Party Games 🇦🇹Austria21st century

The Mind

REVOLUTIONARY COOPERATIVE CARD GAME (2018) by WOLFGANG WARSCH, published by NÜRNBERGER-SPIELKARTEN-VERLAG (NSV) / PANDASAURUS GAMES. 2-4 players cooperatively play cards in ASCENDING ORDER from 1-100 WITHOUT COMMUNICATING (no words, no gestures, no signals). Somehow it works via 'mental sync' + timing. Spiel des Jahres 2018 NOMINEE (game of year). Widely considered one of THE MOST INNOVATIVE PARTY GAMES OF THE 2010s. Held BGG top-100 party. 15-20 min. Simple, magical, unforgettable.

📐Table for card play⏱~20 min🌤indoor

What is The Mind?

THE MIND is a REVOLUTIONARY COOPERATIVE CARD GAME (2018) designed by WOLFGANG WARSCH (Austria, also Wavelength + The Quacks of Quedlinburg), published by NÜRNBERGER-SPIELKARTEN-VERLAG (NSV, Germany) + PANDASAURUS GAMES (USA distribution). 2-4 PLAYERS cooperatively play cards in ASCENDING ORDER from 1-100 WITHOUT COMMUNICATING — no words, no gestures, no signals, no eye contact conventions (though eye contact allowed). Somehow it works via 'MENTAL SYNC' + shared TIMING intuition. Considered one of THE MOST INNOVATIVE + POLARIZING party games of the 2010s — LOVE IT (magical) or HATE IT (arbitrary). SPIEL DES JAHRES 2018 NOMINEE (German mainstream Game of Year). HELD BGG TOP-100 PARTY. 15-20 MIN PER GAME. GAMEPLAY: Deck of 100 cards numbered 1-100. Play through LEVELS: Level 1 = each player dealt 1 card; Level 2 = 2 cards each; up to Level 8-12 depending on player count. GOAL: Play all cards in ASCENDING ORDER without communicating. When you feel your card is next-smallest played, place it down. If any player has a lower card in hand, LOSE A LIFE. Team starts with 3 LIVES + 3 SHURIKENS (throw shuriken = everyone reveals their lowest card = discarded safely). Additional life at level 3, 6, 9; additional shuriken at level 2, 5, 8. Complete all levels for VICTORY. RECEPTION: Spiel des Jahres 2018 NOMINEE (huge honor); Kennerspiel des Jahres 2018 recommended; BGG top-100 party consistently; widely polarizing but LOVED by cooperative gamers; considered one of the MOST UNUSUAL + MEMORABLE PARTY GAMES EVER.

Quick facts

How it works

Objective

Cooperatively complete all levels by playing cards 1-100 in ASCENDING order without communicating. Lose all lives = defeat.

Rules

Basic rules

100-card deck numbered 1-100; players cooperatively play in ascending order
No communication allowed.
Levels: Level 1 = 1 card each; Level 2 = 2 cards each; up to Level 8-12
Cards per hand increase per level.
When you feel your card is next-smallest, play it
Silent timing sync.
If someone plays wrong card (lower card in someone's hand), LOSE A LIFE
3 lives to start.
Shuriken (throw = everyone reveals lowest card + discards safely)
3 shurikens to start; add per level.
Complete all levels = victory
Level 8-12 depending on player count.

Scoring

Cooperative: complete all levels = victory; lose all lives = defeat.

Action	Points
Card played correctly	Progress to next
Wrong card (missed lower)	Lose 1 life
Shuriken thrown	Everyone reveals lowest; safe discard
Complete final level	VICTORY

Win condition · Complete all levels without running out of lives.

Playing area

Called

Table for card play

Dimensions

~60×60cm

Central discard pile (played cards) + life + shuriken tracker. Each player has small hand of cards.

Equipment

The Mind base box
$15 USD; 100 cards + life/shuriken cards
The Mind Extreme (2019 sequel)
$15; 2 decks (ascending + descending)
100-card deck (numbered 1-100)
Core content
Life + shuriken tracker cards
Track team resources

Strategies

Trust the process
Don't overthink; timing sync develops through games.
Small cards = play fast; big cards = wait
Card 3 plays within seconds; card 87 waits.
Shuriken timing
Save for confusing hands (e.g. clustered mid-range cards).
Match player breathing rhythm
Sync develops physiologically.
Don't quit early
Level 3 is a threshold — bonus life makes 4+ possible.

Terminology

Level: Round; cards per hand = level number.
Life: 3 starting; lose one per mistake; add at level 3, 6, 9.
Shuriken: 3 starting; throw = everyone discards lowest card safely; add at level 2, 5, 8.
Silent play: No verbal or gestural communication allowed.

Major competitions

Spiel des Jahres 2018 NOMINEE
annual · Germany · since 1978
Kennerspiel des Jahres 2018 recommended
annual · Germany · since 2011
BGG top-100 party consistently
ongoing · worldwide · since 2018

Where it is played

Governing bodies

Nürnberger-Spielkarten-Verlag (NSV, publisher)
Founded 1948 · Germany
Pandasaurus Games (US distribution)
Founded 2015 · USA
Wolfgang Warsch (designer)
Founded 1976 · Austria

Famous names & records

Famous athletes

Wolfgang Warsch (Austria) — Designer; also Wavelength, The Quacks of Quedlinburg (Kennerspiel 2018)
Oliver Freudenreich (Germany) — Illustrator

Learn this sport

beginner

1
Buy The Mind ($15)
Cheap + fast learning.
2
Play 3-4 levels first time
Sync develops slowly.

Frequently asked

What is The Mind?+

REVOLUTIONARY COOPERATIVE CARD GAME (2018) by Wolfgang Warsch. 2-4 players cooperatively play cards 1-100 in ASCENDING order WITHOUT COMMUNICATING. Somehow works via mental sync + timing. Spiel des Jahres 2018 NOMINEE. Widely considered one of THE MOST INNOVATIVE + POLARIZING party games of the 2010s. 15-20 min. Simple + magical + unforgettable.

Does The Mind actually work?+

SURPRISINGLY YES — but polarizing. Some groups develop UNCANNY sync + succeed at levels 8-12. Other groups feel it's arbitrary + luck-driven. TRUST the process; sync develops through 3-5 games. WORKS BEST with people you know well + can read body language. If you love cooperative games + can embrace subtle intuition, LOVE IT. If you prefer logic-driven games, HATE IT. Polarizing but memorable.

Sources & provenance

Last verified 2026-08-27.verified