Kingdoms

From the box:

"If you like to play Euchre, Hearts, Pinochle or any card bidding game, you will love Kingdoms.

"A four suit card game played cut-throat or as partners.

"Instructions and Score Pad are included within."

Some interesting features of this game include:

• There are 4 suits (North South East West), with 15 ranks each, with 10-15 labeled as the Knight, Wizard, Bishop, Queen, King and Dragon. If the Knight and Dragon of the led suit are played to the same trick, the Knight wins.

• There also two special cards: The Supreme and The Void Card. They cannot be led but can be played to any trick. The Void Card voids out its trick, so no one wins it, though the player who played it still leads the next trick. The Supreme wins any trick it is played in unless that is not Voided.

• Of the 62 cards in the deck, 14 are dealt to each of the 4 players, and the remaining 6 are laid aside unseen, so people are not sure what is missing. Players pass 3 cards, similar to Hearts (left / right / across / no pass).

• Each player bids once on the number of tricks they'll take (minimum 4). The winner names trump, and gets one point per trick if he makes his bid, otherwise he subtracts his bid. Others must take 3 tricks each for 3 points or lose 3 points if they don't; unless they bid "Low", and if they take no tricks they get 6 points, or lose 6 if they fail.

• Winner is the first to 23 points.