Exploding Kittens has created, with Jeff Probst helping to design, a board game of Survivor! So, while we Survivor fans are waiting for Survivor Fifty to begin, finally, we can play Survivor at home. And, if there’s anyone in your family who doesn’t watch Survivor, this is a great way to get them on board before the biggest season yet.
What’s in the box?
Survivor includes the game board, action cards, Survivor character cards, a voting box, Survival Guide, and the rules. There isn’t a game board, per se, so you can play on almost any surface. If the box fits – and it sits up on its side, anyway – the game fits! The action cards include Tribal Council cards and Vote cards – exciting! The Survivor character cards are of actual Survivor players – some winners and some fan favorites, too. There are six colors and two Survivor players for each color. As you all know by now, my favorite color is purple, but one of my least favorite players is on a purple card. Don’t worry – I’ve got a strategy for that.
How to play Survivor:
Setting up the game area is easy. Remove the lid from the box and the interior storage space is also the voting box. To make up the tribes, each player picks their color, and places their Survivor players face up on the table in front of them. Any Survivor character cards that aren’t chosen for tribes get set aside (they won’t be part of the game). Each player also gets a Vote card, with the remaining cards set aside. Remove the Tribal Council and Vote cards from the action card deck and check the rules for how many you need to include. There’s a chart for how many Single Elimination and Double Elimination Tribal Council cards are needed, based on how many people are playing. The unused Tribal Council cards won’t be used and can join the unpicked Survivor character cards. Shuffle the Action cards and deal 3 to each player, face down. Each player can see their own hand but keep them secret from the others. Then, shuffle the Tribal Council cards, pick one at random, and put it face down at the bottom of the action cards deck. The rest of the Tribal Council cards should be cut into the deck as evenly as you can manage. The deck is then placed in the middle of the playing area as the draw pile. Set the box on the table so that the voting slots are facing up.
TOP TIP: Keep the Survival Guide handy, because it helps explain the rules of each type of card.
On each turn, players have three steps they can take. First you must steal a card from any player. Then, if you want, you can play an action card. The played action cards get placed face-up on the table as the discard pile. If a card is played, you must following the directions on the card. To finish your turn, draw a card and add it to your hand. Don’t get too excited about any card you draw, though, because your opponent(s) may end up stealing it on their turn. The Survivor play comes in while you’re stealing and playing action cards. Make alliances with your fellow players! Outwit them whenever you can. There are only three rules: You can’t give a player a card unless and action card requires it; you can’t show your hand to another player unless an action card requires it; and you can’t try to trick your opponents by hiding how many cards are in your hand.
Tribal Council! When a player draws a Tribal Council card (they’re slightly bigger than the rest of the action cards, so it will be obvious that it’s coming), they place the card face up on the table. This should be the last part of your turn. You can’t hold a Tribal Council card for later play. If it’s a single elimination, players vote out one player. If it’s a double elimination, players vote out two players. Whoever draws the Tribal Council card leads that tribal council. The Tribal Council Leader starts the voting, counts the votes, and, most importantly, resolves any ties. Don’t worry about leading the tribal council. There’s a script in the rules. Note that there are Tribal Advantage cards that must be used during that tribal council. The Tribal Council Leader decides when the discussion ends and voting begins. The voting happens with all eyes closed except the player who is voting. After the votes, the leader asks for any immunity idols (!)
How to Win Survivor:
The only way to win Survivor is to outwit, outplay, and outlast your opponents. If you are the player who receives the most votes during a Tribal Council, you choose which character to eliminate (by turning them face down on the table). My unwanted purple tribemate is always going to be the first to go from my tribe. 😀 When there’s a tie or the result is unclear, the Tribal Council Leader has all the power and decides which player gets voted out. There are rules about it, but the power is essentially theirs. When there are only two players left, the Final Tribal Council begins immediately to determine the winner. All of the players who were voted out make up the jury, of course. The final two players have to plead their case. The last player to have been voted out is automatically the Final Tribal Council Leader. And there’s a script for the Final Tribal Council, too. As the discussion proceeds, jury members raise a finger to indicate they’re ready to vote. When all jury members have raised a finger, the final vote begins. The Final Tribal Council Leader proclaims, “The winner of Survivor is . . . 3 . . . 2 . . .1 . . .” and then the jury members point at the player they think should win. In the case of a tie, the Final Tribal Council Leader breaks the tie AND they don’t have to pick who they voted for. Sneaky!
TOP TIP: Jury management is just as important in Survivor the game as it is in Survivor the show!
Survivor is fun and can be rowdy. It’s easy to play, but has dynamic action, both in the gameplay and the jury management/alliances/breaking deals aspect. Be sure you’re playing with people who won’t get too upset about lies, etc. (i.e., this may not be a good game to play with your littles). The instructions and survival guide are great, but if you’re learn-by-doing person, you can scan the QR code on the rule book to watch a video of the game in play. Survivor is for 3-6 players, and the recommended age range is 8+. Games can last 30-60 minutes, so this is a great game night game.
٭٭٭٭٭Highly Recommended
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