Kaleidoscope
The Tricky Trick-Taking Game
by Kenneth P. Langer
Collect the jewels before the rules change.
Kaleidoscope is a fun family card game where players attempt to win tricks with bright and colorful jewels. What makes the game fun and challenging is that the rules change with each set. For example, a card worth no points in one set may be worth ten points in the next. The player with the most jewel points wins the set and the first player to take three sets is the winner of the game.
Creator: Kenneth P. Langer
Publication Date: May 2023
Retail Price:Â TBD
Edition: First
Cards
46 Jewel Cards
22 Rule Cards
1 Dealer Card
3 How-To-Play Cards
The Rules
Object
To be the first player to win three sets of five tricks.
Players
3-6 people.
Preparation
Shuffle the deck.
Players pick cards from the deck to determine who will be the first dealer.
Highest card is the dealer.
Dealer gives five Jewel cards to each player.
Set the remaining cards aside.
Play
There are a total of five rounds of play.
The first player will be the player to the left of the dealer and play continues counter-clockwise unless changed by the rules.
The first player chooses a Rule Card and puts it FU on the table. The rule must be followed for the round.
The first player puts down a card from their hand.
The color of the first card is trump unless changed by the rules.
When everyone has played a card, the winner of the round is determined by the person with the highest trump card unless changed by the rules and the winner collects all the cards played as well as the Rule card.
If no cards of the trump suit are played, the highest number card takes the trick.
If two cards of the same shape and same color are played, the first player to play the card takes the trick.
Play continues counter-clockwise unless changed by the rules.
At the end of the round players add up their total points including changes made by the Rule card.
Player with the most points wins the round and collects the Rule card.
The first player of the round becomes the new dealer for the next round.
Winning the Game
The first player to collect three Rules cards is the winner.