ZOP ZOO CARD GAME

You will cover it with its matching ANTI-Minus Card, turning it into positive POINTS.

You will cover it with a BEAST Wild Card, thus turning it into 0 POINTS.

You will cover it with a BEST BEAST Wild Card, thus turning it into 50 POINTS.

You will use an EARTHWORM Specialty Card and switch it with another player’s card.

You will use a HYENA Specialty Card and give it to another player.

Or you will get stuck with it at the end of the round and score yourself minus POINTS.

DURING THE ROUND IF YOU HAVE A MINUS CARD IN YOUR HAND…
there are a 6 possible outcomes that can happen:

So, now you know Minus Cards can be covered by any Wild Card,
and they can also be switched or given by using a Specialty Card.

*You will learn more about Wild Cards and Specialty Cards below.

There are 6 different animals on Minus Cards/Anti-Minus Cards.

POINTS on these cards range from -75/75, -90/90, and -100/100.

If you have a Minus Card, it’s already worth POINTS... minus POINTS, that is! Minus Cards don’t need to be matched in order for you to win the round. In other words, this is one less starting card that you need to cover to get POINTS for it - since it’s already showing POINTS.

HOWEVER,

you will most surely want to cover your Minus Card with its matching ANTI-Minus Cards to turn it into positive POINTS!

At the end of each round, all players stuck with any Minus Card(s) that didn’t get covered have to subtract that card’s minus POINTS from their scores – sorry!

ANTI-Minus Cards have black borders around them.

Minus Cards and Anti-Minus Cards do not have an animal category on top of their cards.

*NOTE:

In order to score POINTS from your ANTI-Minus Cards… you MUST win the round.

*NOTE:

There are 2 kinds of Wild Cards:

BEAST cards worth 0 POINTS.
(there are 4 BEAST cards)
and a BEST BEAST card worth 50 POINTS.
(there is only 1 BEST BEAST card)

When either Wild Card is picked, you must place it over one of your starting cards. Typically, the best choice is to cover a Category Card listing the lowest indicated point value on it. Or you could decide to cover a Minus Card if you don’t want to risk getting stuck with it at the end of the game.

Once you decide which card to cover, it cannot be removed and it is now worth the POINTS listed on the Wild Card (0 or 50). Your turn continues – draw again.

COVER any Starting Card
with a BEAST Card
to turn it into
0 POINTS

COVER any Starting Card with a BEST BEAST Card
to turn it into
50 POINTS

*Example of covering one of your starting cards with a Wild Card

You will always pick again after picking a Wild Card… unless you win the round ;)

*NOTE:

BEAST cards are ultimately good cards to pick, because even though they turn potential points to zero, they also help a player get that much closer to winning the round! :)

*NOTE:

Once a starting card is covered with a Wild Card, it cannot be removed
and it can no longer be paired with it’s matching animal card for POINTS.

~REMEMBER:

If your starting card is already covered with their matching animal card (thus showing a black border), then you can’t (or even want to) cover it with a Wild Card.

~REMEMBER:

You only need one of your cards to match the category in order to TAKE a Side Bonus Card. If you happen to have more than one of your cards matching the category, it makes no difference – it just takes one matching card to be able to TAKE a Side Bonus Card (if no cards match… discard the Side Bonus Card).

*NOTE:

Typically, your best choice is to select a Category Card listing the lowest indicated point value on it. *MAMMAL cards are the lowest possible Category Card to cover with an indicated point value of 10… then OCEAN cards (15), then BIRD cards (20), etc…

Minus Cards do seem like an obvious card choice to cover, BUT they have the potential of becoming worth big points when matched with their ANTI-Minus Card. At the same time, a player doesn’t want to risk getting stuck with a Minus Card at the end of the round.

Lower Half Connect Cards are always worth a potential 80 POINTS, so there really isn’t any good reason to cover one… unless it happens to be your only remaining card choice. In which case, you must cover it with your Wild Card.

When deciding which starting card you should cover with a Wild Card,
there are a few things to consider:

*ALSO…
if one of your matching animal cards is (currently) buried in the discard pile,
this may influence which one of your starting cards you wish to cover as well.

This tricky decision can also be influenced by the stage of the round…
Is it still early in the round or is it late in the round?
Is another player getting really close to winning the round?

Side Bonus Cards have black & white striped borders around them.

Side Bonus Cards can be switched, taken, or given using a Specialty Card.

~REMEMBER:

Only Category Cards, Category POINTS Cards, and Upper Half Connect Cards have categories listed on the top of them.

(Lower Half Connect Cards, Minus Cards, ANTI-Minus Cards, and

Wild Cards DO NOT have a category listed on the top of them.

So, these cards do not apply to Side Bonus Cards.)

-KEEP IN MIND:

BEAST CARD

BEST BEAST CARD

Worth 0 POINTS

Worth 50 POINTS

SWAN SIDE BONUS CARD

MYTHICAL SIDE BONUS CARD

(PLUS)
20 BONUS POINTS

(PLUS)
60 BONUS POINTS

The CATEGORY for this Side
Bonus Card is
-BIRD-

The CATEGORY
for this Side
Bonus Card is
-MYTHICAL-

*Example of 2 of the Side Bonus Cards (BIRD and MYTHICAL).

Should you happen to collect multiple Side Bonus Cards during your round, I suggest keeping them

overlapped (fanned).

This way they aren’t taking up to much space, and your bonus points can be clearly seen by you and all the other players :)

**PRO TIP:

*Example of how to keep multiple Side Bonus Cards.

MOLE cards are used to "dig" for your missed cards that get passed up and buried in the discard pile. They allow you to pick up the entire discard pile and scan through the deck to find and take out any matching cards that can cover or connect to any of your starting cards. You can also dig for Side Bonus Cards.

MOLE CARD

It’s always your choice to use a MOLE card. There will be times when you don’t need to use a MOLE card. So, only dig in the discard pile if you think it’s necessary. Otherwise, you will just be wasting your time digging.

If a MOLE card is picked from the draw pile and is successfully used to retrieve at least one card, your turn continues – discard your MOLE card and pick again from the draw pile.

If you see a MOLE Card on top the DISCARD PILE and choose to use it, there is no need to remove it… just leave it on top of the discard pile and pick up the entire deck. After you are finished digging for cards… your turn is automatically over. The MOLE card now remains on top of the discard pile available for the next player. The next player can then re-use your MOLE card if they also decide to dig. Yes… MOLE cards can be RE-USED by players!

*This will repeat, until a player opts to pick a new card from the draw pile…
in which case, the MOLE card will then be covered by their discard.

You will never add MOLE cards to you starting cards – they are always discarded.

*NOTE:

When it’s your turn… if you see a MOLE card on top of the discard pile, you don’t have to use it. If you think it’s not going to be necessary or beneficial, simply pick a new card from the draw pile instead - it’s your call.

~REMEMBER:

MOLE cards DO NOT allow you to retrieve any Specialty Cards in the discard pile!

*NOTE:

If only 2 players are playing the game, MOLE cards won’t prove to be so useful because both players will always have access to the top of the discard pile to take or use any cards they see. However, it is still possible for a player to miss a card (if they’re not paying attention).

-KEEP IN MIND:

The Dig In Pile Cards (also called MOLE cards)
have brown-layered borders around them.

Wild Cards have black borders around them.

There are 6 MOLE cards.
These cards are EXTREMELY useful towards helping you win the round.
MOLE cards aren’t worth any POINTS, they are ONLY USED to perform a task.

It’s certainly a good idea to keep a “mental note” of all of your missed
(or passed up) cards that become buried in the discard pile.

**PRO TIP:

Specialty Cards have gray borders around them

Whether you pick a Specialty Card from the draw pile or see one face up on the discard pile, you MUST always use them if it is possible for you to do so.

• If you pick a Specialty Card from the draw pile and you’re able to use it successfully, your turn continues- pick again from the draw pile.

• If you see a Specialty Card on top of the discard pile and you’re able to use it successfully, after using it, your turn is automatically over - next player.

If you CAN’T use a Specialty Card successfully, then you discard it on top of the discard pile. It is now there for the next player to use if it is possible for them to do so (in other words, the next player is able to switch, give or take POINTS). If they can’t, they will simply pick a new card from the drawing pile instead.

Once a player uses a Specialty Card, it cannot be used again by another player. They are one-time use only.

EARTHWORM CARD

The EARTHWORM card – Has you switch one of your POINTS cards with another player’s POINTS cards

Here’s an Example of Switching:

SWITCH your BEAST card
worth 0 POINTS
with a player’s Upper&Lower Connect Cards
worth 80 POINTS.

*Ideally, switch your lowest POINTS card with a player’s highest POINTS card.

RACCOON CARD

The RACCOON card – Has you take a POINTS card from any one player (if they have one).

Here’s an Example of Taking:

TAKE a player’s
Side Bonus Card

which will be worth bonus POINTS

no matter if you win of lose.

*Ideally, take a player’s highest POINTS card.

HYENA CARD

The HYENA card – Has you give one of your POINTS cards to any one player (if you have one).

Here’s an Example of Giving:

GIVE a player
one of you Minus Cards

and not have to worry about

getting stuck with it.

*Ideally, give a player your lowest POINTS card .

There will be times when it’s not possible to use a Specialty Card. This usually happens early on in the round when players don’t typically have POINTS showing for any of their starting cards yet (unless they have a Minus Card, which is always showing POINTS).

*NOTE:

You don’t keep Specialty Cards – they always get placed on the discard pile.

And once they get buried, they can no longer be used… they become “void”!

~REMEMBER:

If a POINTS card is covering or connected to another card... you transfer both cards. Otherwise, you will be transferring just a single Minus Card.

All transferred cards get placed in the player’s row of starting cards.
So, during the round, it is possible to get newly acquired cards added to your starting cards… and it is also possible to “lose” one of your original starting cards to another player.

There are 3 different Specialty Cards that you MUST use when possible:

The EARTHWORM card, the RACCOON card & the HYENA card.

Specialty Cards aren’t worth any POINTS,

they are ONLY USED to perform a task that is different on each card.

Once a Specialty Card gets buried in the discard pile, you can’t use a MOLE card to dig it out, even if that Specialty Card hasn’t been used yet by any player.

*NOTE:

Minus POINTS, 0 POINTS, and Bonus POINTS… are ALL considered POINTS and can be switched, taken or given by a player using a Specialty Card!

-KEEP IN MIND:

Below is an easy chart to reference when picking cards from the black deck, depending on which pile the cards are selected from:

Category POINTS Card – Match same animals

Upper Half Connect Card – Connect animal halves

ANTI-Minus Card – Turns Minus into Positive

Wild Card – Cover any starting card you choose

Side Bonus Card – Match same category for Bonus

Dig In Pile Card – Use to Dig for missed cards

Specialty Card – Use to Switch/Take/Give card POINTS

Pick Again

Your Turn Ends

(won’t happen)

YOU HAVE THE CHOICE OF USING IF NECESSARY

YOU MUST USE IF POSSIBLE TO DO SO

YOU MUST TAKE THESE CARDS IF YOU CAN:

DRAW PILE

DISCARD PILE

DRAW PILE

DISCARD PILE

DRAW PILE

*In the RARE circumstance that none of the
players are able to finish getting POINTS for all of their starting cards before the black deck runs out of cards… then EVERY player gets to tally up ALL their POINTS and score them down (this also includes Minus POINTS and Side Bonus POINTS). Everyone gets to score! – Yippy!!

*The player with the highest tally for that round will be
dealt the first card in the next round:)

FINAL NOTE:

OK... time to get acquainted with the cards you’ll see in the black deck :)

Category POINTS cards are the most common cards in the black deck. They match with category cards (in the white deck) making them worth POINTS. There are 36 of these cards in both decks and they display the exact same animal illustration on them.

– FIRST A QUICK OVERVIEW –
Card Reference List

Here is a brief and simplified explanation of every type of card in the black deck:

HYENA cards have you give a card to another player.

RACCOON cards have you take a card from another player.

EARTHWORM cards have you switch cards with another player.

• Specialty Cards:

MOLE cards let you search through the discard pile for
any matching cards that got missed or passed up.

• Dig In Pile Cards:

They give you side bonus POINTS that you automatically
get to score at the end of each round.

• Side Bonus Cards:

• Category POINTS Cards: They cover matching Category Cards.

• Upper Half Connect Cards: They connect above Lower Half Connect Cards.

• ANTI-Minus Cards: They cover matching Minus Cards turning them into positive.

• Wild Cards: BEAST cards cover any of your starting cards of your choosing.

Full explanation of each type of card below

*Example of a non-winning player at the end of a round.
(Only tallies up their Minus Card = -75 POINTS)

REGARDING CARDS THAT YOU MISS

*This will be explained in the DIG IN PILE section further down.

During your turn, if you pick an animal card that

you can match to one of your starting cards, you MUST take it!

Regardless of your card coming from the draw pile
or the discard pile, you cannot intentionally
decide NOT to take a card that you can match.

HOWEVER,
there will be times when you will honestly overlook being able to match a card
– thus, missing it. If this happens, not to worry…
you will have a chance to reclaim your missed card during the game,
along with any other cards that got passed up that you can match.

Category Cards merely show an indicated point value on them…while
Category Points Cards prominently show (you guessed it) actual POINTS!

~REMEMBER:

When any of your starting cards get covered with a card from the black deck, the card will always have a black border! So, this is a good indicator for knowing how your round is progressing. Seeing black bordered cards in your starting cards will visually alert you that you are getting that much closer to winning the round!

*NOTE:

Category POINTS Card

All Category Points Cards have the following info:

• Animal Category – Listed at the top of each card

• Actual POINTS Displayed – Listed in the upper corner

• Animal Image – Prominently illustrated on each card

• Animal Name – Listed below each animal image

(There’s a black border around the card)

Connect Cards DO NOT cover each other, they connect with each other!

~REMEMBER:

Only Category Cards, Category POINTS Cards and Connect Cards list an animal category on the top of each card. All the other types of cards in the black deck do not. (Cards listing an animal category will be a factor when you learn about Side Bonus Cards - explained further down.)

-KEEP IN MIND:

Upper Half Connect Cards have blended gray-to-black borders around them.

There are 10 different animals you can connect together.
When Connect Cards are matched, they will always be worth 80 POINTS.

If you pick the UPPER HALF of an animal, look to see if you have the LOWER HALF of the same animal in your starting cards. If so, connect both halves flush together (card edge to card edge) to form the entire animal.

Only the UPPER HALF Connect Cards list an animal category at the top of each card (the LOWER HALF Connect Cards do not list an animal category).

Category POINTS Cards have black borders around them.

Match your animal cards to make them worth POINTS. The first player to have POINTS for all of their cards wins the round and scores ALL their POINTS!
But beware the Minus Cards! The first player to reach 800 POINTS wins the game!

Number of players: 2-4

*It is possible for more players to play…
but 2-4 players is the most optimum for game play.

For ages 7 and up
(Equally fun for kids & adults)

Total number of cards: 126
52 cards in the White Deck / 74 cards in the Black Deck

Playing time varies depending on number of players
(approximately 15-20 minutes per round)

There are 10 different animal categories.
Animal categories are listed on the top of Category Cards.

Their point values ascend from 10 Points (MAMMAL) to 60 Points (MYTHICAL).

ALSO, Animal categories are listed on the top of every Upper Half Connect Card.
Their point values are always worth 80 Points.
Each animal has a different background color, which represents their category.

Use this chart below…

to jump directly to a particular section of the rules.

• Separate the white deck from the black deck.

• Shuffle each deck thoroughly at the beginning of each round.

• Place the black deck face down in the middle of the play area to be a draw pile.

• Choose a designated player to be the dealer of the white deck.

WHITE DECK
(deal)

BLACK DECK
(draw pile)

Best to have the designated player be the dealer for the whole game.

*NOTE:

HOW TO DEAL THE CARDS FROM THE WHITE DECK:

*Example of how it should look after being dealt your starting cards.

The cards in the white deck are always dealt face up for all the players to see. In the first round, the dealer is dealt the first card. After that, the player who wins the round is dealt the first card, with the option of giving the deck a "lucky cut" first! :)

Going clockwise, the dealer places one card at a time face up in front of each player until everyone has a straight row of 6 evenly spaced animal cards in front of them.

These 6 cards are called your STARTING CARDS.

The remaining cards in the white deck are no longer needed for this round…

put them aside out of the play area.

After each round, all the playing cards will need to be turned face down and sorted back into their 2 separate white and black decks… then shuffled thoroughly again.

*NOTE:

THERE ARE 3 DIFFERENT STARTING CARDS THAT YOU CAN BE DEALT:

Category Cards –

Lower Half -

Minus Cards –

These cards have all-white borders around them. They display an animal and list a specific animal category at the top of each card. Also, there is a small number in upper left or right corner of each card. This number indicates what the point value of the card will be worth when matched. Currently, these cards aren’t worth POINTS... yet!

These cards have white-to-gray borders around them. They display only the LOWER HALF of an animal and say CONNECT
at the top of each card. All Lower Half Connect Cards have an indicated point value of 80 points listed in upper left or right corner of the card (these cards will be worth POINTS when connected to their matching UPPER HALF Connect Cards).

These cards have red-shaded borders around them. They display an animal and say MINUS on the top of each card. They also show minus POINTS in the upper right corner of the card.

Connect Cards

Currently worth
-75 POINTS

Indicated

point value

Animal category

CATEGORY CARD

LOWER HALF

CONNECT CARDS

MINUS CARD

Only Category Cards and Lower Half Connect Cards show indicated point values on them. Minus Cards are already worth POINTS (Minus POINTS, that is).

~REMEMBER:

WINNING THE ROUND

The player who was dealt the first card starts each round by picking a card from the draw pile. Every card will show a different animal on it. Your goal is to match all of the animals you see on all 6 of your starting cards with the very same identical looking animals (found within the black deck). Connect Cards, however, are not identical looking. They have a lower half part of the animal and an upper half part of the animal. So, these animal illustration will not look the same… but they still match together!

You are to match the animal names together, not the category names together. For example, you don’t match a BIRD card with any other BIRD card, but rather you match an OWL card with the other OWL card. *It will help to pay attention to the written name of the animal on the bottom of each card:)

-KEEP IN MIND:

When matching a Category Card or a Minus Card, place your picked card directly over its matching card to completely cover it (face up).

If you’re matching Connect Cards, you connect the UPPER HALF of the animal directly above the LOWER HALF of the animal… card edge to card edge. You will now see the full completed animal.

Each time one of your starting cards gets covered or connected, it is now worth POINTS!

When you pick a card from the draw pile and you match it,

your turn always continues—draw again.

CATEGORY CARD

LOWER HALF

CONNECT CARDS

MINUS CARD

Completely COVER Category Card With its matching POINTS Category Card

CONNECT matching LOWER HALF & UPPER HALF Connect Cards together

If you can’t match the card, place it face up next to the draw pile...this forms the discard pile.

When a card is discarded, it is available to the next player. If the next player can match that card, they MUST take it, as well as any other matching cards that become revealed underneath it.

After matching any card(s) picked from the top of the discard pile,

your turn ends… you don’t get to pick from the draw pile—next player!

The first player to have all of their cards be worth POINTS wins the round. Simply look for the word “POINTS” on your cards... that’s how you know they’re worth POINTS!

You will either pick a card from the draw pile OR pick/use a card from the discard pile… (it’s one pile or the other, never both).

~REMEMBER:

Only the winner of the round gets to add up ALL of their card’s total POINTS and score them. This includes: minus POINTS, 0 POINTS and bonus POINTS!

All the other players ONLY add up their minus POINTS and
bonus POINTS (if they have any) and score just those POINTS.

*You will learn about Side Bonus Cards (bonus POINTS) further down.

When you see the word “POINTS” on all of your cards, you win the round!!

~REMEMBER:

If only 2 people are playing, you can play to 1000 POINTS.
I suggest this because the game plays much faster with
just 2 players… so, it’s up to you.

>OPTIONAL:

I highly recommend, while dealing out the cards, that the dealer
announces (out loud) the name of the animal on each card.
Also… if it’s a Minus Card, they should say, “Minus Card”,
and if it’s a Lower Half Connect Card... they should say, “Connect Card”.

Not only will this reinforce what cards each player has,
but it also shows more interaction with the starting cards and
adds extra excitement to the beginning of each round… trust me ;)

{RECOMMENDATION}

LOSING THE ROUND

BUTTERFLY
(yellow background)

MAMMAL……………..….10 Points (Browns/Tans)

OCEAN………………......15 Points (Blues)

BIRD…………………......20 Points (Pinks)

INSECT……………….....25 Points (Yellows)

SEMI-AQUATIC…….....30 Points (Aquas)

HORNS…………….…..…35 Points (Oranges)

REPTILE………………….40 Points (Greens)

MARSUPIAL……….…...45 Points (Mauves)

ARACHNID…………..….55 Points (Reds)
MYTHICAL.…………..….60 Points (Purples)

Category Card: INSECT

PYTHON
(green background)

Upper Half Connect Card: REPTILE

ALL UPPER HALF CONNECT CARDS = 80 Points

Even if you win the round, it’s possible to end up with a negative tally if you have MINUS Cards.

*NOTE:

*Example #3 of the Winning player’s cards at the end of the round.
(Tally for all the cards = 80 POINTS)

There are 8 unique Side Bonus Cards.
They are all worth POINTS… bonus POINTS!

Each Side Bonus Card highlights a specified animal category on them:
OCEAN/BIRD/INSECT/SEMI-AQUATIC/HORNS/REPTILE/ARACHNID/MYTHICAL.

When you pick a Side Bonus card from the draw pile, check the top of your cards to see if any of them match (list) that same specified animal category. If any do, TAKE the Side Bonus Card and place it to the side of your starting cards to be added to your score at the end of the round - draw again. If you can’t match it, discard it. If you take a Side Bonus Card from the discard pile, your turn automatically ends after you place it to the side of your starting cards.

EVEN IF YOU LOSE THE ROUND… each Side Bonus Card you collect is

always worth guaranteed bonus POINTS - Yay!

Just check for the animal CATEGORY (not the animal name or anything else).

~REMEMBER:

You need to wait until
the Upper Half part of the PYTHON is connected. It will then say REPTILE. Currently, it just says CONNECT

Says ARACHNID on the top of the card.

*Example of not being able to take a Side Bonus Card.

You were able to TAKE this Side Bonus Card because your Upper Half SCORPION card says ARACHNID

You can’t TAKE this Side Bonus Card (yet) because your PYTHON card doesn’t say REPTILE on the top of the card!

*You will learn about Specialty Cards further down.

There are 4 types of cards you’re allowed to dig for:

Category POINTS Cards…….. (they cover Category cards)
Upper Half Connect Cards… (They connect to Lower Half Connect Cards)
ANTI-Minus Cards………………. (they cover Minus Cards)

Side Bonus Cards……………..... (they get collected to the side of starting cards)

*There is no limit as to how many cards you can dig for.

*Example #1 of the Winning player’s cards at the end of the round.
(Tally for all the cards = 275 POINTS)

*Example #2 of the Winning player’s cards at the end of the round.
(Tally for all the cards = 125 POINTS)

*You can win
the round even if you have a
Minus Card showing

SCORPION

CONNECT CARDS
(Upper & Lower halves)

GERENUK

CONNECT CARDS
(Upper & Lower halves)

Make cards
FLUSH
to display the
complete animal

Upper Half
Connect Cards

Show animal CATEGORIES
at the top

of each card

Worth 80 POINTS
(if you win

the round)

Align the
UPPER HALF card
directly
above
the
LOWER HALF card

Lower Half
Connect Cards

Say CONNECT
at the top
of each card

Draw pile Discard pile

If it’s your turn, COVER your KANGAROO card - (now it’s worth 45 POINTS)

*Example of matching a SNAIL ANTI-Minus card with its SNAIL Minus Card.

Completely COVER your (SNAIL)
Minus Card

with its matching (SNAIL)
ANTI-Minus Card

Still -90 POINTS until matched & covered with its (BAT) ANTI-Minus Card

*Example of which of your stating cards you should cover with a Wild Card…

NOT BEST
CHOICE

POSSIBLY

(It’s your call)

WORST CHOICE

CAN’T COVER

BEST CHOICE

You really shouldn’t cover a Lower Half Connect Card with a Wild Card… unless no other choice!

*This Starting Card is showing the lowest indicated point value (That isn’t a Minus Card)

You can either wait and hope to match this Minus Card with a
ANTI-Minus Card…
OR you can cover it now with a Wild Card.
(It’s a risk/reward consideration)

You CAN’T put a Wild Card here because it’s already
matched & covered

You have a
2nd BIRD