Skull card game is one game I hear from friends that is played over and over. I believe this is because it’s quick to play, has great social banter-friendly interactions, and the outcome varies every time, making for a fun family game night. This engaging game is all about bluffing and bidding and succeeding in guessing the right amount of flower cards played.
Designed by Herve Marly, and published in 2011, Skull card game gives the impression of a hard-core gang-playing game, with copious amounts of tattoos required. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth, as this applies to a wide group of people, young and old. Making it a great card game for families or an exciting party game for adults.
This popular adult card game is also known as Skulls and Roses.
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Overview of Skull Card Game
- 3-6+
- 10-30 mins
- 10+
Objective: Win 2 rounds.
Skull card game is a quick, bluffing and deduction game where each player tries to successfully “bid” how many face-down cards they can flip without revealing a skull. Players place either a flower or a skull face-down in front of them, then take turns adding cards or starting a bid. The highest bidder must flip that many cards—starting with their own—without hitting a skull.
If they succeed, they win the round. If they reveal a skull, they lose one of their cards. First player to win two successful bids wins the game.
It’s simple to learn, tense to play, and perfect for families who enjoy bluffing, reading each other, and a bit of risk-taking.
Set Up of Skull Game
This is one of the easiest adult party games you can set up and teach your friends within minutes.
First, unpack the box where you will find playing cards that look like funky round coasters. There is 6 square ones and 24 round mats.
Each player gets one square mat and the corresponding round cards that go with it.
Decide who starts.
How to Play Skull Game
To start, each player during the set will have received four cards, which are kept secret—three flowers, and one is a skull.
At this point, everyone chooses one card from their hand and places it face down on their square mat. Every player does this at the same time.
The player who has been chosen to start Skull card game has 2 choices:
- Place another card ontop of their first card.
- Start bidding on how many flower cards they think they can turn over in a row. While hoping to avoid a Skull card.
If the players choose the first action, then the turn moves onto the next player who chooses from the two play options above.
If they chose option two, the person whose turn it is next can either;
Raise the bid if they are feeling confident and feel they can turn over more flower cards without seeing a Skull OR
Pass, which they sit out for the remainder of that round.
Play continues around all competitors until one person is left unchallenged. They are known as The Challenger with the highest bid.
I am sure you can guess what comes next. The Challenger turns over cards they think are flowers. If The Challenger turns over a Skull they have failed and the round ends.
At this point, the player who placed the Skull removes one card from The Challengers hand and returns it to the box. This card is not revealed to anyone.
The round starts again, and The Challengers starts the next round.
NOTE: If you continue to have a losing streak, you can be eliminated if you lose your fourth and final card. And on very rare occasions, you can win by this process of everyone else being eliminated.
Now, if you are successful at turning over your stated number of flowers, you win this game round. The successful challenger turns over their mat to reveal the darker borders and patterns to show they are half way to winning. Remember, you only need to win 2 rounds to WIN. They can decide what order they wish to turn over the cards, but you must always start with your own top card first. So if you have chosen to bluff your way into that round, you will shamefully or bashfully turn over a Skull card.
Each player picks up their cards, and a new round begins.
NOTE: If you find yourself with one card left and that card is a skull, you have no choice but to turn it over, and in the process, you eliminate yourself.
Skull Card Game - Tips
This is meant to be a fun bluffing adult party game, so some people play purely to outsmart their competitors.
Skull card game is about trying to read your opponents. Watch how people react or play cards, and you might see a pattern.
The more cards you place face down in front of you, will help you know how many flowers there are when bidding. For example, if you bid 5 but placed 2 flower cards, you only need to find 3 more flower cards.
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