These are our original ways to play Touchcards, included in our booklet guide that comes when you get a deck. For more ways to play, visit 3 more ways to play Touchcards as a pair or 3 ways to play Touchcards as a group.
1. Discovery Mode | 2+ players | 5+ minutes
Dive in! Start at the top, or spread out all the cards bottom up. If you find a card you both like, take turns trying it out. How do you interpret the same card differently? What surprises you? What do you like about this? Try out three cards, then explore other ways to play.
2. Curation Mode | 2 players | 30 minutes
This is our favorite way to play. It allows both players to choose which touch-prompts they’d like to receive and give, creating a double-opt in consent dynamic (great for exploring touch with new connections!)
Each player gets half the deck. Pick 6 cards from your half that you want to receive. Then, trade hands: you get your partner’s 6, they get yours. From your new hand, pick 3 that you’d be excited to give. Set a timer for 5 minutes per prompt, and take turns.
3. Touch Journey | 2 players | 10+ minutes
Follow the instructions from Curation Mode. Instead of taking turns, combine the three prompts you chose into a three-part composition. Set the timer for 10 minutes per person.
We recommend playing Touch Journey after a round of Curation Mode. Combining the touches into a journey allows you to drop into the experience without interruption.
4. Guessing Game | 2 players | 5+ minutes
Split the deck in half. Take turns choosing and playing secret prompts. Let the receiver guess. After the final round, reveal all the prompts you played to resolve any remaining mystery.
5. Group Mode | 3+ players | 20+ minutes
Form groups of 3-4. Each player chooses one card they’d like to receive. Decide who goes first. Read out your prompt and share where you (don’t) welcome touch. The rest of the group sets a timer for 5 minutes. All of them give the chosen touch at once. Take turns.
6. Touch of Genius | 4-8 players | 20+ minutes
One person decides what touch they want to receive from all other players. They share their prompt and where they (don’t) welcome touch, get comfortable, and close their eyes. All other players become competitors, each taking one minute to deliver their best interpretation of the prompt.
Select a timekeeper who keeps track of time and announces when to switch: "Competitor one, go!" "One minute up, that was competitor one, competitor two, go!" After everyone has given their interpretation of the touch, the receiver acknowledges standout performances, and the winner becomes the receiver in the next round.
Got more ideas of how to play Touchcards? E-mail us at hello@playtouch.cards and share your experience tagging @playtouch.cards
