Objective of the Game

In Rebel Princess, players take on the roles of fairy-tale Princesses attending a 5-day-long party. The goal is to avoid marriage proposals from the uninvited Prince Charmings who are trying to infiltrate the ball. The player who manages to stay single by accumulating the fewest marriage proposals by the end of the party wins the game.

Preparation (Setup)

1. Choose a Princess: Shuffle the Princess Cards and deal 2 to each player. Each player selects 1 Princess to keep, placing it face down in front of them, and returns the other to the box. Reveal Princesses simultaneously. Each Princess has a unique power (see "Princess Cards" for details).
2. Attend the Party: Prepare the deck with cards from the 4 suits: Fairies, Pets, Princes, and Queens. Remove certain cards based on the number of players:
   • 3 players: Remove 1s, 11s, and 12s.
   • 4 or 5 players: Remove 11s and 12s.
   • 6 players: Use all suited cards.
3. Deal the Cards: Shuffle the deck and deal all cards equally among players, face down. The player to the left of the dealer starts the game.
4. Organize the Party: Choose 5 Round Cards and place them in a row, face down. For first-time players, use Round Cards a, b, c, d, and e. Cards with a black hourglass are recommended for the final round.
5. Scoring: Place the Scorepad and a pencil nearby for tracking proposals.

Flow of the Game

The game is divided into 5 rounds. At the start of each round, flip the corresponding Round Card and read its effect. Players then exchange cards as indicated on the Round Card (e.g., pass 1 card to the left). Play begins with the starting player leading the first trick. Players continue playing tricks until all cards are played. At the end of the round, score marriage proposals, shuffle the deck, refresh exhausted Princesses, and reveal the next Round Card. The player with the lowest total score starts the next round.

Actions and How to Play

Playing a Trick

Each player, starting with the lead player and proceeding clockwise, plays one card face up. The first card played determines the led suit, and players must follow suit if possible. If a player cannot follow suit, they may play any card (called being "void"). The player with the highest card of the led suit wins the trick and collects the cards face down in front of them. The winner leads the next trick.

Princes Sneaking In

Players cannot start a trick with a Prince card unless a player is void and plays a Prince. Once a Prince is played, players may lead with Princes for the rest of the round.

Rebel of the Ball

If a player wins all Prince cards and the Frog, they become the "Rebel of the Ball" and receive -10 proposals for that round.

Using Princess Powers

Each Princess has a unique power that can be used once per round. To use it, read the power aloud and flip the Princess card face down. Powers are refreshed at the end of the round.

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends after 5 rounds. Players tally their marriage proposals: each Prince counts as 1 proposal, and the Frog counts as 5. The player with the fewest proposals wins. Ties are broken in favor of the player with the most rounds scoring zero or fewer proposals. If still tied, play an additional round with a black hourglass Round Card to determine the winner.

Tips for Winning

• Avoid the Frog: The Frog is worth 5 proposals, so try to avoid winning tricks containing it.
• Use Princess Powers Wisely: Each Princess's power can be used once per round. Plan when to activate it for maximum effect.
• Monitor Round Card Effects: Each Round Card introduces unique rules that can drastically change gameplay. Adapt your strategy accordingly.