Love Letter

2012

Experience the thrill of romance in Love Letter, a strategic board game where players vie to deliver their love letter to the princess, using risk, deduction, and luck to outsmart rivals.

20
minutes

2 - 4
player(s)

10+

Medium Light

About the game

Welcome to the captivating world of Love Letter, a game of risk, deduction, and the subtle art of courtship. This compact, yet deeply engaging card game offers a unique blend of strategy and luck that will have you plotting your moves and guessing your opponents’ actions in no time.

Set in the romantic era of knights, princesses, and castles, Love Letter challenges players to deliver their love letters to the princess while outwitting their rivals who are trying to do the same. You’ll find yourself in the shoes of a suitor, vying for the attention of the princess and navigating the intricacies of the royal court to achieve your goal.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

The game of ‘Love Letter’ includes a few key components. Each of these plays a crucial role in the gameplay and the strategies that players can employ. Here’s a detailed list of these components:

1. 16 Game Cards

These are the main components of the game. Each card represents a different character with a unique value (between 1 and 8) and special abilities. They are used to interact with other players in the game. For instance, the ‘Guard’ card allows you to guess another player’s hand and eliminate them if you’re correct, while the ‘Princess’ card has the highest value but can cause you to lose the game if discarded.

2. 4 Reference Cards

These cards are a handy tool for players, providing a brief overview of all the game cards and their abilities. It’s a quick way to check the effects of each game card without needing to remember all the details.

3. 13 Tokens of Affection

These red, heart-shaped tokens represent the Princess’s affection. Players earn these tokens by winning rounds. The first player to earn a specified number of tokens (depending on the number of players) wins the game.

4. Rulebook

The rulebook provides detailed instructions on how to play the game. It includes the effects of each game card, the setup, gameplay rules, and how to win. It’s an essential component for new players and a useful reference for experienced players.

Game Cards: These are drawn and played during a player’s turn. The effects of the game card are resolved immediately, which can allow a player to win a round or affect other players. The goal is to end a round with the highest value card in hand or be the last player remaining.
Reference Cards: These are used as a quick reference during gameplay, allowing players to plan their strategies and make informed decisions.
Tokens of Affection: These are awarded to the winner of each round. They serve as a score tracker and determine the overall winner of the game.
Rulebook: The rulebook guides the game setup, gameplay, and victory conditions. It doesn’t directly interact with the game but is necessary for understanding and playing the game correctly.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Love Letter is a game of risk, deduction, and luck. Setting up the game is easy and straightforward. Follow the steps below to set up and start playing.

Step 1. Shuffle the Cards

Begin by shuffling the sixteen game cards. These cards consist of different characters with varying abilities. The deck includes the following:

1x Princess
1x Countess
1x King
2x Prince
2x Handmaid
2x Baron
2x Priest
5x Guard

Step 2. Deal Cards

Once the deck is shuffled, deal each player one card. This card represents the player’s hand, and they can look at it but they should not show it to the other players.

Step 3. Remove Cards

Next, remove one card from the deck without looking at it and set it aside face down. If you’re playing with only two players, remove additional three cards from the deck and place them face up for both players to see.

Step 4. Determine First Player

Decide randomly who will go first. This player will start the round. The player to the left of the dealer plays first and play continues clockwise.

Step 5. Place the Draw Pile

Place the rest of the deck in the middle of the table where all players can reach it. This will be the draw pile players will draw from during their turn.

Step 6. Understand the Player Roles

Each player’s role in Love Letter is to strategically use the abilities of the characters in their hand to outwit their opponents. The player at the end of the game who has the highest ranked card, or is the last player remaining, wins the round and receives a token of affection.

Step 7. Prepare Tokens of Affection

Prepare the red cube tokens, known as Tokens of Affection, by placing them within reach of all players. The first player to win a certain number of tokens (based on the number of players) wins the game.

That’s it! You have now set up Love Letter correctly. The game is ready to be played and enjoyed.

Game flow Round and round we go

Love Letter is a classic deduction card game that consists of several rounds of play. The overall structure of the game involves drawing and discarding cards, with the aim of holding the highest ranking card at the end of the round.

Game Setup:

Each player is dealt one card face-down from a deck of 16 cards, which they may look at but keep hidden from other players.
The remaining deck is placed in the middle of the playing area, with the top card removed and set aside without looking at it.

Gameplay:

On a player’s turn, they draw one card from the deck and add it to their hand. Then, they must choose one of their two cards to play, placing it face up in front of them.
The card played determines the action that occurs. For example, a Guard card allows the player to guess another player’s hand and eliminate them from the round if correct.
Play then continues clockwise around the table.

Round End:

A round ends when the deck is exhausted and each player has one card left in their hand. The player with the highest ranking card wins the round.
If there is a tie for highest card, the player who discarded the highest total value of cards wins the round.
The winner of the round receives a token of affection.

Game End:

The game ends when one player has won a certain number of tokens of affection, usually based on the number of players. For example, in a 4-player game, the first player to win 4 tokens of affection wins the game.

Special Rules:

Some cards have special rules when played. For example, if a player plays the Prince card, they choose a player (including possibly themselves) who must discard their hand and draw a new card.
If a player is forced to discard the Princess card for any reason, they are immediately eliminated from the round.

Throughout the game, players must use deduction and strategy to try to eliminate other players, protect their own card, and end the round with the highest ranking card.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In Love Letter, a simple yet strategic card game, the goal of each player is to deliver a love letter to the princess while disrupting the attempts of the others. Each turn in this game presents the player with a few strategic choices that can greatly impact the game’s outcome.

Beginning a Turn:

At the start of each turn, the player will have one card in their hand. They draw another card from the deck, thus having two cards to choose from for their turn.

Playing a Card:

The player must choose one of the two cards in their hand to play, placing it face up in front of them. Each card represents a character in the royal court and has a unique number (representing the character’s rank in the court) and a specific effect when played. The player must carry out the effect of the card they played, which may involve interacting with other players or gaining certain advantages.

Card Effects:

The effects of each card are as follows:

Guard (1): Allows the player to guess another player’s hand. If the guess is correct, the targeted player is out of the round.
Priest (2): Allows the player to view another player’s hand.
Baron (3): Compares the remaining card in the player’s hand with that of another player. The player with the lower-ranking card is out of the round.
Handmaid (4): Protects the player from other players’ card effects until their next turn.
Prince (5): Forces a player (including possibly themselves) to discard their hand and draw a new card.
King (6): The player trades hands with another player of their choice.
Countess (7): If the player has this card and the King or Prince in their hand, they must discard this card.
Princess (8): If the player discards this card for any reason, they are immediately out of the round.

By utilizing the effects of these cards, players can strategically manipulate the game, forcing others out of the round, protecting themselves, or gaining valuable information.

End of Turn:

Once a player has played a card and its effect has been resolved, their turn ends. If there are still cards left in the deck, the next player clockwise draws a card and takes their turn. If the deck is empty, the round ends, and players compare the cards in their hands. The player with the highest-ranking card wins the round and receives a token of affection. The game continues until a player receives a certain number of tokens, typically four, and is declared the winner.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

The game of ‘Love Letter’ ends when one of two conditions is met:

When the last card from the deck is drawn, the round ends immediately.
When all players but one are eliminated from the round.

In the first instance, each remaining player reveals their hand. The player with the highest number card wins the round and collects a token of affection. If there is a tie, then the player who discarded the highest total value of cards is the winner. If there is still a tie, then all tied players share the victory and each receives a token of affection.

In the second case, when there is only one player left in the round, that player wins and collects a token of affection.

Victory Conditions

The game continues in rounds until one player has won a certain number of tokens of affection, indicating that they have won the game. The number of tokens required to win the game varies depending on the number of players:

2 players: 7 tokens
3 players: 5 tokens
4 players: 4 tokens

At the end of the game, the player with the most tokens of affection is the winner. If there is a tie, the player who won the last round is the winner.

Actions Players Must Take Before Final Scoring

Before the final scoring, players must take the following actions:

Reveal their hand: All remaining players must reveal their hand. The player with the highest number card wins the round.
Count the value of discarded cards: If there is a tie, players must count the total value of their discarded cards. The player with the highest total value wins the round.
Collect a token of affection: The player who wins the round collects a token of affection.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

Love Letter is a competitive game where the player with the most tokens of affection at the end of the game is declared the winner. The scoring system is quite straightforward but can evolve based on the number of players in the game.

Scoring Points:

Each round is won by the last player remaining, or the player with the highest value card if more than one player remains when the deck runs out.
The player who wins a round receives a token of affection.
Gameplay continues in rounds until a player reaches a preset number of tokens, which depends on the number of players:
- For 2 players, the game ends when someone gets 7 tokens.
- For 3 players, the game ends with 5 tokens.
- For 4 players, the game ends with 4 tokens.

Tie-Breaking Rules:

If two or more players are tied with the highest value card at the end of a round, the player who discarded the highest total value of cards is the winner of the round.
If there is still a tie, the player who went earliest in the turn order of the tied players is the winner of the round.
In the rare case that there is a tie at the end of the game (multiple players reach the winning token count at the end of the same round), the player who won the final round is the winner of the game.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Love Letter is a game of risk, deduction, and luck. While the basic rules are simple, there are some special rules, exceptions, and clarifications that can make gameplay more interesting and strategic.

Here’s an overview of these special circumstances:

Countess Rule: If a player has the Countess (card 7) and the King (card 6) or Prince (card 5) in their hand, the Countess must be discarded. This rule applies whether the player drew the King or Prince while holding the Countess or vice versa. However, it’s important to note that this is not mandatory if the player holds the Countess and either the King or Prince – it’s merely an option.
Prince and Self-Discard: The Prince card allows a player to choose any player to discard their hand and draw a new card. This does include the player themselves, which can be a strategic move if played correctly.
End-of-Round Clarification: If two or more players are still in the round when the deck runs out of cards, the player with the highest ranked person in their hand wins the round. If there’s a tie, the player who discarded the highest total value of cards wins.
Princess Rule: If a player discards the Princess (card 8), they are immediately out of the round, regardless of any other circumstances. This applies even if the Princess is discarded as a result of a Prince or King action.

Keep these rules and clarifications in mind to understand the game’s dynamics better and make the most strategic plays possible.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Advanced Strategies:

1. Card Counting: As ‘Love Letter’ only has 16 cards, it’s advantageous to keep a mental note of the cards that have been played. This will give you a clearer idea of the cards still in play.

2. Strategic Guard Play: The Guard card allows you to guess a player’s card. It’s best to use this card in the middle or end of the round when you have more information about the remaining cards.

3. Prince-Princess Combo: If you have both the Prince and Princess card, it’s a good strategy to use the Prince on yourself. This allows you to discard the Princess without losing the game.

Beginner Tips:

1. Play it Safe: Try to use the Priest or the Handmaid to shield yourself from other players’ attacks, especially if you have the Princess or Countess.

2. Keep it Unpredictable: Don’t fall into a predictable pattern with your card choices. Keep other players guessing to maintain an edge.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

1. Discarding the Princess: One major mistake beginners often make is discarding the Princess. Unless you’re forced to discard her through a Prince card, you should always keep the Princess.

2. Misusing the King: Swapping hands with the King can be a double-edged sword. Be careful not to give your opponent a winning hand.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Practice: As with all games, practice makes perfect. The more you play ‘Love Letter’, the more familiar you’ll become with the strategies and tactics.
Bluffing: A key aspect of ‘Love Letter’ is deception. Bluffing about your card can throw off your opponents and give you an advantage.
Observation: Pay attention to the reactions and choices of other players. This information can help you deduce the cards they might be holding.