Zoop
Zoop Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
1. Setup
The dealer deals 8 cards to each player and one card is placed face up in the centre of the table. The remainder of the cards are placed face down to form a drawing deck.
The first player to imitate the sound of one of the animals in the game will be the starting player; the turn rotates clockwise around the table.
2. Playing
The game is played in turns. During their turn, each player tries to discard one card that shares at least 2 of the 3 characteristics (number of animals, colour, and type of animal) of the card that has been placed face up in the centre of the table. Each discarded card will be placed face up on top of the previous one.
The first card placed face up during the setup can't be a Wild Card or a Cage; if that is the case, the card must be returned to the deck. If the first card is a Special Animal, its effect will not apply (see Special Animals below).
Once a card is discarded, the turn passes to the next player. In case a player can't make a play, they will draw a card from the deck and try to play it. If the drawn card can't be played either, then the turn passes to the next player.
If a player can't make a play and the deck has run out of cards, they lose their turn.
The first player to get rid of all the cards in their hand crosses the finish line and wins the game. The winner gets to play first in the next game.
2.1. Zoop. The Art of Discarding!
During the game, a player can play out of turn if they have the EXACT SAME CARD that's on the discard pile and yell "ZOOP!". If 2 players try to play out of turn at the same time, the last one to yell "ZOOP" and play their card must return it to their hand and draw another one. If a player yells "ZOOP" and discards a card different than the one on the discard pile, they will return the played card back to their hand and draw another one.
If a player doesn't yell "ZOOP" while discarding their card, they will return it to their hand and draw another one.
Rule clarification: No player can yell "ZOOP" at the beginning or end of their turn, or during a Special Round (see Wild Card).
2.2. Everyone Passes
If a player plays a card that no other player can match, they can discard any other card of their choice! This card becomes the one to match in the following turn.
3. Basic Animals
There are three types of Basic Animals: Rabbits, Koalas, and Toucans.
3 Rabbits of each colour, 3 pairs of Rabbits of each colour, 3 Koalas of each colour, 3 pairs of Koalas of each colour, 3 Toucans of each colour, and 3 pairs of Toucans of each colour.
4. Special Animals
There are five types of Special Animals: Chameleons, Crabs, Monkeys, Frogs, and Kangaroos: 1 Chameleon of each colour, 1 Crab of each colour, 1 pair of Monkeys of each colour, 1 pair of Frogs of each colour, 1 Kangaroo of each colour, and 1 pair of Kangaroos of each colour.
- Monkeys: When a player plays this card, the next player will have to draw one card at the beginning of their turn.
- Frogs: When a player plays this card, the next player misses a turn.
- Chameleon: It can mimic any colour, and therefore can be played on any one-animal card. The colour of the chameleon card determines the next colour to be matched.
- Crab: When a player plays this card, the order of play switches directions. The first time a crab is played it will reverse the order of play to counterclockwise.
- Kangaroo: This card combines the abilities of Monkeys and Frogs. When a player plays this card, the next player misses a turn and the subsequent player draws one card. Therefore, Kangaroos affect two players: one misses their turn and the other draws a card.
5. Special Cards
There are two types of Special Cards: 6 Wild Cards and 4 Cages.
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Cage: When a player plays a Special Animal, a Cage can be played on it in order to capture it. It doesn't matter who plays the Cage or if they play out of turn. What is really important is to yell "Captured!". Both cards will remain in the discard pile, and the player whose card has been captured draws a card. The turn passes to the player that has played the Cage, who can then discard a card of their choice, thus starting a new round. The order of play remains the same.
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Wild Card: A player plays a Wild Card in order to start a Special Round. This player must hold in their hand a card with Koalas, Rabbits or Toucans, and will declare the type of animal that must be matched during the Special Round. The other players must play a card with this animal regardless of the number of animals in it or the colour of the card.
During this round, any player who can't match the declared animal must draw one card from the deck and miss their turn (the drawn card can't be played).
Once each player has finished their turn, the player who started the Special Round may discard their card. After that, the game continues as before.
The Wild Card can't be the last one discarded by a player, for this card can only be played if the player holds in their hand a card with Koalas, Rabbits or Toucans.
6. End of the Game
The game ends in any of the following ways:
- When one of the players discards their last card.
- If at some point the drawing deck runs out of cards and players can no longer play a card, the game ends and the player with the least amount of cards wins. In case of a tie, the player with the least amount of Special Cards wins. If the tie persists, the winner is the first player to yell "Zoop!!!"
7. Rules for 7 or 8 Players
In a game with 7 or 8 players, six cards will be dealt to each player instead of the usual eight.
8. Card Icons
8.1. Top Icons
Icons at the top of the card represent the type and number of animals. Cards with one animal show only one icon, and cards with a pair of animals show two icons.
8.2. Bottom Icons
Icons at the bottom of the card indicate the effect of the card.
- Any-colour icon (four coloured dots): Allows a player to match any colour.
- Reverse icon (circular arrow): Allows a player to reverse the order of play.
- Draw-one icon (one pawn with a +1 card): Allows a player to force the next player to draw one card.
- Miss-a-turn icon (pawn with a red pawn and a circular arrow): Allows a player to force the next player to miss their turn.
- Miss-and-draw icon (miss-a-turn icon with a +1 card): Allows a player to force the next player to miss their turn and the subsequent player to draw one card.
- Captured icon (cage with a +1 card): Allows a player to start a new round and force the "captured" player to draw one card.
- Special Round icon (three question marks): Allows a player to start a Special Round of Koalas, Toucans or Rabbits.
Examples:
1 red rabbit matches with: 2 red rabbits (type and colour), 1 rabbit of any colour (number and type), 1 red animal (number and colour).
2 green toucans match with: 1 green toucan (type and colour), 2 toucans of any colour (number and type), 2 green animals (number and colour).
2 yellow monkeys match with: 2 yellow animals (number and colour), 2 monkeys of any colour (number and type).