Navigator Lana

Gator’s Game Overview

Navigating Up or Down?

Designed by Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling
Published by Capstone Games

“Up or Down?” is a card game wherein players work to score points based on their ascending and descending card columns. Work toward collecting the same color in each column for more points!

Key Coordinates

Players: 2-6
Play Time: 30 Minutes
Ages: 8+

Mapping the Mechanics

There’s nothing complicated about setting up “Up or Down?” Shuffle the cards, deal three to each player, and create a rondel of six cards in the center of the table. The cards must go in ascending order. Lowest at the top, and work around to the highest number. The remaining cards form two stacks: one face down, and one face up. That’s it!

Gameplay is both quick and easy to learn with only four simple actions:

• Play a card into the display
• Take a Card Next to your played card
• Play that card into your player area
• Draw a new card

To play a card into the display, the active player takes a card from their hand and chooses a spot to place it between two existing cards. The catch? It must be, you guessed it, in between those two numbers. For example, if I want to place a 12, it needs to be between a number lower than 12 and higher than 12. After that, the player chooses a card to take from either side. The next step is to place the new card in your player area. Each person creates up to three columns, but they must make a choice about whether each column will contain ascending numbers or descending numbers. They can add it to any column they like, so long as it fits the rules. If you’re stuck or don’t want to continue on with a column, then discard the column, making those cards worth only one point at the end of the game. Finally, draw a new card from the draw pile, either blindly from the face-down pile or from the face-up.

Navigator’s Notes

“Up Or Down?” provides some excellent decision-making and strategy over choosing cards, yet is incredibly simple to learn and teach. Ultimately, your options are to choose a numbered card and place it in your column. Yet, so much thought goes into which card to place at the time, wondering if you’ll need to come back and get that card later, and creating the best columns.

I think an aspect of “Up and Down?” that’s unique is the color collecting for points. I quickly noticed that after a few games, if you gather numbers close together, for example, “8, 9, 11,” they’re likely to be different colors, which wrecks the idea of accumulating mega points for simply creating stacks of numbers. Each player must find the delicate balance of ascending and descending cards while working toward more colors collected. There’s enough tug of conflict and power between players by removing needed cards from the display or the draw pile, creating some major “Ugh!” moments in a friendly, competitive way.

Who Should Embark?

This game is terrific for a wide variety of people. Those who gravitate toward card games will feel at home holding cards in their hands. Hobby Gamers will enjoy strategizing the placement of colors versus numbers to create the best order. Families can teach children and casual adult players in just minutes.

The Navigator’s Chart

Calm Coastline: A light and easy-to-learn game, perfect for casual play.

End of the Voyage

Capstone Games hits the button on another successful game. Without a doubt, they certainly know how to publish games for every person out in the world! “Up or Down?” is an excellent addition to any game collection! Head on over to Capstone Games to find your own copy of “Up or Down?”

A special thanks to Capstone Games for generously providing a copy of Up or Down?