updated 2025-06-27 at 10:03 clarified some of the rules.
updated 2025-06-27 at 13:07 added examples of plays, see comments.
updated 2025-06-27 at 18:20 new images for the instructions because i realize i fucked them up. also put the rules up on wordpress: - will probably use that as reference for updates https://playcrowns.wordpress.com/ !
updated 2025-06-27 at 19:07 - made a BGG page! https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/448970/crowns
update 2025-06-29 at 08:20 - i uploaded a playthrough video on the website for those who prefer to learn the rules that way
I designed an easy-to-learn but tactically deep card game and have been testing it several times with my traditional cards and MTG-player friends who love it, now I'm looking for outside feedback!
The game is super light and easy to learn, less than 400 words on the rules. Despite that, it has great depth, making it feel more like a modern battle card game like MTG rather than a traditional card game like Palace - so if you like MTG or similar games, you'll probably love this one!
Here are the rules and details:
Introduction
Crowns is an area control card game for two, where sharp positioning and smart plays decide the match.
The objective of the game is to win by controlling the majority of squares on the board.
Preparation
The game requires only a standard deck of 52 cards and enough table space to place said cards in an 5x5 row.
Split the deck up by color. Each player then take their respective color, shuffle it, and place it on the table. Both players then draw 5 cards from their draw pile and keeps their cards hidden from their opponent.
Rules
Red player starts the game.
The game is played in rounds where each player places a card from their hand onto the board. On the very first round, each player must place a card in any empty square of choice in their home row - which is the row nearest them, then draw a new card finishing their round. A player must always have no less than 5 cards in hand unless the draw pile is empty. The players then take turn placing cards orthogonally adjecent to their current placed card connected to the home row, filling out the unclaimed squares across the board or placing more cards in their home row. An unconnected card may always be played in the home row to fortify their connections later.
Upon reaching the opponents claims, the opponents square can be stolen by placing a higher value card on top.
Cards need to connect back to the first row in order to advance outside the home row. If the connection is broken by the opponent, no new squares can be claimed from the broken off position.
In situations where a player cannot claim an empty square or steal an opponents square, they must place a lower card on top of one of their existing non-connected cards anywhere on the board to draw a new card. Players are always allowed to place higher cards on their existing connected cards to fortify them or to draw a new card in a situation where that may be a better play.
Once there are no more cards to play, the player with the most claimed squares on the board wins. If a player is unable to place any cards despite still having cards in their hand, they must fold.
Special Cards Mechanics
Kings Are permanent cards that can never be claimed by the opponent. A Queen can however strategically move a Kings position on the board.
Queens When being placed in connection to one of your cards, must swap position with any orthogonally adjecent square of choice, claimed and unclaimed.
Jacks Must leap over one claimed or unclaimed square from the position of one of your claimed and connected squares. Cannot be placed on top of Kings or Queens.
Aces Must be placed diagonally adjacent to one of your claimed and connected squares. Can be played on any non-face card. Aces function as a blank card, allowing any other card to be placed on top.
Board Example
Saved. Ill attempt to play it. Skimming it seems similar to Golf.
Thank you for trying! Been trying to find new faces willing to give it a shot all day lol. Also, tbh, I'm not surprised it's been done before. But I never heard of golf! Going to need to check it out.
I was working on a tile game with flip mechanics but the actual flipping made the experience too fiddly. There is probably a solution I'm not seeing but I had a game of Shithead with the family and I figured using a standard deck with card powering instead of flipping might work even better. After throwing out like 90% of the rules I've come to a point where I feel this game flows like butter and it's finally ready for public testing ๐
Shame I just left. Was visiting parents and they LOVE card games. I'll have to send this to them and ask for their thoughts.
I hope they understand the rules. Seems I didn't write it clear enough based on every comment so far lol. I'm really bad at explaining things D: Everyone who has played it so far I taught physically, and it was much easier to do than to try and put it down on paper. I'm going to need to update the text.
Few questions:
Only the Ace can be placed diagonally - it's its special move, but that still cuts it off from the connection to home - The game relies heavily on tactical spatial moves for all important decisions, coded into the face cards. except for the 10, which is a power move only because you can only remove a 10 with a face card and most face cards have special properties that makes them hard to use for that purpose (and sometimes wasteful to use).
I love the "home" row term, I need to change to that instead! You are correct, you can place a card without connecting it within the home row at any time assuming the opponent hasn't populated your home row with higher cards to try and choke you.
You can only downgrade a card disconnected from the home row, but not upgrade. The main reason you want to downgrade a card is to draft a new one and try to get a better tactical card though.
Special rules always apply, which can make cards like the Ace and Jack tricky to place at times, and the Queen be a direct disadvantage. A jack cannot land on (claim) a card higher than itself (queen or king), so might simply not be playable at times - EDIT: albeit you can play the jack in seemingly 'normal' way, if you jump from a card in a row, e.g. the row turns into 3โฅ -> 8โฆ -> Jโฆ (you jumped from the 3โฅ).
Once the connection to the home row is broken you can't place any cards adjecent from the cards that broke off and lost their connection. i.e. if you go deep into the enemy base (home row), and they have a well placed knight. that sets you back 3 turns, giving them a lot of opportunity to build up defence and pursue an advantageous position.
I have my own idea for a game, that is inspired by this one, but plays like the board game Stratego
Interesting! I would like to test that when it's ready :)