Once Upon A Time Card Game First Impressions

Once upon a time, there was a card game…

…that appeared to affect my short-term memory.

Once Upon A Time is a game in which the players create a story together, using cards that show typical elements from fairy tales. One player is the Storyteller and creates a story using the ingredients on her cards. She tries to guide the plot towards her own ending. The other players try to use cards to interrupt her and become the new Storyteller. The winner is the first player to play out all her cards and end with her Happy Ever After card.

You have a bunch of cards with various characters, places, aspects and events. You play them out by telling a story as you play them

So as you tell your story you play a card that matches what you have said. The goal is to get all of your cards out of your hand. You can’t just say things like “He went on a journey by a river and was imprisoned in a dungeon…” and bash out those 4 cards from your hand, you need to space them out.

So for each ‘beat’ of the story, you play a card rather than try and smash out several in one sentence.

But, if you mention something that is in someone else’s hand that triggers something.

For instance, let’s say you suddenly start talking about a Princess. If someone has the Princess card in their hand, they can take over the story by playing their Princess card.

The goal of the ‘game’ is to get all the cards out of your hand and play your happy ending card. Each player has a different ending so everyone is trying to steer the story in their own direction.

Once Upon a Time Summary

The game is very fun, our story was bizarre, and confusing and would have made a terrible book but it was fun to listen to.

The problem is I was so busy enjoying and listening to the story that when it came to me I couldn’t remember a thing that had happened. I really REALLY struggled to have any continuity to my turns, getting rid of 3 cards at most in a single round.

Also, I’m too shy for games like this which doesn’t help me remember where we’re going. I don’t mind table-talk but I don’t like being the centre of attention.

But, I thought it was a fun game when it wasn’t my turn.

Jesta ThaRogue