Join in!

Cooperation: Iveta Holešová (graphic design, game structure & rules), Lina Skorobogatchenko (graphic design, illustration)

From the very beginning, we knew that we wanted to approach the exam theme "My Europe" with lightness and playfulness. There was no doubt that we would create a game. So, we started brainstorming ideas. Our first thought was to connect Europe with itself. The EU came to mind as one of the main connecting elements. We wanted to involve non-member states in a fun way into the union. This ideology seemed more suitable for a card game rather than a board game.

"Join Us!" is a card game designed not only for supporters of the European Union but for anyone who enjoys fun and enthusiastically explores new games. Our initial inspiration was a quartet. We adjusted and developed its rules according to our own ideas.

We designed and created a total of 98 cards. The game consists of 22 decks of 4 cards each. One deck represents one non-member state of the European Union. The game also includes a bonus deck consisting of 10 Brussels cards. Brussels cards favor their holder, helping them acquire two cards from an opponent. At the beginning of the game, each player is dealt four shuffled cards. The remaining playing cards are placed in a stack. Players take turns asking opponents for specific cards they need to complete a quartet. Complete quartets of cards are laid on the table. The player who lays out the most quartets on the table wins, symbolically involving the most states into the EU.

When designing, we considered readability and clarity. We placed the text on the cards in the corners to ensure it is visible and clear during gameplay. We used abbreviations for each state for quicker orientation, but we also spelled out the name of each state so players have an overview of state names. The illustrations on the cards with the "Economy" symbol are always different, depicting typical items for each state.

Quadriball

Cooperation: Iveta Holešová, Yana Korzhova, Nikola Valentová

The game is played on a special court with 4 baskets. The game is intended for two teams. Each team consists of 4 players: 2 attackers and 2 defenders. There is one referee who wears a special jersey. A basket scored from the colored circle counts as 4 points. A basket scored from any position on one's own field counts as 2 points. A basket scored from the penalty area or the opponent's field counts as 1 point. The team that first reaches a score of 44 points wins. Both teams warm up together before the match. The referee throws the ball into the center circle. The team that catches the ball has the advantage of its first possession and chooses its playing field.

Quadribble is played on all 4 baskets at once. The ball must first touch the bouncing part of the opponent's basket and then pass through the net of the adjacent basket. Otherwise, the shot is invalid. During the game, attackers move across the entire playing area. Defenders can only move within their own field and cannot leave it. Crossing the boundary line is counted as a foul (see penalty shots).

The game was created as part of a workshop with Yasha Rozov.