| Title | Ship of Fools |
| Developer(s) | Fika Productions |
| Publisher(s) | Team17 |
| Genre | PC > Action, Indie |
| Release Date | Nov 22, 2022 |
| Size | 973.86 MB |
| Get it on | Steam Games |
| Report | Report Game |
Are you on the hunt for a new and exciting card game to play with your friends and family? Look no further than Ship of Fools, a fast-paced and strategic game that will keep you on the edge of your seat. In this article, we will dive into the rules, gameplay, and strategies of this popular game.
The Basics of Ship of Fools
Ship of Fools is a card game for 2-4 players, recommended for ages 10 and up. The objective of the game is to be the first player to unload all of your cards onto the lifeboats, while avoiding becoming the “cabin boy” (the last player with cards in hand).
The game consists of a deck of 64 cards, divided into four suits: sailors, pirates, cabin boy, and ensign. Each suit has cards numbered 1-16, with the ensign being the highest numbered card and the cabin boy being the lowest.
Game Setup
To set up the game, shuffle the deck and deal 5 cards face down to each player. Then, place the remaining cards in the center of the playing area as the draw pile. The top card of the draw pile is turned face up and placed next to the draw pile. This is the discard pile.
Gameplay
The player to the left of the dealer goes first. On their turn, a player can choose to either draw a card or play a card from their hand.
If they choose to draw a card, they take the top card from the draw pile and add it to their hand. If they choose to play a card, they can do one of the following:
- Play a sailor card on top of the discard pile, increasing the value by 1.
- Play a pirate card on top of the discard pile, reversing the order of play (going from clockwise to counterclockwise, and vice versa).
- Play a cabin boy card on top of the discard pile, making the next player draw two cards instead of one.
- Play an ensign card, which is a “wild” card that can be played on any card and allows the player to change the suit of the discard pile.
If a player cannot play a card or chooses not to, they must draw a card from the draw pile.
The game continues in this manner, with players taking turns either drawing or playing cards. The goal is to get rid of all your cards by playing them onto the lifeboats. Once a player has no cards in hand, they are declared the winner of the round.
End of Round Scoring
At the end of each round, points are awarded based on the cards left in each player’s hand. The ensign is worth 20 points, pirates are worth 15 points, sailors are worth 10 points, and the cabin boy is worth 5 points. The player who won the round receives 0 points for that round.
The game continues with multiple rounds until a player reaches the predetermined point goal (usually 100 points) and is declared the ultimate winner.
Strategy Tips
While Ship of Fools may seem like a game of luck, there are some strategies you can use to increase your chances of winning:
- Save your higher numbered cards until later in the game, when the discard pile has increased in value. This will make it easier to get rid of your cards quickly.
- Keep track of the cards that have been played. This will give you an idea of which cards other players may have, allowing you to make more strategic moves.
- Know when to play your cabin boy card. If the player after you only has a few cards left, it may be a good time to make them draw two more and potentially get stuck with the cabin boy card themselves.
- Don’t be afraid to use your ensign. While it is a valuable card, it can also be a strategic move to change the suit and throw off your opponents.
Conclusion
Ship of Fools is a fun, fast-paced game that is sure to be a hit at any game night. So gather your friends and family, and set sail on this exciting card game adventure. Happy playing!
“Ship of Fools is my favorite game to play with my family. We never get tired of it!” – Mary K.
System Requirements
Minimum:- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10 (64-bit)
- Processor: Intel Core i5-2300, 2.8 GHzor AMD FX-4350, 4.2 GHz
- Memory: 6 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT, 512 MBor AMD Radeon HD 6570, 1 GB
- DirectX: Version 9.0
- Storage: 2 GB available space
- Additional Notes: 720p @ 30 FPS
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10 (64-bit)
- Processor: Intel Core i5-3470, 3.2 GHzorAMD FX-6300, 3.5 GHz
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660Ti, 2 GBorAMD Radeon HD 7870, 2 GB
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 3 GB available space
- Additional Notes: 1080p @ 60 FPS
How to Download
- Click the "Download Ship of Fools" button above.
- Wait 20 seconds, then click the "Free Download" button. (For faster downloads, consider using a downloader like IDM or another fast Downloader.)
- Right-click the downloaded zip file and select "Extract to Ship of Fools folder". Ensure you have WinRAR or 7-Zip installed.
- Open the extracted folder and run the game as an administrator.
Note: If you encounter missing DLL errors, check the Redist or _CommonRedist folder inside the extracted files and install any required programs.