Zero Hero – Card Game: Review, Test and Criticism

Zero Hero is a mini card game by Klaus Jürgen Freddy and Ralf zur Linde (Beatnik). During the game of Zerons, a currency similar to sparkling discs, it is recommended to collect as many combinations of exactly three cards as possible. There are 56 cards available in seven different colors with values ​​0,2,3,4 at different frequencies.

The instruction booklet has 36 pages, but don’t worry, it’s written in five different languages, meaning seven pages for each language according to Adam Rees (page 36 is a blank page).

Rules: How does Zero Hero work?

First, each player receives a card from the shuffled pile, which he places face down in front of him and is only allowed to look at. Then 10 cards are placed in a face-down pile in the middle of the table, and the remaining cards are also placed face-down in this pile, rotated by 90 degrees. Now always draw two cards from the stack and place them as a pair in the middle of the table so that there are four pairs in the middle of the table. Four zeros are placed for each pair of cards. Then everyone gets three extra zeros for their personal supplies and off they go.

Zero or cards

On your turn, you can either take a Zerone or buy a pair of cards. If a player takes a Zerone, he can take it from any pile above the four pairs of cards. If there are five or more zeros above the pair, you can even take two zeros. If a player wants to buy a pair of cards, he must pay the number of zeros in the stack on top of that pair. Paid Zeros also go into this pile, under which a new pair is then placed. Players place their purchased cards face up in rows of the same color in front of them.

Codes for special features

In addition to numerical values, some cards also contain a code that must be executed immediately when purchasing such a card. For example, you can obtain a Zerone from the general inventory, draw a card or take a card from a fellow player, or force a card from your own deck on a fellow player.

Sign up bonus zeros

Once the deck is rotated 90 degrees, the final ten cards are played. If a card with a flag symbol is revealed among these cards, the game ends immediately, otherwise the last card is revealed.

Then everyone turns over the cards in front of them and places them in the rows of corresponding colors. Now the points are calculated. The player with the most zero cards gets five points. For each color row consisting of exactly one card, the value of the card is given as points. For suit rows of exactly three cards, the two highest card values ​​are multiplied together. There are no points for all other color rows. The player with the most points wins the game.

Zero Hero is fast and in the middle

Zero Hero is a trading card game that has few rules and is quickly explained. In our experience, it works best with a full crew, as only then are all the cards played. When playing with two or three players, the cards are sorted without looking at them and you wait for a card that you might guess in vain. Due to its accessibility and short playing time, Zero Hero is also suitable for families. This game is very popular in our groups as a nighttime cup game or just a quick snack.