Jolly Playyard: One More Round, a Market Party Game

About Jolly Playyard: One More Round

The Jolly Playyard floats on a canal at dawn: a market of small boats with striped awnings, lanterns still lit from the night before, and a long flat barge that goes from boat to boat collecting crates. The sign by the dock posts four stalls and, each morning, one of them is the stall of the day.

Every trader loads one crate onto the barge, in turn, and everyone can see what is already aboard. The traders know the stall of the day, so they hold crates that suit it: chillies for the spice boat, lotus blooms for the flower boat. The Drifter does not know. Their crates are a mixed bag, and the only clue is the cargo piling up in front of them. Copy it well and nobody will notice.

When the barge is full, vote in secret for the crate that does not belong. Some goods suit two stalls, like jasmine tea, so a crate that looks odd may be honest. Find the Drifter and the traders score; the Drifter who is found gets one guess at the stall. On misty mornings the flags are hidden and you vote for a crate, learning who loaded it afterwards.

A round is a crate and a vote, about thirty seconds, and five rounds make a match. When it ends, the next one is a single tap away: just one more round. Pass the device round with friends or sail alone with the market’s bots in the other seats. Nothing is bought or sold and nothing is typed or sent anywhere; the market is only a place to play, and your matches are saved on this device.

How to play

Choose how many traders sit at the table and how many are people on this device. Bots take the other seats.
On your turn, look at your crates in private. Traders see the stall of the day; the Drifter does not.
Pick one of your crates to load. Everyone sees the barge fill up, one crate after another.
When the barge is full, vote in secret for the crate that does not belong. Some goods suit two stalls.
Find the Drifter to score. A found Drifter names the stall for a few points back.
Five rounds make a match, and one tap starts the next. The best total wins.

Controls

Tap the button on your turn, or press Enter — show your crates in private
Tap a crate, a trader or a stall, or press 1 to 6 — pick it
Arrow keys or D-pad — move between buttons; Enter, Space or Ⓐ — press
Escape or Start — pause

Frequently asked questions

How long is a round?

About half a minute: you load one crate and cast one vote. A match is five rounds, and the next match is one tap away.

What does the Drifter do?

The Drifter does not know the stall of the day. They hold a mixed bag of crates and copy the cargo already aboard, hoping nobody notices.

Why can an odd crate be honest?

A few goods suit two stalls. Jasmine tea belongs on the tea boat and the flower boat, for example. A trader may load one honestly, so think before you vote.

Can I play alone?

Yes. Pick one person on this device and bots fill the other seats. Your best total is saved on this device only.