Jekyll vs. Hyde

About this board game

Jekyll vs. Hyde is a two-player trick-taking game with an approximately 30-minute play time, inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. One player takes the role of Dr. Jekyll, while the other becomes Mr. Hyde.

The game unfolds over three rounds. Dr. Jekyll must resist Mr. Hyde’s fierce attacks, protect his mind, and keep his dual nature secret. Mr. Hyde, meanwhile, seeks to dominate Dr. Jekyll and overcome his identity.

At the end of each round, compare the number of tricks won by both players. Subtract the lower total from the higher total, and move the Identity Marker toward Mr. Hyde’s side by that many spaces. For example, a 6–4 trick result moves the marker two spaces.

Evil is relentless: the marker advances toward Mr. Hyde even when Dr. Jekyll has won more tricks. This creates a constant struggle for balance, forcing Dr. Jekyll to limit the difference between the players’ scores while Mr. Hyde presses every advantage.

• Players: 2
• Play time: 30 minutes
• Rounds: 3
• Core mechanic: trick-taking

If the Identity Marker reaches the last space of the Identity Track, Mr. Hyde wins immediately. If the marker has not reached the end after three rounds, Dr. Jekyll escapes Mr. Hyde’s dark influence and wins the game.

Between rounds, remove the three colored tokens from the board and reshuffle all cards, including the five cards set aside at the beginning of the round. With its focused two-player format and steadily shifting Identity Marker, Jekyll vs. Hyde turns every trick into a contest between control and corruption.