Download the PDF Rulebook here
Game Information
| Players | 3–5 Players |
| Playing Time | 20–30 min |
| Age | Ages 10+ |
Game Description
In the mood for an exorcism? You’ll have to be haunted first!
Phantom Trick is a trick-taking card game where the cards vanish before your very eyes!
Win a trick and you’re haunted, making you lose points, but match up ghosts and turn those penalties into prizes!
Phantoms can vanish at the drop of a hat, altering the outcome dramatically! Collect them and seize victory—if you dare!
Contents
・60 Phantom Cards
0 to 11 in each suit (Red / Blue / Yellow / Green / White)
・5 Summary Cards
Front (for 3–4 players)/Back (for 5 players)
・1 Scoreboard
・5 Score Markers (Red / Blue / Yellow / Green / Gray)
・1 Instruction Booklet
Game Setup
1.Summary Cards
Each player receives a summary card, and places it nearby with the appropriate side facing up.
2. Scoreboard and Score Markers
Place the scoreboard where everyone can see it, and place score markers whose colors correspond to the selected summary cards on the flame marked “10”.
3. Phantom Cards
Depending on the number of players, prepare the following phantom cards for play. Unused cards are returned to the game box.
| Players | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Cards Used | 1 to 10 in 4 suits (Remove all 0s, 11s, and white cards) | 1 to 10 in 5 suits (Remove all 0s and 11s) | 0 to 11 in 5 suits (Use all cards) |
| Deck Count | 40 cards (4 extra) | 50 cards (2 extra) | 60 cards (0 extra) |
Game Overview
1. Round Setup
2. Decide the first Leader
3. Play a trick
4. Score the trick
5. Card acquisition
6. Round scoring
1. Round Setup
Take the phantom cards prepared at setup and shuffle them together, face-down, then deal out twelve to each player.
Any remaining cards should be placed to the side, face-down. They will not be used this round.
Each player takes their twelve cards and looks at them, keeping their contents a secret from the other players. This is the player’s hand.
Next, each player selects one card from their hand and places it face-down to the right of their summary card.
Once everyone has placed a card, all placed cards are revealed simultaneously.
2. Decide the first Leader
Whoever placed the card with the lowest value goes first. If there is a tie, those tied players are ignored, and the next-lowest value indicates who goes first.
If a Leader cannot be determined this way, then play rock-paper-scissors to decide who goes first.
3. Play a trick
Starting with the Leader and going in clockwise order, each player plays a card from their hand. This is called a trick.
Once everyone plays a card, the trick is scored, and the next trick is played.
After 11 tricks, the round is over, and players move on to final scoring.
For the Leader
Choose any card from your hand and play it by placing it in front of you, face-up. The suit (color) of the card is called the Leader’s suit.
For other players
Do one of the following, depending on the cards in your hand:
If you have any cards matching the Leader’s suit:
You must play one of those cards.
If you do not have any cards matching the Leader’s suit:
You may play any card.
During a trick:
If a card is played with the same value as one already played that trick, immediately turn those two cards face-down.
Changing the Leader
If the Leader’s card is turned face-down during a trick, then the player to the Leader’s left becomes the new Leader.
If that player’s card is also face-down, then the Leader becomes the player to their left, and so on.
4. Score the trick
After everyone has played a card, the trick is scored.
Whoever played the highest-numbered card matching the Leader’s suit wins the trick.
(Only consider cards that remain face-up.)
The winner of the trick carries out step 5: Card acquisition, and becomes the Leader for the next trick.
Note that in a 4-player game, it is possible that all cards will be turned face-down.
In that case, no one wins the trick, and the player who played the first card becomes the next trick’s Leader.
5. Card acquisition
The winner of the trick chooses a card to gain from among all the played cards that are still face-up, including their own.
The chosen card is lined up to the right of the winner’s summary card face-up, so that players can see it at all times.
During card acquisition
If you obtain a card with the same value as one already face-up to the right of your summary card, score them by taking those two cards and turning them face down, stacking them in a pile to the left of your summary card.
Players other than the Leader
If your card was turned face-down during the trick, you score that card by adding it to the pile to the left of your summary card.
Any unclaimed cards are set aside, face-down, and the next trick begins. Once 11 tricks are played, the round ends.
6. Round scoring
After 11 tricks, the players’ hands will be empty.
Each player scores the cards to the left and the right of their summary cards.
Cards on the left score points, while those on the right deduct points.
Record your score on the scoreboard by moving the score marker that matches the color of your summary card.
Note that the scoreboard only goes up to 16.
If the game is not yet over (see next section), players begin a new round starting from step 1: Round setup.
End of the game
The game ends once any player’s score is 0 or lower, or once three rounds have passed, whichever happens first.
The player with the highest score is the winner.
In case of a tie, the player who gained the most points in the final round is the winner.
If that is still a tie, then all tied players share the victory.