What a Wonderful World 2026

A cooperative card game divided in two phases. First cards are laid down, then the requirements of the cards are determined by rolling dice.

Theme: Inspired by Michael Ende’s *Momo*, players join forces to face the “Grey Gentlemen” (time thieves).

Game Mechanics & Gameplay

Playing cards: Players place cards next to the matching number or symbol in the center of the table.

Dice Actions: Certain country cards allow you to use dice to fight the Grey Gentlemen.

Showdown: Towards the end, the Grey Gentlemen gather, and the group must work together to defeat them using exact die rolls, without having to sacrifice any dice.

Phase 1: The Main Game (Playing Cards & Rolling Dice)

Earth is placed in the center of the table as the starting point. Players hold cards, which they play in turn.

1. Placing cards according to the rules

On your turn, you must place a card from your hand face-up next to the rows of cards in the center of the table, and then draw a card. The Grey Gentlemen are defined by numbers and symbols.

The basic rule: A card with a specific number must be played next to the same number (e.g., a 1 next to a 1, a 2 next to a 2)

Extending rows: You may extend rows that are already on the table. However, a newly played card must differ in both symbol and number from the cards already in the row.

Blocking: Playing a card blocks specific symbols (such as a banknote or ink) and the corresponding number for that row.

Losing in Phase 1: If it is a player's turn and they cannot legally play a suitable card, the team immediately loses the game.

2. Land cards and rolling the die

Some cards in the draw pile are land cards with die symbols. As soon as a player draws such a card, a die-rolling action is triggered:

The player may roll 1 to 4 dice.

The goal is to match the total value of the rolled dice exactly to one of the number sequences laid out on the table.

If successful, the last card in that sequence (a "gray gentleman") may be removed. The player may then continue rolling the remaining dice, ideally to clear even more cards

Phase 2: The Showdown (The Finale)

Once all the cards in hand have been played, the finale begins. The remaining Grey Gentlemen gather, and all the number rows are pushed together.

Distributing the dice: The four dice are divided equally among the players.

The procedure: In the showdown, it is no longer the sum of all dice that counts, but the exact value of each individual die. All players roll simultaneously.

Defeating Grey Gentlemen: If a die shows the exact number of one of the face-up cards, that Grey Gentleman is defeated and the card is removed.

Successful Roll: If at least one card could be removed during a round, all dice may be used normally again in the next round.

Failed Roll & Sacrifice: If all dice show values ​​that are not currently displayed as cards (a complete failure), the group must collectively decide to permanently sacrifice one die. It is placed in the center of the table, and the team has one less die available for the remainder of the game.

End of the Game & Victory Conditions

Won: The team wins immediately if the last card of the Grey Gentlemen is also successfully rolled away during the showdown.

Defeat: The team loses if no matching cards can be removed during the showdown, or if all dice have been used up or sacrificed.