Download ArticleDownload ArticleThis article was reviewed by Ashton Wu and by How.com.vn staff writer, Glenn Carreau. Ashton Wu is a Board Game expert at Shelfside. After delving into the Yugioh tournament community while growing up, Ashton launched himself into the board gaming community in 2014 and went into reviewing board games as a career full-time in 2019. His YouTube channel Shelfside has over 35K subscribers and over 4 million views, assisted by written reviews on the Shelfside website and BoardGameGeek.com. He also consults with gaming companies to build high-quality gaming products. Ashton is a tournament commentator, board game playthrough director, and host of the Shelfside Podcast, where he talks about board games with his business partner, Daniel. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in addition to the Technology Management Certificate.
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Apples to Apples is a card game that is appropriate for all ages and is a blast to play in groups. Players must match red object cards with green descriptive cards, and whoever comes up with the strongest or most amusing pairing wins. You can learn the rules of Apples to Apples in no time: simply deal the deck, pick a judge, and let the fun begin! Read on for a complete guide to setting up and playing Apples to Apples, including exciting variations to try with friends.
Apples to Apples: How to Play a Round
Deal each player a hand of 7 red apple cards (featuring nouns) and pick a player to be the first judge. Have the judge pull a random green apple card (featuring an adjective) and read it aloud. Players each play a red card and the judge chooses the card they think is the best match for the green card.
Steps
Printable Rule Sheet
Setting Up the Game
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Gather a group of 4 to 10 players. Apples to Apples works best with 4-10 players (although certain versions of the game can be played with more). Have all the players gather around a table or arrange themselves in a circle on the floor. Keep in mind that the fewer players there are, the faster-paced the game will be, which can increase the hilarity![1]- A deluxe “Party” version of Apples to Apples can be played by 12 or more people.[2]
Shuffle the red and green apple card packs. Inside the box, you’ll find two decks of cards: one red and one green. Both decks must be shuffled thoroughly to ensure that cards are drawn randomly throughout the game since cards from each deck will be used during every round of play. Keep the decks separate—red and green cards shouldn’t be mixed within a deck.[3]- Inside the box, you’ll find:
- 749 red apple cards with people, places, events, and things printed on them.
- 249 green apple cards with characteristics of people, places, events, and things printed on them.
- Blank red and green apple cards where you can write your own prompts.
- A pair of card trays and the rulebook.
- After shuffling, place the green cards inside the two shallow wells on the card trays. Similarly, place the red cards in the four deeper wells on the card trays.
Advertisement- Inside the box, you’ll find:
Pick a judge for the first round. The judge is responsible for deciding who has the best match and, therefore, which player wins each round. Every player will get a chance to be the judge, as the position is handed off to the player on the left after each consecutive round. For the first round of the game, however, it’s up to you (and the other players) to select the judge.[4]- Judges may pick the winning red card for any reason. One might choose the strongest direct match (like a red card with “Scissors” and a green card with “Sharp”), while another might prefer ironic or humorous combinations.
- The different styles of judging card pairings are what make the game exciting!
Deal 7 red cards to each player. The judge also acts as the card dealer. Have the judge for the first round deal 7 red cards to each player around the table. You’ll all replenish your red cards after every round, meaning each player should always have 7 red cards at the start of a new round. The game is ready to begin when each player has 7 cards in their hand.[5]- Keep an eye on your red cards to make sure you have 7 at all times. Otherwise, you might be limiting your playable options.
Playing & Winning the Game
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Have the judge turn over the top green card. Once the judge flips the card at the top of the green deck, they must call it out to the group. Green cards have descriptive phrases; the goal is for players to match those phrases to the people, objects, places, or events on their red cards. The green card in play might read “cute,” “harmful,” or “patriotic,” which are terms designed to describe the red cards in play.[6]- With the sheer number of red and green cards included in the base game, there are enough matches for hours and hours of fun!
Lay down a red card to match the green card (as a player). Players must pick one of their 7 red cards to associate with the word on the green card. For example, a player might play a red card reading “babies” to match a green card reading “cute.” There are endless possible combinations of red and green cards, so get creative![7]- Tip: Don’t worry about choosing the most accurate card every time. Some judges prefer creative or humorous responses, so just do your best.
- Try to choose a red card quickly to keep the game moving, and play each red card face-down beside the green card.
- The judge is the only player who won’t lay down a red card. Remember, the judge changes every round, giving everyone an equal chance to play.
Mix up the player’s cards (as the judge). After every player has laid down a red card, the judge must shuffle the stack of played cards. This ensures the judge won’t know who played each card. Leave all the cards face-down as they’re rearranged.[8]- Tip: Try playing a red card that you think will appeal to the specific judge that round. You can often win more green cards this way!
- There’s no need to shuffle extensively; just reorganize the red cards until they’re out of the order in which they were laid down.
Decide who has the best match (as the judge). The judge must turn each card over, read them, and decide which is the best match for the green card currently in play. The chosen card wins the round! Have the winning player identify themselves and collect the green card that round; from there, the player to the left of the judge becomes the new judge, and all players get a card from the red deck to replenish their hand.[9]- Tip: Feel free to root for a particular card and try to convince the judge to pick a certain one (whether it’s your card or your favorite card that was played).
- Once a round is resolved by picking a winner and replenishing the cards in each player’s hand, gameplay continues with a new round.
- Have the judge for the round collect all played red cards and discard them in the bottom of the game’s box. Then, pass the card tray to the new judge.
Keep score and decide how many green cards are needed to win. The number of green cards gathered by the end of the game ultimately determines the winner! Simply have all players keep the green cards they win on the table, so it’s easy to see how many cards each player has. The number of green cards needed to win is up to you, though Apples to Apples rules recommend the following:[10]- 4 players: 8 green cards to win
- 5 players: 7 green cards to win
- 6 players: 6 green cards to win
- 7 players: 5 green cards to win
- 8-10 players: 4 green cards to win
- However, feel free to modify these numbers. For instance, you might play for 10 green cards to keep the game going longer, or do a “sudden death” game and see who can win 3 cards the fastest.
- You might also have players replace their red cards with green ones for a winning outcome. To do this, a player will add the green cards they’ve won to their deck after each round, meaning they’ll have fewer red cards to use.
- Once a player reaches 7 green cards in their deck, they’re the winner.
Discard all cards and reshuffle both decks to play the game again. If the game ends and you and your friends decide to play a second one, the setup is simple. First, discard all the red and green cards you’ve used in the last game, shuffle them, and put them at the bottom of the red and green card stacks. Then, choose a new judge and have them give each player a new hand of 7 cards, and begin![11]- Reshuffling cards after a game is important because it ensures the same cards aren’t dealt and played in the next game.
Community Q&A
- QuestionCan Apples To Apples be played with only two people?
Community AnswerUnfortunately no. There needs to be a sufficient number of people to play with one player acting as a judge. The game's official rulebook recommends at least 4 players take part. - QuestionWhat do you do with blank cards?
Community AnswerYou can fill in a blank card with any word of your choosing (just keep it appropriate). It's entirely up to you. - QuestionCan I change the rules?Community AnswerSure! Make any adjustments to the game you like. Just make sure the rules still make sense. One of the best parts of Apples To Apples is that it can be customized in so many different ways, and stays fun game after game.
Tips
- Remember, judges are entitled to pick the winning red card for any reason. Some judges may choose to pick the funniest or most interesting card in the bunch instead of the most accurate.Thanks
- Get people talking! Allow players to convince the judge why their card should be chosen.Thanks
- Make sure to shuffle both decks before and after each game to keep it spontaneous.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://www.fgbradleys.com/rules/ApplesToApples.pdf
- ↑ http://www.com-www.com/applestoapples/applestoapples-rules-official-partyset.html
- ↑ https://www.fgbradleys.com/rules/ApplesToApples.pdf
- ↑ https://www.fgbradleys.com/rules/ApplesToApples.pdf
- ↑ https://libguides.libraries.wsu.edu/c.php?g=925543&p=6879359
- ↑ https://www.wordnik.com/lists/apples-to-apples--green-cards
- ↑ https://www.wordnik.com/lists/apples-to-apples--red-cards
- ↑ http://www.com-www.com/applestoapples/applestoapples-rules-official-basicset.html
- ↑ https://libguides.libraries.wsu.edu/c.php?g=925543&p=6879359
- ↑ http://www.com-www.com/applestoapples/applestoapples-rules-official-basicset.html
- ↑ https://libguides.libraries.wsu.edu/c.php?g=925543&p=6879359
- ↑ https://www.fgbradleys.com/rules/ApplesToApples.pdf
- ↑ http://www.com-www.com/applestoapples/applestoapples-rules-variations-03.html
- ↑ https://www.fgbradleys.com/rules/ApplesToApples.pdf
- ↑ http://www.com-www.com/applestoapples/applestoapples-rules-variations-05.html
- ↑ https://www.fgbradleys.com/rules/ApplesToApples.pdf
- ↑ http://www.com-www.com/applestoapples/applestoapples-rules-variations-06.html
- ↑ https://service.mattel.com/instruction_sheets/N1488-0920.pdf
- ↑ https://service.mattel.com/instruction_sheets/N1488-0920.pdf
- ↑ https://service.mattel.com/instruction_sheets/N1488-0920.pdf
About This Article
To play Apples to Apples, you’ll need 4-10 players. Your game should include a deck of red apple cards that each have a person, place, thing, or event on them, as well as a deck of green apple cards that each have a characteristic of a person, place, thing, or event on them. Choose one player to be the first judge. The judge deals 7 red apple cards face-down to each player (including themselves) and places a green apple card face up on the table. Then, all of the players except for the judge choose a red apple card from their hand that is best described by the face-up green apple card. For example, if the green apple card is “Scary,” players might choose “Monster,” “Spider,” or “Halloween.” Each player gives their chosen red apple card face-down to the judge, who then shuffles the cards and reads them out loud. The judge chooses which red apple card they think fits best with the green apple card. They can choose based on any reasoning they’d like, and players are able to convince the judge of their favorite before the judge makes their final selection. Once the judge has chosen, the player who played that card wins the round and receives the green apple card. All of the played red apple cards are discarded and a new judge starts the next round. Each player should draw a new red apple card if needed so they have 7 cards in their hand. The game continues until a player has acquired enough green apple cards to win. For a 4-player game, the first player to earn 8 green apple cards wins. In a 5-player game, it’s 7 green apple cards. A 6-player game requires 6 green apple cards, a 7-player game requires 5, and an 8-10 player game requires 4. To learn how to mix the game up to keep it interesting, read more!
Reader Success Stories
"We bought the original version of Apples to Apples and were delighted when they came out with a Disney version. The kids at the time ranged in ages from 4 - 13. They felt left out, now they can enjoy the same game as their parents & grandparents."..." more
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