Smile Life

Smile Life Rulebook

Table of Contents

Game Contents - 200 Cards

25 studies (including 3 double ones) and 30 jobs*
40 salaries (10 for each income level)
20 flirts, 7 marriages, 3 adulteries and 10 children
37 maluses*
10 special cards*
15 acquisitions (5 houses, 5 trips and 5 pets)
3 distinctions (2 excellence prizes and 1 legion of honour)

*Jobs: writer, architect, astronaut, lawyer, bandit, bartender, purchasing manager, sales manager, researcher, surgeon, designer, mechanic, guru, grand prof (top professor), gardener, journalist, doctor, medium, soldier, pharmacist, airline pilot, pizza maker, plumber, police officer, maths teacher, French teacher, English teacher, history teacher, waiter, stripper.

*Maluses: 5 accidents, 5 burn outs, 5 divorces, 5 income taxes, 5 dismissals, 5 illnesses, 5 repeated years, 1 prison and 1 terrorist attack.

*Special cards: birthday, rainbow, casino, luck, shooting star, inheritance, string-pulling (piston), barter (troc), tsunami, revenge.

Object of the Game

Place cards face up in front of you to build your life. The smiles, printed at the top left of the placed cards, indicate your level of happiness. The aim of the game is to have as many as possible.

End of the Game

The game ends when the draw pile runs out. Everyone then discards the cards still in their hand and counts their smiles (on the cards placed in front of them). The player with the most smiles wins the game.

Setup

Shuffle the cards, then deal 5 cards to each player. Everyone keeps their hand secret until the end of the game. Form the draw pile (face down) with the remaining cards. The player with the most smiles in their hand starts!

To adjust the length of the game as you wish, play with the whole draw pile or only a larger or smaller part of it...

Course of a Game

In turn, each player draws, then plays one card of their choice from their hand. Everyone thus always keeps 5 cards in hand.

Cards are always played face up, either:

In front of yourself, to build your life and score points (by accumulating smiles).
In front of another player, to penalize them (see maluses).
On the discard pile.

It is also possible to take the last card of the discard pile instead of drawing, provided you play it immediately.

It is forbidden to take back a card that you discarded (voluntarily or following a malus), unless it has been taken and discarded again by another player in the meantime.

Organize Your Life

Depending on the cards drawn, you can lead your life in different ways.

By playing professional cards ("vie pro"), you can study, have a job, then accumulate salaries... Personal cards ("vie perso") let you flirt, get married, then have children. Acquisition cards, free or paid, include houses, trips and pets... Special cards let you carry out actions. Finally, maluses represent the annoyances of life that players can inflict on each other.

Professional Cards

studies - job - salary

You can only practise one job at a time.

Studies

Study cards show your level of education. They then allow you to obtain a job (according to your level of studies). Double study cards validate two levels at once. You can accumulate up to 6 study cards in front of you (single or double).

Jobs

The required study level of a job is shown at the top left of the card (between laurels). You must have acquired at least this level of studies to be able to play that job. Nothing prevents you, therefore, from playing a job having studied more than necessary. Having a job then allows you to place salaries.

NB: You can no longer study once you have a job. (It is however possible to resign in order to resume your studies... see Resignation.)

Card anatomy (example):

Smiles: happiness points.
Studies: minimum number of study cards needed to access the job (e.g. 4 study cards are needed to become a designer).
Professional status (optional): e.g. Temp.
Salary: income level of the job (e.g. a designer can place salaries of level 1 to 3, in any order).
Professional advantage (optional): e.g. "Unlimited flirts before marriage" (barman). A card with no professional advantage carries a comment only.

Salaries

Salaries range from 1 to 4. They are higher or lower depending on the job. Their value is symbolized by bundles of banknotes, printed at the top right of the jobs.

Salaries can be accumulated (one by one) in any order:

One bundle of banknotes (on your job) lets you place level 1 salaries.
Two bundles let you place level 1 and 2 salaries.
Three bundles... salaries of level 1, 2 and 3.
Four bundles... salaries of level 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Personal Cards

flirt - marriage - child - adultery

Flirts

You can flirt on your turn as long as you are not married. Having one or more flirts placed in front of you then allows you to place a marriage. You can accumulate up to 5 flirts in front of you.

Flirts take place at the various locations shown on their card. If you play a flirt that takes place at the same location as the last (uncovered) flirt of another player, you immediately take that one and place it on top of yours.

NB: If, after accumulating the maximum number of flirts, you take another player's flirt, it can be added to your 5 flirts. (It is therefore possible to have 6 flirts in this case.)

A flirt at a hotel or a campsite allows you to place a child (no more than one) as long as the flirt card is not covered (by another flirt or by a marriage).

Marriages

You can only get married after having flirted once or more. Marriage then allows you to place child cards.

NB: You can no longer flirt when you are married. (It is however possible to divorce or to commit adulteries...) You cannot have 2 marriages at the same time!!

Children

You can accumulate children, one by one, once married.

Adultery

Adultery can only be played once married. It then allows you to continue your flirts, without limitation, alongside your marriage. But in case of divorce, the damage will be heavier (see maluses: divorce).

You can stop your adultery at any time. To do so, discard it on the discard pile on your turn (before or after drawing), then play. The flirts accumulated during your adultery are kept next to your official flirts (with no impact on their limit). Their smiles are also counted at the end of the game.

Resignation

You can resign to resume your studies or change job.

To do so, when your turn comes... Instead of drawing, discard your job on the discard pile, then pass your turn. You can then play normally again, resuming your studies where you left them...

Divorce

You can divorce to flirt again and then, possibly, remarry.

To do so, when your turn comes... Instead of drawing, discard your marriage on the discard pile, then pass your turn. You can then play normally again, resuming your flirts where you left them...

NB: If you are in a situation of adultery and divorce voluntarily, the adultery is discarded with the marriage on top of it. You then keep your children and your flirts from the adultery (the latter are turned over and will be counted at the end).

Acquisition Cards

pet - trip - house

There is never any change given on acquisitions (if you pay more than the indicated price).

Pets

Pets are free and can be played directly on your turn. They include a cat, a dog, a rabbit, a chick and... a unicorn! Like every acquisition (free or paid), they can be accumulated (one by one).

Trips

Trips include various destinations: London, Sydney, Cairo, Rio, New York. Their price is shown on the card (as the minimum amount to pay). You must have the necessary salaries in front of you to be able to acquire them.

To buy a trip, turn over the salaries it costs you. Once turned over, these salaries are considered invested: they can no longer be used or taken back, but keep their smiles for the final count.

Houses

Houses require a minimum down payment. As with trips, you must have this down payment (in salaries) in front of you to be able to acquire them. To buy a house, turn over the salaries it costs you.

Once turned over, these salaries are considered invested: they can no longer be used or taken back, but keep their smiles for the final count.

If you are married, the minimum down payment for buying a house is halved ("Half price if you are married").

Distinctions

legion of honour - excellence prize

Once acquired, distinctions cannot be taken back.

Legion of Honour

The legion can be played directly, except if you are or have been a bandit (job), or if you have committed a terrorist attack (see maluses). It is however possible to become a bandit or to commit an attack after having received it...

Excellence Prize

The excellence prize can only be played if you are a writer, researcher or journalist. Obtaining it raises your salary to level 4 (for the rewarded job).

The salary increase ends when you no longer practise the job linked to the prize. The prize is then turned over and kept to count its smiles at the end of the game.

NB: You can only obtain one excellence prize per job concerned.

Career Promotion

grand prof

The grand prof card is both a job and a career promotion reserved for professors. Beyond the prestige, it provides a better salary.

You must therefore already be a professor in order to later play the grand prof card. The professor card is then immediately discarded on the discard pile.

The card reads: "Career promotion, reserved for professors. You can pocket salaries from 1 to 4 as long as you practise the rewarded job."

Maluses

accident - terrorist attack - burn out - divorce - income tax - dismissal - illness - prison - repeated year

Maluses apply only to other players (sometimes under conditions) and earn no smiles.

Using Maluses

When it is their turn, a player can inflict a malus on another player. To do so they place the card, visibly, in front of the player concerned. The latter suffers the consequences, then turns over and keeps the malus.

Summary of the cards:

Accident: miss a turn.
Burn out: miss a turn if you work.
Divorce: you lose your marriage.
Income tax: discard your last salary if you work.
Dismissal: you lose your job.
Illness: miss a turn.
Repeated year: discard your last study card if you are a student.
Prison: miss 3 turns if you are a bandit.
Terrorist attack: loss of all your children (all of yours included), then discard the 2 cards.

List of Maluses

Accident / Illness: the player misses their turn.

Terrorist attack: all children in play disappear, including those of the perpetrator. The cards concerned, as well as the attack card, are then placed out of the game.

Burn out - only for workers (players with a job). The player misses their turn.

Divorce - only for married players. The player loses their marriage. It is placed on the discard pile (face up). The player can then resume their flirts and/or remarry.

NB: If the player is in a situation of adultery (even without having yet placed flirt cards on top of it), they also lose all their children. These are discarded on the discard pile on top of the adultery and the marriage.

Income tax - only for workers. The player loses their last placed salary. It is discarded on the discard pile. If the last placed salary has been invested (for an acquisition), the deduction is taken from the previous salary.

Dismissal - only for workers. The player loses their job. Their job is discarded on the discard pile. They must therefore then find a job again or resume their studies where they left them.

Prison - only for the bandit. The player misses three turns. The bandit is discarded on the discard pile with the prison on top of it. The player must find a job again or resume their studies where they left them.

Repeated year - only for students. The player discards their last study card (single or double) on the discard pile.

Professional Advantages

Professional advantages apply to certain jobs (see list below). They are written at the bottom of the cards concerned.

They can be instantaneous (API): only valid at the moment the card is played. Or permanent (APP): valid for the whole duration of the job.

ARCHITECT: can play a house from their hand without paying for it on a later turn. (APP)
ASTRONAUT: can take the card of their choice from the discard pile to play it directly (same advantage as the shooting star special card). (API)
LAWYER: cannot be divorced, unless they choose to do so voluntarily. (APP)
BANDIT: cannot be dismissed nor taxed on their income. (APP)
BARTENDER: can accumulate flirts without limit before marriage. (APP)
PURCHASING MANAGER / SALES MANAGER: can barter (see barter) by removing a card from their hand so as to have only 4 during the transaction, against 5 for the other player. (API)
RESEARCHER: can draw an additional card to play with 6 cards instead of 5. In case of resignation or dismissal, the player discards, in addition to the researcher, a card of their choice from their hand under the job (to return to 5 cards). (APP)
SURGEON / DOCTOR: cannot fall ill and can continue studying in addition to their professional activity. These studies cannot be taken back through a repeated year. (APP)
MECHANIC: cannot suffer accidents. (APP)
JOURNALIST: can see the other players' hands and, if they wish, disclose information (true or false) aloud. (API)
MEDIUM: can see the future by looking at the next 13 cards of the draw pile. (API)
SOLDIER: protects all players from terrorist attacks. (APP)
PHARMACIST: cannot suffer illnesses. (APP)
AIRLINE PILOT: can play trips without paying for them on later turns. (APP)
POLICE OFFICER: the bandit and the guru cannot be played (by another player) in their presence. If they are already played, they are immediately discarded on the discard pile. (APP)

Professional Statuses

Professional statuses (civil servant or temp) apply to certain jobs. They are written at the top of the cards under the job concerned.

Civil servant (Fonctionnaire): the player cannot be dismissed (see malus: dismissal). Concerns professors (including the grand prof), police officers and soldiers.

Temp (Intérimaire): the player does not need to pass their turn when they resign. They discard their job on the discard pile before or after drawing, then play normally. Concerns gardeners, waiters, bartenders, plumbers and strippers.

Special Cards

birthday - rainbow - luck - shooting star - inheritance - string-pulling (piston) - barter (troc) - tsunami - revenge - casino

They can be played directly on your turn to produce an action but earn no points. Once used, the card is turned over and cannot be taken back.

Birthday: each player gives you one of their salaries of their choice (placed in front of them). If a player has no salary, they cannot give you anything.

Rainbow: play up to 3 cards in a row (in front of you, in front of another player or on the discard pile). Then draw as many cards as you placed to have 5.

Luck: play again, choosing one of the next three cards of the draw pile after having seen them. (The other two cards are then discarded in the order of your choice.)

Shooting star: take a card of your choice from the discard pile (to play it directly).

Inheritance: allows you to use this sum (3 bundles of banknotes) for your future purchases.

Piston (string-pulling): directly play any job. Then draw to have 5 cards. Special cases - grand prof: cannot be played with the piston (because it is a career promotion). Doctor / surgeon: in case of piston, your complementary studies (see professional advantage) cannot afterwards be used to access another job. Their smiles will however be counted at the end.

Barter (Troc): exchange a random card with the player of your choice. To do so, both players each draw a card from the other's hand.

Tsunami: all the cards that everyone holds in their hand are gathered and shuffled to be redistributed. The game is thus completely reshuffled.

Revenge: use one of the maluses you have received to inflict it on any other player.

Casino: allows you to place a salary face down on top of it, at the same time or on a later turn (draw again to have 5 cards in hand if you bet immediately). A second player can then also bet a salary face down on top of yours when it is their turn. The two salaries are immediately revealed: if they are identical, the second player wins everything; if they are different, everything goes to the first player of the casino. The casino then remains open: everyone can bet on it (first or second) on their turn... to try to win the bets.

NB: The player who plays the casino is not obliged to bet on it. The casino then remains closed. Conversely, if nobody bets on top of the casino's first player, the latter recovers their bet at the end of the game to count it as a salary (i.e. one smile).

What If We Changed the Rules? (River Variant)

Once you know the rules, you can vary your games... by playing with a river:

Place 3 cards face up next to the draw pile and the discard pile to form the river. On their turn, each player takes a card from the draw pile or the discard pile... or from the river! In the latter case, the player can play the card immediately or keep it in hand.

As soon as a card is taken from the river, it is replaced by another (from the draw pile) so that there are always 3 cards in the river.

If no player takes from the river after a full round of the table, it is placed on the discard pile and replaced by 3 new cards from the draw pile.

Memo

Always have 5 cards in hand. When your turn comes: draw, then play a card face up: for yourself / for another (malus) / discard. You may take the last card of the discard pile (except your own) to play it directly.

Professional life. Studies (6 max) -> Job* -> Salaries. NB: having a job stops studies... To RESIGN, discard the job before drawing and pass a turn.

Acquisitions. Turn over your placed salaries to buy (houses, trips...). The price is marked in bundles of banknotes on the cards. No change given if you pay more... The smiles of invested salaries count at the end.

Personal life. Flirt (1 to 5) -> Marriage -> Child(ren). Some flirts allow a child (hotel, campsite...). NB: being married stops flirts... To DIVORCE, discard your marriage before drawing AND pass a turn (just like resigning!).

Adultery. Allows flirting while married. But the children are also lost if divorced. To stop adultery, discard it on your turn and keep its flirts aside.

Maluses. The player who suffers one keeps the malus and discards their lost card on the discard pile.

Special card / Distinction. Play on your turn (with or without condition). Provides advantages...

Some jobs have professional advantages (see cards) and/or professional statuses: CIVIL SERVANT - cannot be dismissed. TEMP - can resign and play immediately.

Reminder: if you flirt at the same place as another player, you steal their flirt!

Object of the game: accumulate smiles. End of game: when the draw pile is finished.