Here's a Memory Game

MemoryGameMockup
This is another one of those game ideas that just came to me in my sleep and I have no idea if it's balanced. It's basic memory game with some elements of Du Bulais (Wicked Witches' Way in the English edition).

The game is comprised of a deck of cards with one or two symbols on each. The symbols may be red or black. Shuffle the deck at the beginning of the game. Also shuffle and set aside the three bonus decks.

At the beginning of each round, reveal a tableau of cards. In the first round, reveal three cards. In the second round, reveal five cards. In the third round, reveal seven cards.

All players: When you think you memorized the tableau, flip over a card so it's face-down. Continue flipping over cards until they are all face-down. In the rush, be sure to not change the order of the cards.

On your score sheet, write down the symbols in order as best you can remember. When everyone has written down their guesses, reveal the cards and compare to what you remembered.
  • For each correct black symbol, score that many black points. 
  • For each correct red symbol, the opponent on your left scores that many red points.

You get bonus cards for correctly remembering the order of each row of symbols, including the blank spaces. The black row and the red row are considered separately, so you could draw up to two bonus cards each turn. The potency of those cards depends on how much of the order you remember. There are three increasingly powerful bonus card decks: A, B, and C.
  • If you correctly remember the order of symbols 1-3, draw from Deck A.
  • If you correctly remember the order of symbols 1-4, draw from Deck B.
  • If you correctly remember the order of symbols 1-5, draw from Deck C.

Bonus cards say things like:
  • Each time you score a red symbol, gain one black point.
  • Each time you score a black symbol, deal one red point.
  • Your requirement for a Bonus deck draw is reduced by 1. (1-2: A, 1-3: B, 1-4: C.)
  • Discard this card to deal 5 red points to target opponent.
  • Discard this card to look at the tableau after it's flipped over. You have 5 sec.
  • Score +1 red or black point if you correctly remember a card with two symbols.
  • Gold Coin - Collect 1: 0 pts., 2: 2 pts., 3: 4pts., 4: 8pts., and so on.


At the end of the round, discard the tableau. The game ends after three rounds. Add up your black points, your bonus points and subtract any red points. The player with the most points wins!

Comments

  1. Ezra BradfordAugust 23, 2012 at 3:38 PM

    "Your requirement for a Bonus deck draw is reduced by 1. (1-2: A, 1-5: B, 1-6: C.)"
    Why does this card move the A threshold left, and the B and C thresholds right?

    ReplyDelete
  2. DanielSolisAugust 23, 2012 at 5:16 PM

    Whoops that is a typo! Correcting it now.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Henri KermarrecAugust 24, 2012 at 10:26 AM

    It's "du balais" in french, a "balais" is a broom. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  4. DanielSolisAugust 24, 2012 at 10:30 AM

    D;oh! Sorry. :D

    ReplyDelete

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