X-Code

About this board game

X-Code is a cooperative game for 2–8 players that takes about 15 minutes, challenging everyone to crack an encrypted code before time runs out. Players act simultaneously as they work together to fill the game board, which is constructed like a number field.

Each player begins with three cards. Once the hourglass is turned over, the game becomes fast-paced: players can draw and discard cards while searching for sets of three equal cards. These sets are placed on the matching spaces of the board, including the fields marked with # and *.

• Cooperative code cracking: All players share the goal of completing the board.
• Neighbor-to-neighbor trading: Card exchanges are guided by arrows showing whether a card can be traded with the player on the left or right.
• Jokers: Replace missing cards when completing a set.
• Time cards: Store them to turn over the hourglass and gain valuable seconds.

Trading is essential, but cards cannot simply be passed freely. When a player offers a card, the neighbor must be ready to return a suitable card, making communication and quick decisions important parts of the race against time.

When a player collects three equal cards, the set can be placed on the appropriate space. This may crack part of the code or provide extra time, helping the team keep moving before the countdown ends.

If the players manage to fill every field with the appropriate cards, they win together and can take on another level. With its simultaneous play, restricted trading, and urgent hourglass, X-Code delivers a compact cooperative challenge built around teamwork and speed.