Ouch!

About this board game

Ouch! is a 15-minute card game for 2–5 players about choosing cactus cards, carefully revealing them, and collecting the most flowers. Each turn, players select the cactus card with the prettiest flowers they want to add to their collection.

Before taking a card, the player must announce which side of it they will handle. They then flip the card while touching only that chosen edge. The reverse may be clear on that side, allowing the player to keep the card and score its number of flowers—or it may reveal a cactus full of thorns, causing them to lose the card.

• Choose a cactus card to bring into your collection.
• Declare which side of the card you will touch.
• Flip it while handling only that edge.
• Keep the card if the revealed side is clear, or lose it if thorns appear.

This simple decision gives every card a moment of suspense. The flowers shown on the cards are valuable, but the wrong edge can leave you empty-handed, making each choice important as you work toward the highest total.

The game ends as soon as a player manages to keep eight cards, or when the deck runs out. Everyone then counts the flowers in their collection, and the player with the highest number wins. With its quick turns and tactile card-revealing rule, Ouch! offers a compact contest of selection, nerve, and careful handling.