Objective
Squirrel or Die is a quick survival game where you play as a squirrel hiding your food supplies for the winter. The aim is to have more food than your opponents by the end of winter and to survive.
Components
- 32 Cards, including 8 food cards, 8 death or danger cards, and 16 blank cards.
Setup
- Shuffle the cards thoroughly.
- Each player receives 2 cards face-down.
- The remaining cards are laid out face-down in a 4x4 grid in the center of the table.
Gameplay
The game is played in two phases: the Hiding Phase and the Survival Phase.
Hiding Phase
- This phase continues until all players have used their two cards.
- Starting with a designated player, players take turns placing one of their cards face-down on any space in the 4x4 grid or peeking at one of the cards in the grid without revealing it.
- Each player also has the option to peek at a face-down card on the grid without altering it.
- Once all cards from hand have been played, the phase ends.
Survival Phase
- In this phase, players take turns flipping over cards in the grid.
- Beginning with the starting player, each player takes turns flipping one card in the grid.
- If a food card is revealed, the squirrel survives, and the player who flipped it keeps the card.
- If a death card is revealed, the player immediately loses all previously collected food for that turn.
- Blank cards are neutral and have no effect.
Ending and Winning the Game
- The game ends when all cards have been flipped.
- The player with the most collected food cards wins the game.
Strategic Tips
- Know your surroundings: Remember which cards are where. It’s important to keep track to avoid flipping a death card.
- Bluffing and covering: Cleverly place your death cards to mislead others while hiding food cards in safer spots.
- Calculated risks: It might be worth taking risks in the survival phase if you believe there are many food cards left.
Squirrel or Die combines strategic planning with simple risk management, making it ideal for families and friends.
