DIY Card Game

Quick jump links: What You Need, Making the Cards, Goal of the Game, Version 1, Version 2, Version 3

What you need

48 cards (directions for making them below)
42+ to 336+ of something (beans will work, or squares of paper) for currency, the amount you need being the number of players playing times 21
6-sided die (die is the singular for dice)
rubber band (for the cards when not in use)
container for the currency (both for during game play and when not in use)
2-16 players (2-8 players is better)

Making the Cards

Print out 8 copies of this template (for the fronts of the cards) and 8 copies of this template (for the backs of the cards) onto thick paper, or start from scratch.

Here are the bare essentials for the cards:

All the cards must not be see-through.
Viewed from the back, all the cards must be identical to one another.

Also, for those who are starting from scratch:

On the faces of all the cards must be written a value from 1 through 6. This is the “cost” of the card in whatever currency you’re using.
There must be 8 cards with each of the values on them (eight 1 value cards, eight 2 value cards, eight 3 value cards, and so on through eight 6 value cards).

And for those who are using the template:

Glue the backs of the copies together so that the “DIY from Random Thoughts” is seen on the backs of the glued together cards, and the black dotted lines are seen on the front side of the cards.
Cut along the white dotted lines on all the glued-together copies.
Write the name of the currency on the dotted line next to the number on each card (if you want to).

For both those who are starting from scratch and for those who are using the print-out template:

Separate the cards into sets. Each set must have a 1s card, 2s card, 3s card, all the way through the 6s card. You will have 8 sets.
Choose a different store name for each set of cards. Then write on the faces of the cards the store name assigned to their set. For those who are using the print-out, write the store name on the dotted line below the number but above the dotted rectangle.
So you should have 8 sets of 6 cards of values 1-6, and each set of values 1-6 should have its own store name.
If you want to, put on the cards pictures of items that you could buy at the store labeled on the cards, for the value labeled on the cards. For example: a picture of a $6 set of pretty paper would be a good picture for a 6 value card with the label “Sara’s Stationery Store”. For those who are using the print-out, put the pictures inside the dotted rectangles.

You can always make more sets, but 8 sets should be plenty. The general rule is to make sure there are at least half as many sets as there are people playing, although it’s nice to have at least as many sets as there are people playing.

Now it’s time to play the game!

Goal of the Game

To win the game you must have one or more of the following in your hand:

a set of cards with the values 1 through 6
4+ cards from one store
4+ cards of the same value

If it is (still) your turn when you realize that you can win, you may announce your win to make it official and to end the game. Otherwise you must wait until your next turn.

How to Play

There are 3 versions of this game. I would recommend mastering version 1 first, as it is the easiest and simplest version. Also, if you know how to play version 1, the other versions will be much easier to understand. And version 3 is almost exactly like version 2, but much harder to win.

Version 1

What you need:

your 48 cards
2-16 players (the more the merrier!)

How to start:

Shuffle the cards.
Deal each player 3 cards. If you find playing with 3 cards too easy, play with 2 cards.
Spread the remaining cards face-down. This is the mall.
Decide who goes first.

On their turn, each person may do one of the following:

Ask another player if they have a card of a certain value. If the player does have at least one card of the requested value, the card (only one) is given to the player who asked, and the player who asked may take an extra turn (unless they already took their extra turn for their current turn). If the player does not have the card, they tell the asker to “Go shop!”, in which case the asker must resort to the action described below.
Go shop. Draw a random card from the mall. The player may choose to keep the card or put it back face-down in the mall.

Version 2

What you need:

your 48 cards
your currency
your container
your die
2-16 players (the more the funner!)

How to start:

Put the currency into the container. This is the bank.
Shuffle the cards.
Deal each player 3 cards.
Give each player 3 currency items (e.g. 3 beans, 3 squares of paper) from the bank.
Spread the remaining cards face-down. This is the mall.
Decide who goes first.

On their turn, each player may do one of the following:

Gamble for currency items. They start by putting down one card from their hand. They must put the card face-up. Then they roll the die. If the number rolled is equal to the value of the card, the card is placed face-down in the mall. If the number rolled is not equal to the value of the card, then the player receives as many currency items (from the bank) as the number rolled (e.g. roll a 4, receive 4 currency items).
Cash in a card. They place the card from their hand face-up while they collect the number of currency items (from the bank) as the value on the card (e.g. card of 6 value, collect 6 currency items).
Go shop. They shop by flipping over a card from the mall. Everyone must be able to see the value on the card, and the shop name on it. If the player wants the card, they may buy it in any of the 4 ways a player can buy a card.
Ask for (then buy) an opponent’s card. They ask an opponent if they have a card of a certain value. If the opponent does have at least one card of that value, they must tell the asker yes. If the asker can pay for the card in currency items, the card may be bought whether the opponent wants to sell the card or not. However, if the asker wants to trade or barter for the card, then the opponent may turn down the asker. After one turn-down, the asker’s turn is over.

Here are the 4 ways a player can buy a card:

Straight purchasing: The player can pay for the card with currency items (e.g. pay the bank 4 currency items for a value 4 card).
Trading: The player may give up 1+ card/s from their own hand, and use their currency items to make up the difference (e.g. buying 6 value card with a 4 value card and 2 currency items is a valid move).
Trading: The person may buy the card with only cards from their own hand (e.g. buying a 5 value card with a 3 value card and a 2 value card is valid).
Trading: The person may trade a card from their own hand for a card of the same value.

Here are some rules:

When a card is used to pay for another card, the card used is placed face-down in the mall.
When currency items are used to pay for a card from the mall, the currency items are put in the bank.
If the card is being bought from another player, that player receives all of what is used to pay.

Version 3

This version is almost identical to version 2.

What you need:

everything you needed in version 2

How to start:

Start exactly as you would in version 2.

On their turn, each player may do one of the following:

Gamble for currency items. They start by putting a card from their hand face-down in the mall. Then they roll the die. If the number rolled is not a 6, the player receives as many currency items (from the bank) as the number rolled (e.g. roll a 4, receive 4 currency items). If the number rolled is a 6, the player must take a card from an opponent (they may not ask the opponent for a certain card, the player must pick randomly from the opponent’s hand) or from the mall.
Cash in a card. Do it exactly as you would in version 2.
Go shop. Do it exactly as you would in version 2.
Ask for an opponent’s card. Do it exactly as you would in version 2.

Here are the 4 ways a player can buy a card:

The ways are the same as in version 2.

Here are some rules:

The rules are the same as in version 2.

Quick jump links: Back to top, What You Need, Making the Cards, Goal of the Game, Version 1, Version 2, Version 3