You might be sitting there with questions. Or not; we can't say. We're not saying that you're the kind of person who asks questions. Far from it. In fact, we are banking on the fact that you are the sort of person who doesn't ask questions, but sits quietly, waiting for your question to be answered.
Well guess what, you lucky dog, you've just been awarded your own page. We peered into our crystal ball, tasted a little of that fine potion we keep in the cupboard, and consulted our divine rod, and we have determined the questions most likely to be asked. The most frequently asked questions, if you will.
So sit back, dear player, relax, and enjoy the plump fruits of our wearied labor. We of course will return to the cupboard for more potion. We toil for you.
1.0 Finance Phase
2.0 Purchase Phase
3.0 Development Phase
4.0 Going Gold Phase
5.0 The End Game
6.0 General
7.0 Alternate Rules
8.0 Outside the Game
Card Index (so you can look up questions by card)
1.0 Finance Phase
No. The unique ability of the Pink Godzilla Character Card cannot be used until after the Developer, whose turn it is, replenishes the Resource Row and then completes the Finance Phase by drawing a card. After that card is drawn, it’s open season on the Resource Row. Remember, cards have feelings too. Be careful not to rip them!
2.0 Purchase Phase
2.1 Can I trade in more cards than I need to on a trade?
Yes. For example, if you have the Special Ability Card that lets you draw 2 cards if you have 3 or less cards in your hand you may actually wish to trade in more cards than you have to in order to get your hand down to 3 cards. Note that you cannot, however, discard extra cards at the end of your turn, if you are already at 7 cards or less.
2.2 Do I have to show my bid cards on an auction if I lose the auction?
Yes, if a rival developer asks to see the cards. This is the drawback to losing an auction.
2.3 Do I have to show my bid cards if I declare “No Bid?
” No, even if someone asks to see them.
2.4 What happens if I hold an auction and everyone says “no bid” – including me?
It’s as if there was no auction. You may not trade for a card, and the lowest card or cards in the Resource Row are discarded.
Yes. Using the Pink Godzilla Character Card’s special swapping ability is always a free action, even when it’s your turn.
It depends. If you trade for a card of value 5 or 7 (i.e., higher than the 4-point value of the Pink Godzilla Character Card) then you must use the Pink Godzilla Character Card’s unique power to get the card. If you trade for a card of value 4 or less, then you can declare out loud if you are using Pink Godzilla for a standard trade or trading using its unique power.
Yes. Once you commit to playing Hack the System, you must use its power if you lose and you must discard it if you win.
No, you just have to discard Hack The System.
Yes, always – unless of course you declare “No Bid” and don’t turn your cards over.
No. You may only play cards off your Warehouse during your own Development Phase.
Ya betcha! Even a card like Hack The System, which usually cannot be played on Development Phase, can be used in this way.
3.0 Development Phase
3.1 Do I have to start a videogame with a Title Card?
No, you can start any videogame with any card except an Easter Egg.
In effect, yes. Because a card may never be removed from a videogame in development, once a set of cards has only color in common, those cards must be used for that color of game. For example, both the character Pixel and the Combos gear may be used in pink and orange videogames, so playing them together still gives you flexibility of creating either a pink or orange videogame. But if you then add a Jumpman character, the videogame must be pink, because Jumpman may only be played on pink or blue videogames, so pink is the only color in common between each card.
Yes. The most efficient way to use this card is to do a trade – usually by trading a card that you want for one you don’t want, then using Reorganization to get the card you just traded away along with 4 other cards.
No. Hack The System (limited edition) may be played during an auction on any Developer’s turn, and it never counts towards your two-card play limit.
Yes, playing a Special Ability Card on the table to activate it always counts as a card played. Using the card’s special ability, however, is a free play (only on your turn). You can, in fact, use this special ability as many times as you want on your turn, provided you can pay for it. This card allows you to spend at least 10 points worth of cards from your hand to take any Title Card or Required Gear Card from the discard pile.
No, but playing a card onto your warehouse does count as one of your two cards. And so does playing the Warehouse on the table to activate it.
Yes. The only free plays in the game are Hack The System (limited edition), Exclusive License’s ability (limited edition), Clone the Clone and Pink Godzilla.
Yes.
3.9 How many cards can I play onto the Warehouse Special Ability Card?
Just two cards at any given time. If you later play the cards out of the Warehouse during your Development Phase, then you can always store more cards so long as you don’t exceed the maximum storage capacity of two cards.
3.10 Does Hired Guns take effect the turn I play it?
Yes, but you must play it as the first or second card of your turn, not the third.
3.11 Can I start more than one videogame at a time?
Sure! And there’s no penalty for unfinished videogames at the end of the game. But remember, you only get points at the end of the game for videogames that are either complete or videogames that already have the requirements for completion (a Title Card, the two Required Gear Cards, and at least one matching Character Card).
3.12 Can a Required Gear Wild Card be played onto a game that already has two Required Gear Cards?
No. A Required Gear Wild Card takes the place of a Required Gear Card. So you can’t play a Required Gear Wild Card if there’s no slot for a required gear, and vice versa.
No, not if there is more than one gear slot still available. In fact, you could even start a videogame with a Required Gear Wild Card, then decide later what type of videogame you’re going to build around it.
No, because Bonus Cards and Clone Bonus Cards are paid in the Going Gold Phase after the Development Phase has already ended.
3.15 Can I play the Good or Evil Guardian onto a videogame and use that Guardian’s unique ability?
No. You can either play as a Character Card or discard to use the Good or Evil Guardian’s unique ability.
No, you must declare whether you are using the Neutral Guardian’s unique ability on the turn you play her.
3.17 Can I change a card I’ve already played?
Once you’ve played a card and you Development Phase ends, you cannot make any changes. A card laid becomes a card played.
If it’s still your Development Phase, just take the card back and play it or another card somewhere else. If it’s after your Development Phase, the card must be discarded. If there’s a choice of cards to discard, and a rival developer discovered the problem, that developer decides which card to discard (which might not be the last card you played!).
3.19 Is there any way to move or discard a card I’ve already played onto a videogame?
No. Once on a videogame, always on that videogame.
3.20 When is my Development Phase over?
When I draw cards for complete a videogame in the Going Gold phase or say you’re done with your turn.
4.0 Going Gold Phase
4.1 Can I finish a project with a Neutral Guardian and then an Easter Egg?
Kind of. There’s no rule against playing both cards in the same videogame, but if you use the Neutral Guardian’s unique ability – allowing you to complete a game without the required gear – then the Neutral Guardian must be the last card played in that project. Because an Easter Egg can only be played after a videogame contains at least a Title Card, both Required Gear Cards and a Character Card, an Easter Egg cannot then be played after the Neutral Guardian is used with its unique ability.
No, the cloner gets his Clone Bonus Card and you get your Bonus Card for the upgrade.
No. It’s an upgrade. You gotta have something to upgrade. It can be played before the corresponding Required Gear Card, however, so long as the Required Gear Card is played before completing the videogame.
No. Gear Upgrade Cards only give you a Clone Bonus Card if there is a matching Clone Special Ability Card in play when the videogame Goes Gold.
No, a Gear Upgrade Card only scores you a Clone Bonus Card when the videogame it is in is cloned by a rival Developer at the time it Goes Gold. After that, the card has no further effect on game play.
No. The Going Gold phase is after the Development Phase. Your turn is over once you receive your payment, then discard down to 7 cards when necessary.
No. The Going Gold Phase is after the Development Phase.
4.8 Do cards played on my Warehouse Special Ability Card count towards my hand limit?
No. This makes for nifty combinations with Reorganization and/or Venture Capital.
4.9 Can you choose to discard to below 7 cards?
No. You can only discard down to 7 cards.
No, all Special Ability Cards – including clones – must be played on the table in order to activate them.
Yes! This means that sometimes you may not want to play a Clone Special Ability Card if a rival Developer has two Gear Upgrade Cards on a videogame that matches your Clone Special Ability Card.
5.0 The End Game
5.1 Does the game end immediately when someone declares their 4th game complete in Going Gold phase?
Not if any developer has the Extra Lives Special Ability Card in play. The Developer who has played Extra Lives before the game ends may immediately play all the cards out of his hand including Pink Godzilla Character Cards, Power Ups, Guardians, etc. No other developer, however, may play any cards, even Pink Godzilla Character Cards.
Yes, all these take effect, even at the end of the game. But as a practical matter, the only way you can use these cards is if you have Extra Lives; and the only way another developer can effect you if you have these cards is if that developer has both Extra Lives and the Evil Guardian.
Yes. Extra Lives is basically an endless Development Phase. You can play any card that can normally be played during the Development Phase.
Absopositively. One girl at PAX had all three 3rd place videogames and got 30 points in bonuses!
Yes. And in a 4-player game, all Developers with three complete videogames get the bonus.
6.0 General
Pen and paper is pretty easy. Plus you can see who’s built what value videogames to see what you need to beat. You can also just count at the end of the game if you want.
The Developer that slaps the card first gets the card. If there’s really a flat-out tie, then the owner of Pink Godzilla Dev Kit decides. Be careful not to rip the card, though!
6.3 Are there any cards I can play when it’s not my turn?
Only the Pink Godzilla Character Card (after Finance Phase) , Hack The System (limited edition) (any Purchase phase), and Clone The Clone (any Going Gold phase).
6.4 What’s the card distribution of PG Dev Kit?
There are 32 Required Gear Cards, 30 Character Cards, 24 special cards (including 2 limited edition special ability cards), and 20 Title Cards:
Titles (20): five each of the four colors, value 2 to value 5.
Gear (34): eight each of weapons, vehicles, and combos, all value 2 to value 5. Four each of potions and accessories, value 3 to value 5. Two Required Gear Wild Cards, each value 2.
Characters (30): six each of Jumpman, Pixel, the Elders, and Team Ninja Suppressors, each value 2 to value 5; plus three Pink Godzillas, all value 4, and three Guardians, all value 4.
Special Cards (24): nine Special Abilities and four Power Ups, all value 4, four Easter Eggs, all value 7, and five Gear Upgrade Cards, all value 4. (Decks containing the limited edition cards have one more Special Ability and Power Up card).
Special Abilities:
· Four clones
· Venture Capital
· Hired Guns
· Extra Lives
· Warehouse
· Market Power
Plus the limited edition Exclusive License
Power Ups:
· Holiday Rush
· Milestone Met
· Reorganization
· Clone the Clone
Plus the limited edition Hack The System
6.5 What’s the highest possible score for one videogame in PG Dev Kit?
52. That’s a value 5 Title Card, two value 5 Character Cards, two value 5 Required Gear Cards, three value 4 Character Cards (Pink Godzilla, Neutral Guardian, and either the Good or Evil guardian), two value 4 Gear Upgrade Cards, and a value 7 Easter Egg. 52 is, by the way, 10 points more than the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything (with appropriate apologies to Douglas Adams).
6.6 What are the current record scores?
The best videogame we’ve ever seen in a 2-player game is 40 points. The best we’ve ever seen for a 3- or 4-player game is 39 points.
The best total score we’ve seen is 174 points for a 2-player game (twice, and one time was a girl who’d never played the game before!). The best total score for a 3-player or 4-player game was 148 (by Matt Bigford at Gossip). Records are recorded for rounds played during official Pink Godzilla events such as conventions, tournaments and other random (but official) gatherings.
6.7 How much of PG Dev Kit is luck and how much is skill?
Luck is 16.37% and Skill is 73.43% of PG Dev Kit. The remaining 10.2%#### Well that’s the mystery ingredient of course.
7.0 Alternate Rules You Can Try
7.1 For playing with a young kid or a really stupid friend (i.e., not a gamer) for the first time: Try taking out all the Special Ability and Power Up Cards, but leaving in the Pink Godzilla Character Cards, Guardians, and Easter Eggs.
7.2 For fairness to developers who don’t go first: Other developers draw a card to start the game. In a 4-player game, only the 3rd and 4th developers draw a card and the 2nd developer just gets to complain.
7.3 For more auctions: The value of cards you trade in during your Purchase Phase must be at least one more than the value of the card you take (instead of equal to the value of the card you take).
7.4 For a more tactical (and longer) 2-player game: Play to 5 games instead of 4. The 15-point bonus is given for 5 complete games.
7.5 For a recycling Neutral Guardian: Instead of playing the Neutral Guardian on a videogame to use its unique ability, discard the Neutral Guardian like you do with the Good and Evil Guardians.
8.0 Outside the Game
8.1 What are limited edition cards?
There are currently two limited edition cards, the power up Hack The System and the special ability Exclusive License, quantity three-thousand (3000) of each. These cards will be included with the first three-hundred (300) decks of Pink Godzilla DEV KIT sold at the store in Seattle, and then will be exclusive to decks sold online.
8.2 How do I get limited edition cards?
Order the game online at www.pinkgodzillagames.com/store.
8.3 Where can I get strategy advice to improve my play?
Visit the Pink Godzilla DEV KIT forum for questions and answers about rules, strategy and more! www.pinkgodzillagames.com/forum
8.4 Are any tournaments planned for Pink Godzilla DEV KIT?
Yes. Keep visiting the www.pinkgodzillagames.com or www.pgdevkit.com for the latest news on PG DEV KIT tournaments.
8.5 Are any expansions planned for Pink Godzilla DEV KIT?
Yes, once you and all your friends have bought the game, and all their friends have bought the game, a new expansion should be coming out.
CARD INDEX
Clone Special Ability: 4.4; 4.5; 4.10; 4.11Clone the Clone: 3.7
Easter Egg: 3.14; 4.1
Evil Guardian: 3.7; 3.15
Exclusive License: 2.11; 3.5; 3.7; 5.3
Extra Lives: 5.1; 5.3
Good Guardian: 1.2; 3.7; 3.15
Hack The System: 2.7; 2.8; 2.9; 3.4; 3.7; 6.4
Hired Guns: 3.10
Neutral Guardian: 3.14; 3.16; 4.1
Pink Godzilla: 1.1; 2.6; 3.7; 6.2; 6.3
Reorganization: 3.3; 3.8
Gear Upgrade: 4.2; 4.3; 4.4; 4.5; 4.11
Venture Capital: 3.8
Warehouse: 2.10; 3.6; 3.9; 4.8
Wild Card 3.12; 3.13
Artwork by Dave Linder. Game designed by Christopher Rao.
© 2006 Pink Godzilla LLC.