User Guide

Overview

Blindfold Wildcard is a fully accessible card game similar to the game known as “Uno” for both sighted and visually impaired people, designed for rapid audio play.
If you want to play Wildcard with game center friends, check out Blindfold Wildcard with Friends in the App Store.

You control this game using iPhone gestures.
First, in the main menu, tap the button “PLAY GAME” – to start playing the game.

In this game, you and the computer alternate placing cards on the discard pile. You must match either the color or the number on the card. For example, if the computer plays a red 6, you must play either a 6 or another red card. The WILD card is special; it can be played at any time, and you can then set the color of play, also called the wild color. For example, if you have an WILD card, and you haove lots of blue cards in your hand, you can play the WILD card, and then declare that blue is the wild color. The computer can then only play blue cards until either you or the computer changes the color. The first player to discard all of his cards wins the round.

The game can be played with two, three or four players; initially, 7 cards are dealt to both you and the other players, and then one of you plays first.
You will hear your actions and game information in a woman’s voice, and the other player’s actions in a man’s voice.
The top card from the deck is moved to the discard pile, and the first player must match that card. If the top card is a special card, the next top card from the deck is moved to the discard pile until a number card is seen.
There is a cursor – similar to a voice-over cursor – which determines the currently selected card in your hand.

The deck has 108 cards, with 2 cards each of the numbers from 0 to 9 in each of the four colors (for example, there are two cards labeled one red). Other cards available in all four colors are the cards: DRAW TWO, REVERSE, SKIP, WILD and WILD DRAW 4.

To move within your hand, flick left to go in one direction, or flick right to go in the other direction.
To move to the next color group in your hand, swipe left or right with 2 fingers.
You will hear a double beep if you attempt to go too far left or right.
To find out where the cursor is, and to get current playing information, swipe down with 3 fingers.

To hear all of your cards, swipe down with 2 fingers. To hear the top card on the discard pile, tap with two fingers.

To play the current card, tap twice on the screen.
To draw a new card from the deck, tap the screen with three fingers, or tap one finger on the screen three times.

If you played an WILD card, you will be asked to select the wild color.
Flick left or right to select amongst blue, red, green and yellow. When you found the color you want, tap twice on the screen.

To go back to the main menu, swipe up with 3 fingers.

Playing For Free – How to use coins

To play one round of Wildcard, you will use one coin.
This game comes with 10 coins, so you can play 10 rounds of Wildcard.
If you purchase the STARTER PACK, coins are not needed.

Scoring

You play multiple rounds of the game until you or one of your opponent achieves a high score.
The game is over when one player discards all of his cards.
The game is scored as follows: 50 points for WILD DRAW 4 or WILD CARD, 20 points for DRAW TWO, REVERSE or SKIP, and the face value of the card for cards from zero to nine.
The player to discard all his cards first is awarded with the points in each of his opponent’s hands.
Hence in a two player game between you and the computer, and you win the round, and the computer has a WILD CARD, a blue two and a red eight, you get 60 points.

The alternate scoring option in the SETTINGS screen works by keeping a running tally of the total points left in each player’s hand at the end of each round.
The game ends when one player gets to 500 (or whatever the target score is), and the player with the lowest score wins.

Each time you do really well, you can post your scores to Twitter or Facebook.
First, in SETTINGS, select to post to either Twitter or Facebook.
Then, when you score really well, the game will tell you to tap the screen twice with 2 fingers to post your score.
With twitter, your scores are already shown.
With facebook, you must paste your scores using the standard method on the iPhone for pasting text.

How to Win

The key to winning the game is strategy and using the right combination of cards.
The strategies listed here may not help you to win every time but it should help help you improve significantly.
Other key elements to winning a game depends on how many opponents you have, the colors in your hand, the command cards you have, and how many command cards have been used on you.

Count cards

Keeping track of what cards have been played will require you to pay attention to what is going on around you.

If a player has put down quite a few cards of the same color then you need to change the color being played as soon as you can.
You do not want them to be able to get rid of their cards so quickly.
If a player has to keep drawing cards on the same color each turn, then do your best not to have the color changed.
This will keep that player continually drawing cards until they draw one that can be played but also gives them an additional amount of cards in their hand.
You can also try to control the color in play.
The best way to change the color you want is with Wild cards.
You can also change the color by laying down the same number of the card played but with a different color. For example, if there is a green 2, you can play a red 2 to have the color changed.

Skip/Reverse/Draw-Two Cards

Using your Skip and Reverse cards strategically will aid you in winning instead of another player. You also have to pay attention to the number of cards each player has left in their hand.

If you are playing a game with just one other opponent and they are getting low on cards, hit them with any Skips and Reverses you have to lower your card count.
This also works if a player next to you is getting low on cards.
Consider if the player two down from you is on their last card and you have a Skip and a Reverse card.
It would be better to play the Reverse card.
If you play the Skip card then the person next to you will be skipped over, allowing the second person to win if they are able to lay their last card down.
As with the Skip and Reverse card, the Draw-Two card also has to be placed strategically.
They are a perfect way to keep a player low on cards from winning that round.

If the player that has just gone before you is left with only a few cards, play a reverse followed by a Draw-Two card on your next turn.
They may be able to play another card from the Reverse, but the Draw-Two will give them an extra card.
If the player who goes after you has one card left, play a Draw-Two card to keep them from winning.

Wild/Draw-Four Wild cards

Wild and Draw-Four Wild cards can make or break a winning round.

Both cards will cost 50 points each if you still hold them in your hand at the end of the round.
It is best to know when to hold onto them and when to get rid of them.
Try to hold onto the Wild card as long as you are able. Wild cards can be used at any point in the game, no matter what has been played.
A Draw-Four card will benefit you if you are able to play it when you are down to a few cards in your hand and are still able to win.
The cards the other players have to draw will count towards the points you get.
If another player is low on cards and it seems they will definitely be the one to win, get rid of your Wild or Draw-Four Wild cards as soon as possible.
You want to give them as little points as you can.

Playing Your High Cards Early

The scoring is as follows:
Cards 1-9: Valued at their face amount.
Draw-Two: 20 points.
Reverse: 20 points.
Skip: 20 points.
Wild: 50 points.
Wild-Draw-Four: 50 points.
The higher the points in your hand, the more points the winner gets from you.

Keep in mind that when you are discarding your number cards, play the highest card you can each turn.
This is unless you have a large amount of cards that match the color in play.
It is also important to try to discard your 20 point cards.
This also comes into play with what strategy you use to best discard them.

Additional Tips

When another player lays down a card, do not give them a hint as to what you have or do not have.
This would include groaning, acting disappointed, or making a face.
Yes, your iPhone is very smart and will know what you have from your groaning.
But it will never look at your cards – it doesn’t cheat!

Players new to this game normally concentrate on playing their cards according to color.
Sometimes it is the best idea to play a card based on its number instead.

Enjoy the game.