IOTA Description

[b][u]Match up to 4 cards in a line[/u] in which [u]each individual property (color, shape & number)[/u] is either [u][i]all the same[/i][/u] or [u][i]all different[/i][/u] on each card.[/b]

There are 64 unique cards consisting of 4 shapes (square, circle, cross, triangle), 4 colors, and 4 numbers, plus two wild cards.  [i](If you're familiar with the card game [url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1198/set]Set[/url], the matching is the same, but with 3 sets of 4 attributes instead of 3 sets of 3.)[/i]

Gameplay is essentially the same as Scrabble, with pattern matching instead of words.  You keep a hand of 4 cards at all times - each turn you may play 1 or more cards, pass, or trade in 1 or more cards.  Scoring is like Scrabble, using the numbers (1-4) of each card as point value.  Double your points that turn for playing all four of your cards, or for forming a "lot" - a line of 4 cards.  These 2x multipliers can stack (might play 4 cards [i]and[/i] make a lot, and can potentially make more that one lot in a single play), resulting in huge scores in a single turn that can change the game.

Recommended to read over the rules, as there are a few more specifics, and also more explanation and examples of the pattern matching rules.  Keep referring to page 2 for pattern match and gameplay examples until you've fully got it.  Once you do it seems simple, but finding and making good plays can still be a challenge.


[b][u]One tip[/u][/b] is that [b][u]any two cards will always make a match[/u][/b].  As long as there is an open space, you will always have a play making a match of two, though usually for relatively few points.

You will also often have a play building off that match of two, with one or more of your remaining cards, since like Scrabble, you must play in a straight line but you can play alongside existing tiles as long as any new lines also follow the match rule.

[b][u]One more tip[/u][/b]: since tiles part of two new lines in a play score once for each line, try to play higher value tiles (3 or 4) on those intersections for more points that turn.

[i]That concludes this mini-guide ;)[/i]

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[u]Game info[/u]:

[b]IOTA[/b]
2-4 Players
About 30 mins

Add cards to a grid, making sure that color, shape, and number are either all the same or all different across the line. Sounds easy but as the grid expands, so do the possibilities. Whoever sees the opportunities will seize the win! Iota – the pocket-sized game that’s big time fun!

Publisher website: https://gamewright.com/product/IOTA
Rules: https://gamewright.com/pdfs/Rules/IOTATM-RULES.pdf

BGG page: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/119632/iota


Rules (Spanish -  translation by Kaiser the Only!):
https://storage.googleapis.com/hgpball/stm/tts/iota/iota-ES.pdf
https://storage.googleapis.com/hgpball/stm/tts/iota/iota.Rules.pg1-ES.png
https://storage.googleapis.com/hgpball/stm/tts/iota/iota.Rules.pg2-ES.png

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Game scripting notes:
Start Game deal out cards to seated players.
Ending turn refills players hand back up to 4.
Using the trade in pad returns traded cards to bottom of deck, refills hand and ends turn.

Comments and suggestions welcome.

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Game and card designs property of Gamewright.
Card image recreation by HugePinball.
Spanish translation rules by Kaiser the Only!
Table by CHRY: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1391203594