Cry Baby

About this board game

Cry Baby is a trick-taking game for 3–5 players that plays in about 20 minutes. Across four rounds of seven tricks, players compete to manage their cards, predict their success, and score the most points.

Every card in Cry Baby is double-sided. Each side shows a different color and value, so the orientation of your hand matters. At the start of every round, choose how to arrange your cards and bet on the number of tricks you expect to win.

The game features colors, trump cards, and supertrump cards, creating plenty of tension during each trick. Your goal is not simply to win as many tricks as possible, but to match the number you predicted.

• Play through 4 rounds of 7 tricks.
• Use two-sided cards with changing colors and values.
• Choose your hand’s orientation before betting.
• Adapt your cards by rotating them during play.
• Score points for cries and earn much more by matching your bet.

The distinctive Cry mechanic is triggered when you play the lowest-valued card in a trick. You may choose to gain one point for the round or rotate one card in your hand, changing the information available on that card and helping you adjust your strategy.

Making the right cry can help you reshape your hand and aim for the exact number of tricks you bet. If your prediction succeeds, you gain a strong scoring reward; if it fails, crying can still help you earn points.

With its shifting card orientations, tactical betting, and playful fantasy cast—including the Square Queen, King Let, Roger Rob-It, and the dragons Bert, Nerd, and Bianca—Cry Baby offers a compact challenge. After the fourth round, the player with the most points wins.