Extra enCOWnters: 4 alternate ways to play for family FUN all day!

You came. You bought. You’ve enCOWntered. If you’ve played enCOWnter™, one of our award-winning, new Three Corner™ Card Games, chances are you’re over the moon for it. Kids (and adults) are loving this game full of hilarious earthly things and quick, active play. The action cards bring the suspense and surprise that everyone craves - one card can change the whole game - so all ages have a lot to lose (or win!). Have you tried a secret mission yet? Secret missions bring a whole new level of FUN to the game and give older players and parents added challenge to keep play fresh.

Looking to energize game night for out-of-this-world FUN? Read on for even more cosmically cool ways to play with the enCOWnter card deck. All four alternate game ideas will change game play and keep kids engaged with “extra” terrestrial excitement. Bonus: Activate the Points Blaster option for all of these game ideas using the Free Printable scorecard and play a Martian Marathon.

One of the things we love about enCOWnter is that it can be changed quickly to adapt to different age levels. Before playing, decide if you’ll play with some, none, or all of the Martian Mayhem Cards to fit your desired challenge level. Mix the game play from the instructions with these ideas to create a game to perfectly fit family and friends playing at birthdays, gatherings, holidays, and any event.

Read on for 4 new ways to play enCOWnter card game, print your free scorecard to activate the Points Blaster, and blast off to FUN!

1. Take Me to Your Leader

Your Mission: Continue completing UFOs until you’ve reached a set number.

• First, choose the number of missions (UFO cards) you each must complete to win. We recommend adding 1 or 2 to the number of players as your mission number.
• To start, separate the UFO Cards from the deck. Each player chooses one UFO Card, and sets the extras aside. Shuffle the deck (Martian Mayhem + Earthly Things Cards).
• Do not keep any cards in your hand for this game. Play each card immediately upon drawing it. Discard if it's not a match. Reshuffle the deck if it runs out.
• Complete a UFO card and “take it to your leader” (set it aside). If you’ve activated the Points Blaster, mark your point on your scorecard! Return your earthly things to the discard pile and choose a new UFO card. Play continues to the left.

Complete the correct number of missions to WIN!

2. Cosmically Cooperative Play Option

Your Mission: Race the deck to complete a set number of UFOs together before the cards run out.

• Choose a number of UFOs for players to complete, combined. We recommend starting small, like 5 or 6 total. Keep paper and a pencil (or a printable scorecard) handy to write down each completed UFO.
• Remove the One-Time Protection Cards (2) from play and set aside. Begin like Take Me to Your Leader play idea, except do not re-shuffle the discard pile when the deck runs out.
• Your challenge is to complete the chosen number of missions the first time through the deck or risk disappointing the mother ship! Can you outplay the earthly things and capture them before the deck runs out?
• Use lots of teamwork when you draw a Martian Mayhem Card – they just might work to your advantage! Which way can you play to cause the least chaos?

3. Cosmic Dust Doubles

Your Mission: Capture earthly things to fill two UFO Cards at the same time! Double the challenge!

• Do not keep any cards in your hand for this game. Play each card immediately upon drawing it or discard it. Reshuffle the deck if it runs out to make a new draw pile.
• To start, separate the UFO Cards from the deck. Each player chooses two UFO Cards. Set the extras aside. Shuffle the deck (Martian Mayhem + Earthly Things Cards).
• Each turn, a player draws one card at a time and plays it on either UFO Card (if it’s a match). If it’s a Martian Mayhem Card, follow the instructions and discard it. If it is one that you could hold onto in the regular play, you MUST play it now unless it is a One-Time Protection Card. Save those face up on the table in front of you.
• Decide before starting if cards that require players to discard ALL cards and get a new UFO will destroy one or both UFOs.
• When adding earthly things to your UFO, you do not have to complete a full UFO before adding earthly things to the other – play on either card!

The player to successfully fill both UFOs first WINS!

4. Extra Terrestrials

Your Mission: Capture three of one kind of earthly thing to win!

• You’ll keep three cards in your hand for this game. Reshuffle the deck if it runs out.
• Players draw one UFO Card each and lay it face up in front of themselves. Set the others aside.
• Mix all of the cards in the deck (Martian Mayhem Cards + Earthly Things Cards).
• Draw or deal three cards to each player. Redraw or deal a new card if a player gets a Martian Mayhem Card. You’ll start with only earthly things.
• Target one earthly thing on your UFO and try to capture THREE of that kind.
• Each turn begins with drawing a card. Each turn ends with discarding at least one card.
• Players must keep three cards in their hands.
  • If you get a Martian Mayhem Card that has you draw 2 or take a card from another player, you can swap the cards with those in your hand but you’ll need to discard double so you end your turn with only three cards.
  • If a player takes a card from you as a result of Martian Mayhem, draw until you have three cards in your hand to start your next turn.
• Hint: Choose carefully which card you leave on top of the discard pile!
• Discard Martian Mayhem Cards out of play after they are used. (The game will get easier the longer you play). Do not mix them back into the deck if it runs out.
• Continue drawing cards until you have THREE of one kind in your hand.
• On your turn, lay the cards down under your UFO to WIN!

Activate Points Blaster

Download your free scorecard to track points through a variety of enCOWnter games.

• Since many of these games are relatively quick to play, it can be extra FUN to play many rounds in one game session.
• Play any version (or versions) of enCOWnter you choose. Print a scorecard to keep track of the number of UFOs each player makes throughout every game.
• Award every player 1 point for each completed UFO and play to a winning number. Cosmic finish!

The winner is…

Need ideas for game prizes or giveaways for game night? Stickers make excellent party favors and prizes and new coordinating alien-themed stickers will have players of all ages vying for the WIN. Extend the theme with free printable activity sheets featuring characters from enCOWnter too!