Synapse

Synapse is a real-time card game in which cards are used as tiles to play into rows and columns of a 6x6 grid. Placement of tiles is concurrent and play ends when one player places his last card, much as in the game "Light Speed." The tiles are then scored based upon adjacent symbols which are the same in color, shape or number. The game is available for free download from the Black and White Games website: http://www.fairplaygames.com/newworldgames/bnw/synapse/synapse.htm From Mike Petty and the game's website: "Synapse is a two-player game where players race to arrange their cards into scoring positions. Like many real-time games, the play of the cards is fast and furious, then the scoring takes a little while as players figure out who actually won! Since only a complete understanding of scoring will allow a player to make good plays, however, it may be a little hard (while reading these rules) to understand when, where and maybe even why a player would place a cards into play. For now, suffice it to say that cards placed next to each other are potentially worth points if the icons on their adjacent sides match up in either shape, number or color. Sometimes a player will want to aim for matches worth maximum points. Other times he may want to form "connections" worth no points at all, in hopes of stopping his opponent from scoring. All the while a player has to keep a close eye on what his opponent is up to! As far as the design goes, Synapse is my attempt at a real-time game that has no luck and no room for cheating during the fast play. I think it succeeds well on these two accounts."