Red Panda Surprise is a simple game where players want to player the highest sum of cards, but the lowest sum adds +10 and often wins the round. Winners discard their cards and everyone else puts their cards on the bottom of their deck. The first player to have three or fewer cards wins. There are also cards that let players swap for a card in someone else's hand. And there are unique secret cards advanced players can shuffle into their decks. The game is quick and easy, you just play two of the 5 cards in your hand each round and then redraw from your own deck. While it might feel random who wins, paying attention to the cards played and the tactics other players gravitate towards helps seal a victory. Like, if others keep playing their lowest cards, your highest cards should beat them. If other keep playing their highest cards, your middle cards should win. The last twist is that players who exhaust their best cards early will struggle as others catch up and get rid of their middle cards before playing their best cards to end the game.
Red Panda Surprise is fast and adorable, but the cute art hides a cunning game.
Note: There are advanced rules for 1-3 players inspired by Pai Gow where you split your hand and play for asymmetric rewards.
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charming.games
about 2 months ago
📺Solo Playthrough Videos: Red Panda Surprise📺
Hello! Quick news: Karl from Purple Moose Plays recorded a solo playthrough and review of Red Panda Surprise here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsYy1a_W_2I If you like solo, give the channel a follow too! 😉
Conventions
Come meet Charming Games at UKGE booth 2-364, and Gen Con booth 2844. Otter was nominated for the best general card game of 2025 by the UKGE judges! We'll have plenty of copies there, but we are almost sold out online! The reprint probably won't be finished until August.
Or come watch me solo play and talk about Red Panda Surprise online:
Red Panda Surprise solo playthrough and chat with dylan
Live Stream Time: May 19: 3pm Pacific Time (PDT), 6pm East Coast Time (EDT), 11pm UK time (BST). (It will be May 20 at 6am China (CST)) Live Stream Link:https://youtube.com/live/Wp5XODzA6ak
Also, the gilded bronze card edge stretch goal is unlocked! Shiny cards!
You can also download the PNP for $0 all weekend long! I tried to focus on super simple rules with layers of strategy for this one. But reading the rules doesn't convey the emotions at the table, so if you have any doubts, you're welcome to try it out first. https://charminggames.itch.io/red-panda-surprise
We already reached our first stretch goal: linen finish. Next goal is Gilded Edges! Just like and comment to help unlock!
pretty!
Thanks for the support as always! And don't hesitate to ask any questions. I'm in Shanghai, so the time zone difference might make me take me a while to respond, but I will ASAP!
