards or Action Cards before they are played or discarded, unless otherwise stated.

Role-playing

Role-playing as your contestant is strongly encouraged!

Before starting the game, each player should introduce themselves as their contestant.
Whoever is selecting the date contestants should also make up a date location/activity.

Villa Episodes

For Villa Episodes, follow the steps below.

Every contestant draws Action Cards. The number of Action Cards is indicated on the Episode board. For example, episode #1 is a Villa Episode so every contestant should start the game drawing 3 Action Cards.
Starting with the Main Character and going clockwise, each contestant may perform a Villa Action by paying the cost (Bombshell Cards will be explained in the Bombshells section). To pay the cost, contestants discard the required Action Cards from their hand FACE UP into the Discard Pile. Each cost symbol is one card. Contestants may also not take an action and pass.
- A heart symbol = a Love card.
- An "ANY" symbol = any card: a Love card, a Drama card, or a Bombshell card.
The Episode ends after each contestant has taken (or passed) their Villa action. Pass the Main Character token clockwise. Move the episode marker to the right and start the next episode.

OUT OF CARDS?: If you ever run out of cards, shuffle the discard pile, put it face down, and use it as the new deck to draw from.

VILLA TOKEN (OPTIONAL): For larger groups, you may choose to pass the included Villa Action token to keep track of whose Villa turn it is. Remember, the Main Character token passes AFTER each Episode, while the Villa Action token passes only DURING a Villa Episode.

Coupling Up

One of the Villa Actions is to Couple Up, which is the main way to win the game.

Both contestants must agree to couple up and this is the only action whose cost can be split. Refer to the List of Villa Actions if questions come up.

Contestant Card Summary of Villa Actions

(As printed in the small reference on the Villa Episodes page; each is detailed in the List of Villa Actions.)

COUPLE UP (cost: 3 Love per couple): Couple up with another contestant (they must agree). You may split the cost with them. Both of you can still be chosen for dates.
BREAK UP (no cost): Break up with your partner. You automatically break up with your partner if you couple up with someone new. Breakups increase viewership +1.
STEAL THE SPOTLIGHT (no cost): Draw 2 Action Cards. Keep 1 and discard the other. Increase viewership +1.
BONUS DATE (cost: ANY): Choose 3 contestants to go on a date (can choose yourself). If the outcome is Love, draw 2 Action Cards. NOTE: The date still affects viewership.
DEFUSE THE TENSION (cost: Love + ANY): Decrease viewership -1.
KEEP YOUR OPTIONS OPEN (cost: 5 ANY): Look at an Intention Card that is NOT your partner's. Only play if you are coupled up.
"WE NEED TO TALK" (cost: 5 Love): Look at your partner's Intention Card. Only play if you are coupled up.

Date Episodes

For Date Episodes, follow the steps below:

The Main Character chooses contestants to go on a Date. The number of contestants that MUST be chosen is on the Episodes board (e.g. three person icons = 3 contestants). The Main Character may include themselves but don't have to.
Follow the steps for a Date (below).
The Episode ends after the date outcome is resolved. Pass the Main Character token clockwise. Move the episode marker to the right and start the next episode.

CAN'T PLAY ANYTHING?: If a date contestant cannot play a Love or Drama card because they only have Bombshell cards, they should discard a Bombshell card from their hand and draw another card. Repeat until the contestant can play a Love or Drama card.

How a Date Works

IMPORTANT: Dates will occasionally show up on Bombshell cards. The steps are always the same (below). Contestants chosen for a date MUST go on the date.

A. Date contestants draw an additional Action Card.
B. Date contestants play one Love or Drama card from their hand FACE-DOWN. Contestants cannot play a Bombshell card on a date. Collect the cards above the Couples board.
C. The cards are shuffled and flipped over.
D. The date outcome is resolved. If all the cards are Love, Viewership goes down -1 (can't go below 1). If one or more cards is Drama, Viewership goes up +1. Move the revealed cards to the Discard Pile.

Love Outcome: all Love cards = Viewership -1. Drama Outcome: one or more Drama cards = Viewership +1.

Bombshells & Season Finale

Bombshell Cards

During a Villa Episode, you may play one of these cards instead of performing a normal Villa Action.

You may also discard these cards to pay for an ANY cost, but you may NOT play these cards on a date.

Season Finale

The Season Finale is the last round of the game. After every contestant draws Action Cards (the Season Finale episode shows "Draw 2"), the Villa Action loops around twice so each contestant has TWO Villa turns (but not back-to-back).

After each contestant has taken their second Villa Action (or passed), the game ends. Each contestant reveals their Intention Card at the same time to determine who won and who lost!

You are now ready to play Lovestruck! The first Episode is a Villa Episode so every contestant should start the game by drawing 3 Action Cards. The Main Character then kicks things off with a Villa Action!

List of Villa Actions

A list of Villa actions and their costs are on the back of each Contestant card but here is some more detail about each Action.

1. Couple Up (Cost: 3x Love per couple)

Couple up with any other contestant (they must agree). You may split the cost with them. Both of you can still be chosen for dates.

Move contestant tokens onto a daybed on the Couples board to show they are coupled up.
A couple is made up of two contestants.
Offering to couple up but getting turned down DOES NOT count as your Villa Action, unless otherwise stated on a Bombshell Card.
Couples should agree to how they will split the Couple Up cost before discarding any Action Cards.

2. Break Up (Cost: Free)

Break up with your partner. Increase viewership +1. If you couple up with someone new, you automatically break up with your partner.

Move contestant tokens back into the pool on the Couples board to show they are single.
If contestants from two different couples decide to couple up, both couples are broken up but viewership only increases +1.
Some Bombshell cards cause a break up. Unless otherwise stated, breakups always increase the viewership by +1.

3. Steal the Spotlight (Cost: Free)

Draw 2 Action Cards, then discard any card from your hand. Increase viewership +1.

Discard the card face-up.

4. Confessional (Cost: 1x ANY)

Draw an Action Card, then reveal any card from your hand to the group.

Remember to discard a card first to pay the cost.
You hold onto the revealed card.

5. Defuse the Tension (Cost: 1x Love & 1x ANY)

Decrease viewership -1.

6. Explore All Options (Cost: 5x ANY)

Look at the Intention Card of a contestant in a couple. If you are coupled up, cannot be your partner's.

7. "We Need to Talk" (Cost: 5x Love)

Look at your partner's Intention Card. Only play if you are coupled up.

For "WE NEED TO TALK" and EXPLORE ALL OPTIONS, you may reveal what you learned, lie, or keep it to yourself.

Additional Notes

Commonly Missed Rules

Winning by coupling up is ONLY determined by your partner's Intentions (not any other couples' Intentions).
Contestants in couples can still be chosen for dates.
Coupled up contestants can choose to couple up with someone new, but they automatically break up with their existing partner.
If contestants from two different couples decide to couple up, both couples are broken up but viewership only increases +1.
Bombshell cards CANNOT be played on dates but can be used to pay Villa Action costs.

Next Season's Contestant

For experienced players, you can add an extra win condition. After Intention Cards are revealed, if a contestant is the ONLY contestant who is single AND here for the Right reasons, they still win the game because they're invited back for the next season.

If it turns out more than one single contestant was here for the Right reasons, they all still lose. Any single contestants who were here for the Wrong reasons still lose.