The Tower of Babel Game

In this game, I want to win points by playing the highest card. My points will be determined by the value shown on the die. If I win consecutive turns, I’ll earn even more points for each round I win in a row.

What You’ll Need

To play Tower of Babel, you’ll need a standard 52-card French deck, 3 Jokers, and a 6-sided die.

Getting Started

First, I need to separate the deck into its four suits. Then, I’ll give each player one set of thirteen cards and one Joker. Finally, I’ll place the die in the center of our playing space.

Remember, cards are ranked from 2 (low) to Ace (high). The Jokers have a special function, so keep an eye out for those!

Let’s Play

So here’s how the game works. First, I pick a card from my hand and show it to everyone. Then, we all do it at the same time. The person with the highest card becomes the Builder of the Tower. They get the die and put it in front of them, with the number 1 showing. This is important because you can only score points when you’re the Builder and you have the die.

Now, the game continues. We all keep choosing cards and playing them at the same time. If the Builder wins the round, they earn points equal to the number on the die. Let’s say the first Builder wins the second round, they would get 1 point. They then increase the die by one, so now it shows 2. If the same Builder wins again, they get 2 points.

In case players pick cards of the same rank and there is a tie, I emerge victorious as the Builder. Not only do I earn the points displayed on the die, but I also increase its value by one. On the other hand, if there’s a tie and the die is in the middle of the table, no one becomes the Builder, and the die stays where it started.

My title as the Builder is instantly revoked if someone plays a card of higher value than mine. The player who triumphs in the round takes control of the die, places it in front of them, and resets it back to one.

During a round, if only one Joker card is played, I lose my title as the Builder, and the die is returned to the center of the table. On the other hand, if multiple Joker cards are played, it’s a tie, and I come out on top.

This gameplay pattern continues for a total of fourteen rounds.

Now, let’s talk about winning. The player with the highest score at the end of the game emerges as the ultimate victor. However, if a player manages to secure a win with the six showing on the die, the game concludes, and they automatically claim victory.