Timeline Twist Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Competitive Gameplay
  • Play Overview
  • Object of the Game
  • Game Setup
  • Gameplay
  • Specific Case
  • End of the Game – Victory
  • End Note
• Cooperative Gameplay
  • Game Setup
  • Object of the Game
  • Gameplay
  • How to Play a Card
  • How to Discard a Card
  • Communication
  • End of the Game
  • Scoring
  • Example
  • Ranking

Competitive Gameplay

When playing in competitive mode, players ignore the top left icons on the cards.

Play Overview

On their turn, players try to place one of their cards in the correct "temporal gap." If a player guesses wrong, they put the card back in the box and draw a new one. The winner is the player who is the only one to place their last card during a single round.

Object of the Game

To be the only player left with no cards.

Game Setup

Players sit around the play area.

1. Shuffle the deck of cards. It forms the draw pile. Place it white side visible on the table.
2. Each player is dealt 4 cards white side visible and places them in front of them. Players cannot look at the dates printed on their cards until they play them!
3. Draw the top card of the draw pile, flip it over and place it in the center of the play area. This card is the starting card of the timeline in which the players will have to place their cards.

The youngest player starts!

Gameplay

Players take turns clockwise. The first player must place one of their cards next to the starting card:

• If they think the date of their card is earlier to the starting card, they place it to the left of the starting card.
• If they think the date of their card is later to the starting card, they place it to the right of the starting card.

After placing their card, the player flips it over to check if the date is correctly placed on the timeline:

• If the card is correctly placed, it remains where it is, dark side visible.
• If the card is not correctly placed, discard it. Then, the player must draw the top card of the pile and place it facedown next to their other cards without flipping it over. If the draw pile is empty, shuffle the discarded cards to make a new draw pile dates side down.

Then the next player in clockwise order takes their turn:

• If the first player didn't place their card correctly, the second player must place one of their cards next to the starting card.
• If the first player placed their card correctly on the timeline, the second player can choose between three temporal gaps in which to place one of theirs: to the left of the two cards already placed (A), to their right (B), or between them (C). The timeline is rearranged to place a card between other cards.

Now, it's the third player's turn:

• If the first two players placed their cards correctly on the timeline, the third player can choose between four temporal gaps, and so forth.

Specific Case

During the game, it may happen that a player must place a card bearing the same date as another card already played. In such a case, place both cards next to each other, regardless of their order.

End of the Game – Victory

If a player is the only one to correctly place their last card during a single round, they are immediately declared winner.

If several players correctly place their last card during a single round, they keep playing and the other players are eliminated. The remaining players draw a card during each round and comply with the standard rules until only one of them correctly places their card during a single round. This player is then declared the winner.

End Note

The information contained in this game is for entertainment purposes only. While we endeavor to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, or reliability with respect to the information contained in this game. Have fun!

Cooperative Gameplay

Game Setup

Shuffle the deck of cards, white side visible, and take the top 36 cards. Return the remaining cards to the game box, as they will not be used during this game.

Each card has a white side (with a date hidden behind a "?" and a top-left icon) and a dark side (with the date and a different icon visible).

1. Each player draws 4 cards and places them white side visible in front of them.
2. Place one card dark side visible in the middle of the table: it is the starting card of the timeline.
3. Place one card, dark side visible, to form the discard pile. The remaining cards, white side visible, form the draw pile. The oldest player will take the first turn. Players take turns clockwise around the table.

Object of the Game

Work together as a team to play the maximum of cards into the timeline.

Gameplay

On their turn, players must perform one of the following actions:

Play 1 or 2 of their cards into the timeline, one at a time, OR discard 1 card.

At the end of their turn, players draw cards from the draw pile until they have 4 cards in front of them (white side visible). Then, in clockwise order, the next player begins their turn.

How to Play a Card

The player chooses the card they want to play among the cards in front of them and flips it dark side visible. They place their card on the timeline using the following rules:

• If the card's date is earlier than all cards in the timeline, it is placed at the left of the timeline.
• If the card's date is later than all cards in the timeline, it is placed at the right of the timeline.
• If the card's date is the same as one of the cards already placed in the timeline, it is placed on top of that card (cards are overlapped so that both dates remain visible).
• If the card's date falls between two cards already in the timeline, it is placed above these 2 cards in the "Gap row". If there is already a card in that slot, the player cannot play it (see below).

If the card cannot fit in the timeline (because a card is already in that slot in the Gap row) it is flipped white side visible and kept in front of the player. To distinguish this card from the unplayed cards it is kept horizontally. Since it will be impossible to play this card, the player will discard it when they get a chance (see "How to discard a Card" below). If the player has not played a card yet this turn, they must play a different card (they can't switch to the discard action!).

After successfully placing their first card in the timeline the player may:

• Either end their turn.
• Or attempt to place a second card. If the player manages to place a second card their turn ends immediately.

After a failed attempt to place a second card the player can always decide to end their turn since they have already placed a first card into the timeline. Or they can keep trying to place a second card.

If a player tries but is unable to play at least one card during their turn, the game ends (see "Scoring" section).

Players cannot look at the dates printed on their cards until they play them! It is not possible to play card(s) and discard during the same turn.

How to Discard a Card

The player chooses one of the cards in front of them in which the top left corner's icon matches the one of the top card of the discard pile. The player discards the chosen card and flips it over to reveal the date and the icon on the other side. (Note that the icon on the date side of the card will be different).

Discarding cards is a tactical way to build a greater and safer timeline, avoiding creating large and dangerous time gaps between the cards. The cards in the discard pile are always dark side visible!

Communication

Do not hesitate to communicate as much as possible and to discuss your cards. On their turn, each player has the final say in the decision to play or discard the cards in front of him but can seek advice from his teammates.

End of the Game

If the draw pile runs out, the players will play with the remaining cards in front of them. If a player has no cards left in front of them and the draw pile ran out, they no longer take turns, but other players continue taking turns until:

• All the cards are placed in the timeline or discarded.
• A player fails to play or discard one card during their turn.

When one of the above situations occur, the game ends.

Scoring

When the game ends, players determine their score:

• Each card in the lower row of the timeline is worth 2 points (A).
• Each card in the Gap row is worth 1 point (B).
• Each card in the discard pile (C), in the draw pile (D) and in front of the players (E) is worth -1 point.

Example

At the end of a 2-player game, the lower row of the timeline has 15 cards in it (30 points), there are 8 cards in the Gap row (8 points), 0 cards left in the deck, one player has 0 cards in front of them while the other has 2 (-2 points) and 11 cards were discarded (-11 points). Their score is 30 + 8 − 2 − 11 = 25 points.

Ranking

Score	Rank
-0	Team Wannabes
0 to 10	Newcomers Group
11 to 20	Accredited League
21 to 30	Sophisticated Crew
31 to 40	Veteran Squad
41 to 50	Expert Alliance
51 to 60	Genius Circle
61+	Time Travelers

In future games players can try to beat their best score, or brag about their scores online!