Girl Genius: The Works

    GAME SYSTEM



     This entry is to allow for discussion/rating of the game system as a whole. It is not for a specific product or release. Versions will appear on the individual item pages.

Girl Genius: The Works is a non-collectible card game that consists of several standalone decks of cards. You can play the game with any one of those decks, while also being able to combine some or all of those decks into a single deck for a longer game or a game with more players. Each deck contains many unique cards, but the gameplay is the same in all cases.

Each player gets a five-card hand and twelve cards are laid out face-down in a patchwork pattern. Each card has colored symbols along each side, as well as a point value and special instructions. On your turn, you reveal one face-down card, then spin any face-up card 180º. After spinning, if any of the symbols on the edges of the spun card match the symbols on one or more of the surrounding cards, you "pop" the card(s) with the most matching symbols. "Popping" a card means that you must follow the instructions on the card (whether helpful or harmful), then (usually) add it to your score pile. Cards in your hand are used to replace any popped cards. The game is played until one player has 70/50/40/30 points with two/three/four/more than four players.

The four standalone decks as of September 2018 are:

Castle Wulfenbach
Master Payne's Circus of Adventure
Castle Heterodyne
The Siege of Mechanicsburg