Brawl

Overview

Brawl is a real-time card game for 2 players designed by James Ernest and published by Cheapass Games in 1999. Each player uses a unique 35-card character deck. Games are played in real time with no turns — players play cards as fast as they can. The objective is to win the most Base cards by playing Hit cards onto them before Freeze cards lock them down. A typical game lasts under 60 seconds.

Components

2 character decks (35 cards each), each containing a mix of:
- Base cards
- Hit cards (in the player’s color)
- Block cards
- Press cards
- Freeze cards
- Character-specific special cards (varies by deck)

Setup

Each player selects a character deck.
Players sit across from each other.
Each player holds their deck face down.
On a signal, both players begin playing simultaneously — there are no turns.

Turn Structure

There are no turns. Brawl is played in real time. Both players draw from their decks and play cards as fast as they wish. Players may only play one card at a time and may only draw from the top of their deck.

Actions

Play a Base Card:

Place a Base card in the center of the play area between the players. Bases are the contested areas where hits are played. There is no limit to the number of Bases in play, but a new Base cannot be played on a column that already has a Base.

Play a Hit Card:

Play a Hit card on either side of any unfrozen Base (your side or the opponent’s side). Hits stack on their respective sides. Each Hit card shows the player’s color, indicating who played it.

Play a Block Card:

A Block card is played on top of a column of Hits to prevent further Hits from being played on that side of the Base. A Block can be covered by another Block (cancelling it) or a Press.

Play a Press Card:

A Press card is played on top of a Block, removing the Block’s effect and allowing Hits to be played again on that column.

Play a Freeze Card:

A Freeze card is played directly on a Base. Once frozen, no more cards can be played on either side of that Base. The Base is immediately scored.

Character-Specific Cards:

Each character deck includes unique special cards that may have effects like clearing Hits, moving cards, or other abilities specific to that character.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

The game ends when a Freeze has been played on every Base in play, or when both players agree to stop (typically when neither can play any more useful cards).

For each Base, count the Hit cards on each side. The player with more Hits on their side wins that Base. In case of a tie on a Base, neither player wins it.

The player who wins the most Bases wins the game.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

No Turns: Players do not take turns. Either player may make a move or stay inactive as best suits their strategy at that moment.
One Card at a Time: A player may only play one card at a time. You must release a card before playing another.
Drawing: Players draw from their own deck only. You may look at the top card of your deck at any time.
Running Out of Cards: If you run out of cards, you simply stop playing. If neither player can or wants to play, score all remaining Bases (unfrozen Bases are scored the same way as frozen ones).
Character Balance: Different character decks have different compositions, giving each character a unique play style and strategic emphasis. Some are more aggressive (more Hits), some more defensive (more Blocks), some have powerful special cards.
Multiple Base Rule: Bases form separate columns. Hits, Blocks, Presses, and Freezes can only be played on/near the Base they are associated with.

Player Reference

Card Type	Where Played	Effect
Base	Center area	Creates a new contested column
Hit	On either side of a Base	Adds to your count for winning that Base
Block	On top of a Hit column	Prevents further Hits on that side
Press	On top of a Block	Cancels the Block
Freeze	On a Base	Locks the Base — no more cards on either side

Win condition: Win the most Bases (most Hits on your side per Base) Game duration: Usually under 60 seconds Decks: 35 cards each, unique per character