Winners & nominees 14th IMGA

Innovetica

Nominated for the

14th IMGA

Studio/Developer
gbanga
Country
Switzerland
Website
Video of the game
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    About Innovetica

    Innovetica is a easy to learn and hard to master strategic trading card game that combines a casual core mechanic with deep extendable strategy gameplay for e-sport gamers. Initially, players receive a starter card deck and place four-sided card tiles on a table and arrange it to match the symbols on the sides similar to what we know from classic domino games.

    Innovetica offers the potential for smart tactics: by including clues from the opponent's visible cards, players can place blocking cards that limit the opponent player's options to score.

    REAL CARD GAME AND GAME APP

    You can play Innovetica in real life with real cardboard cards with friends or virtually in the app.

    CRAFTING DECKS

    Players can extend their card collection by playing games, winning matches, scoring points and by scanning in QR codes that are available in print (currently only in Switzerland) and virtually (e.g. in the footer of the webpage innovetica.ch). Players can trade cards with other players by sending trade codes through messaging such as WhatsApp. Optimizing your decks is crucial to increase your win rate in games against other players.

    AVAILABILITY

    The app is available completely for free (currently only in Switzerland) and you can get physical cards in stores in Switzerland. The app is available in four languages: German, Italian, French and English.

    BASIC RULES

    - Connect innovation cards to score.
    - All cards played in a turn must be placed next to each other.
    - Symbols can only be connected to the same symbol or blank edges.

    ROUND GAMEPLAY

    - Played with a deck of 20 cards
    - Shuffle your deck
    - Start of the game: each player draws 4 cards
    - End turn: fill up your hand to 4 cards if you have less

    COUNTING POINTS

    - Symbol points: Each new symbol connection awards points according to the lower of the two symbol values.
    - Diversity bonus: If at least 3 different symbols are connected in a turn, the player gets 2 bonus points.
    - Stash: If all symbols on a card with a stash marker are connected, the player gets the score indicated on the stash symbol.

    END OF THE GAME

    - If it's a player's turn and they have no more cards in their hand and deck, the game ends immediately.
    - The player with most innovation points wins.

    CARD TYPES

    - Innovation cards: Connect innovation cards to score.
    - Event cards: Instant effect, no longer valid after the turn
    - Scenario cards: Lasting effect for all players. Active until a new scenario card is played.

    ACTION CARDS
    - You can only play action cards at the beginning of your turn.
    - You can only play a maximum of 2 action cards per turn.

    PRO TIPS:

    - Build your own decks in your card collection and play with your own creations. You are only permitted a maximum of 2 of each card in your deck. Find out how you can make your deck even better with new cards.
    - Each category of symbols (craftmanship, nature, culture, science, technology and reserves) has different advantages. Combine them with matching event and scenario cards for maximum points.
    - The relationship between innovation cards and event/scenario cards is crucial to your strategy. Make sure that you experiment and find the right balance according to your selected strategy.
    - Block your opponents from forming good combinations by using the blank edges on your innovation cards. This helps you, for instance, prevent your opponents from making high-scoring links which have yet to be made.
    - When you use action cards to take cards from your opponents, you reduce the total number of points they can collect. But be careful – this can also cost you valuable points. The same applies to abruptly ending the game.
    - Cards with a reserve value can often be surrounded when they are placed if you plan correctly. Be careful with reserves – if you do not surround them yourself, your opponents may be able to.
    - The final step towards becoming an Innovetica master is analysing and taking into account the opponent’s hand in your own planning. Closely examine what your opponents can do with their remaining cards and strategize accordingly.