Chrononauts

Chrononauts is a quick playing light game. You take the role of time travelers and you win by either changing history to best suit your 'ID Card' or travel through time and collect the objects listed on your 'Mission Card'

Chrononauts is an entirely card based game, but before we get into how it plays, I will talk about the different type of cards.

These are the date cards, they are historical events that the game is played around.

These date cards essentially make up your game board. The purple cards are 'Linchpins', these are major

points in history altering them will alter (flip) other date cards.

Artifacts: These cards are played in front of you, it is possible for these to be stolen or forced to be discarded by opponents. If you collect all the artifacts listed on your 'Mission Card' you win the game immediately.

Patches: These are used to 'fix' altered date cards, that is turn them back to their original side if someone has reversed it and changed the course of history.

ID Cards: At the start of the game you are given one of these, if you complete your ID Card by successfully changing history you will win the game immediately.

Missions Cards: At the start of the game you are given one of these, if you collect all the 'Artifacts' listed you will win the game immediately.

Inverter: These cards simply take a date card and flip them to their other side. The reverse fate may only turn over a 'linchpin', these are date cards that directly affect other date cards. That means that by reversing one card you may reverse a number of other cards at the same time. The prevent assassination card is used for specific historical dates where someone was assassinated and is used to reverse that and return the card to its original side.

Timewarp cards are action cards that can be played at any time, they let you do something specific and often make it very easy to win.

Gadget: These cards stay in front of you when played and allow you to do more than just your basic action of draw 1 card and play one card every turn.

 Action: These cards let you perform a single powerful action, after they have been resolved they are discarded.

At the start of the game players draw 5 cards, 1 ID card and 1 Mission Card. Every turn players will draw 1 card and play 1 card, they may only play additional cards or draw additional cards if they play a card that allows them to do so. Players may also discard 2 cards to draw 1 new one every turn. The game ends as soon as a player has either successfully changed history so that it matches his/her ID Card, or collected all of the artifacts listed on their Mission Card.


 Who will enjoy Chrononauts?

Casual Gamers: Because of the random luck, very simple mechanics and quick play time, Chrononauts is best served to casual gamers who want to play to unwind and relax, or perhaps before playing an in depth strategy game. All that aside, Chrononauts is a great little game and gets better the more players you add in. I would recommend Chrononauts to a group that has 4-6 people and needs something to play between longer games or just wants a lighter game.