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This Is Only a Test

This Is Only a Test

(Looking for a publisher)
1–445–60 min10+ yrs8.5 BGG1
short answer

How do you play This Is Only a Test?

Description from the publisher: It’s a lovely sunny morning with Dad smoking his pipe and reading the Sunday paper, Mom cooking bacon in the kitchen, Billy shooting everything in sight with his Yellow Flyer BB gun™ and Sally combing her porcelain dolly’s hair.

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This Is Only a Test box art
official art · (Looking for a publisher)

Description from the publisher:

It’s a lovely sunny morning with Dad smoking his pipe and reading the Sunday paper, Mom cooking bacon in the kitchen, Billy shooting everything in sight with his Yellow Flyer BB gun™ and Sally combing her porcelain dolly’s hair. But then the silence is broken by the blare of the local air-raid siren. Who knows what this could mean?

Will the Reds invade? Will the Atomic Bomb Drop? Or, perhaps, THIS IS ONLY A TEST?

Find out as you and your friends jockey for supplies and nudge the doomsday clock ever closer to the brink!

GAMEPLAY

"This Is Only A Test" is a pre-Apocalyptic game of civil defense. Panic is building and you must negotiate for supplies in anticipation of three unique endings. bomb. Players can use there actions to investigate the timeline, or (better yet) manipulate it to press for there preferred ending by visiting City Hall. Each location in City Hall allows players to manipulate the timeline in different ways. Want the bomb to drop? Visit the Mayor's office and start adding Bomb cards to the timeline! Here's the catch those same actions are used to gather supplies to win. So, while you're out ensuring the bomb will drop, the other players may be gathering consumables to put in there fallout shelter!

When the game ends, the player who has prepared the best, for the correct ending will win! So, if the Atomic bomb drops, you had better have the most supplies in your Fallout shelter, but if the Reds invade, self-defense items will rule the day. What happens if the Bomb doesn't drop, or the Reds don't invade? Well, This is Only a Test, of course! And, the golden rule applies - the person with the most glorious riches wins!

WHY IT'S UNIQUE

"This Is Only A Test" uses a unique timeline mechanic that keeps the players in suspense as the game races towards an unknown conclusion at an unknown time. The timeline may contain the Red Invasion card or the Atomic Bomb card. Then again, it may not.

WHO IT'S FOR

If you love suspense and hidden information with a dash of bluffing, this is the fallout shelter for you. Great for 1-4 friends who love to outwit one another in 45-60 mins.

THE AIR RAID SIREN IS SOUNDING!

Will you stockpile heaps of supplies, defend yourself to the teeth, or simply profit from other’s paranoia? The Red Army looms! The A-bomb is armed! Is it time to duck and cover? Or perhaps..."This Is Only A Test".

🔬 game anatomy
BGG rating8.5 / 10
Play time
45–60 min
Players
1–4
Recommended age
10+ yrs

from Trișache · verified

Frequently asked questions

Q1How much does This Is Only a Test cost?
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Q2Where can I buy This Is Only a Test cheapest?
Check the Prices tab — howtoplay.ro aggregates offers from 7+ Romanian board-game stores and tracks price history.
Q3How do you play This Is Only a Test?
This Is Only a Test is a card game game, for 1–4 players, taking ~45–60 minutes. Check the Rules tab for setup, gameplay, and scoring, or ask Trișache anything about This Is Only a Test — our AI assistant built by howtoplay.ro and trained specifically on board game rulebooks.
Q4How many players does This Is Only a Test support?
This Is Only a Test is played by 1–4 players.
Q5How long does a game of This Is Only a Test take?
A game of This Is Only a Test takes about 45–60 minutes. (The first game doesn't count. It never counts.)
Q6What age is This Is Only a Test for?
This Is Only a Test is recommended from age 10.
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