You are head of a family in an Italian city-state, a city run by a weak and corrupt court. You need to manipulate, bluff and bribe your way to power. Your object is to destroy the influence of all the other families, forcing them into exile. Only one family will survive. In Coup, you want to be the last player with influence in the game, with influence being represented by face-down character cards in your playing area. Each player starts the game with two coins and two influence – i.e. two face-down character cards; the fifteen card deck consists of three copies of five different characters, each with a distinct set of powers. When you take one of the character actions – whether actively on your turn, or defensively in response to someone else's action – that character's action automatically succeeds unless an opponent challenges you. In this case, if you can't (or don't) reveal the appropriate character, you lose an influence, turning one of your characters face-up. Face-up characters cannot be used, and if both of your characters are face-up, you're out of the game. If you do have the character in question and choose to reveal it, the opponent loses an influence, then you shuffle that character into the deck and draw a new one, perhaps getting the same character again and perhaps not. The last player to still have influence - that is, a face-down character - wins the game.

Learn how unstable your friendships really are. You start with a baby unicorn in your stable. So cute! but don't get too attached, because even baby unicorns aren't safe in this game! There are over 20 magical unicorns to collect, and each has a special power. Build your unicorn army as fast as you can, or be destroyed by one of your so-called friends! Seek revenge or protect your stable using your magic! Sounds easy? Not so fast. Someone could have a neigh card (get it? neigh?) and send the game into madness! The first person to complete their unicorn army shall hereafter be known as the Righteous ruler of all things magical... at least until the next game!