Two Words: Games
Two Words: Games Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components and Setup
3 level cards. Stack them in order: the Level 1 card on top, the Level 2 card under it, and the Level 3 card last. Place the stack on the table so that everyone can see the level number.
46 cards with games and characters. Shuffle them and place them face down on the table. This is the cartridge deck. Leave room beside it for a discard pile.
Goal of the Game
Guess and successfully set as many games and characters as you can!
Game Flow
The game is played over three levels (see "Levels and Quests" below). Each level is played as a series of turns. On each turn, the player who is setting a quest follows the steps below, and the other players try to guess it.
Step 1: Announce the Level
Announce the name of the level shown on the top level card: "Video Games", "Characters" or "Board Games". These are the quests, the things you will set and guess on the current level.
Step 2: Draw and Choose a Quest
All players take two cards each from the cartridge deck into their hands and look at their cards. Each player has four quests of the current level. From these, each player chooses one quest that they want and are able to explain.
Step 3: Choose Two Letters and Two Words
The player then looks at the three quests they did not choose. Their first letters are printed in colour. The player chooses two of these letters and tries to find two words that begin with those two letters and hint at the chosen quest.
How to set a quest:
- Conjunctions and prepositions may be used, but they count as words. For example, you cannot explain "Minesweeper" with the phrase "Mines in Windows": that is three words.
- You may not use the same letter twice, unless that letter appears twice in different quests.
- "Ё" counts as "Е". "Й" counts as "И".
- You may not use words from the quest, or words with the same root as them. For example, you cannot explain the board game "Mafia" with the words "mafia showdown", or the game "How to Get Rid of Your Neighbour" with the words "neighbourly troubles".
- You may not gesture, make sounds, or comment on the quests or on guesses until the other players have guessed the quest or you decide to skip it.
If you cannot think of two words: try choosing a different quest on the same level. Still not working? You may discard both of your cards and, for the rest of the level, only guess.
Step 4: Give Your Clue and Guess
The player who is ready to set their quest announces it. Then they say the two chosen words. The other players try to be the first to guess: "Is it Mortal Kombat? Is it Street Fighter? Is it Plants vs. Zombies?"
How to guess:
One player may make as many guesses as they like, but not two in a row. Give someone else a chance to speak after you.
The quest counts as completed if someone guesses it and says what is written on the card in white. The setter may accept an answer if it is not said word for word. For example, "Cyberpunk" instead of "Cyberpunk 2077".
Step 5: Score the Cards
As soon as one of the players has guessed the quest, the setter places cards from their hand on the table. One card goes in front of the player who guessed, and the second goes in front of the setter. These cards now count as victory points. The number of them determines the winner.
If nobody can guess: wait a short while. If everyone has passed, the setter discards both of their cards.
Then any other player who still has cards sets their own quest.
The level ends when all players have no cards left in hand. Place the top level card in the discard pile and start the next level by the same rules.
Levels and Quests
The game lasts 3 levels. On each level, players set and guess quests from the current level.
Level: Video Games. Quests: any video games, in different genres, for different platforms.
Level: Characters. Quests: characters from video games.
Level: Board Games. Quests: any board games of all times and peoples.
Example of Play
It is the second level, "Characters". Artyom looks at his two cards. He must set one of the four characters shown on them. He chooses Alucard. Among the remaining characters only the coloured first letters matter: "G", "D" and "K". Artyom needs to find two words that begin with two of these letters and explain Alucard. He recalls how the name of this character was formed. Artyom says: "Dracula backwards" [translator's note: the Russian clue is "Дракула кругом", and the pun is that the name Alucard is Dracula's name spelled in reverse; the clue uses the letters D and K].
End of the Game
After the third level, count the cards that each player has in front of them. The player with the most cards is the winner!
If several players have the same number of cards, they win together.
Two-Player Cooperative Mode
When playing with two players, you play by the same level rules. But the guessing player has only two attempts to give the correct answer. When the player guesses the quest, place both cards in a shared pile of totals. If the player could not guess within two attempts, place both cards in the discard pile.
At the end of the game, count the cards in the pile of totals and check your shared result:
- 12 cards: 100, COMPLETION. You have completed this game "on platinum"! Even the developers applaud you standing.
- 8–11 cards: RARE ACHIEVEMENT. Almost perfect! Only a little more and you will become a true gaming guru.
- 4–7 cards: NORMAL DIFFICULTY. A good result. Time to start a stream and collect donations!
- 0–3 cards: GAME OVER… CONTINUE? Whether it was your experience or bad luck, reload and go for victory!
[Translator's note: the achievement table is printed as a trophy-style list. The "100" in the first entry is printed as it appears in the source, without a percent sign.]
Cheat Code Variant
Want to make the game easier and faster? These rules replace some parts of the base mode. Follow them:
- At the start of each level, each player takes one card from the cartridge deck, not two, and chooses one quest out of two.
- To set the quest, you must use the first letter of the quest you did not choose. The second letter can be any letter of the setter's choice.
- If the quest is guessed, take the top card of the cartridge deck as the second card that is placed in front of the player.
Internet Search (Optional Rule)
There is nothing wrong with searching the internet. It is educational! Players may use search engines when setting quests. This helps broaden your knowledge, learn something new, and set even the most unfamiliar game, which could become your favourite game tomorrow!