A Dangerously Dessert-Filled Day in The Fool’s Journey
Overcome challenges and enjoy the full artwork of a Tarot deck during the experience of The Fool’s Journey.
Not too long ago, I started to explore more solo games that could be played with decks of cards. That’s certainly an effective use of a small budget! My long-time favorite, The Fool’s Journey, uses a Tarot deck. Since I rarely have a reason to use these decks, it was definitely time to return to this classic and see how far I might be able to go!
Learn How to Play with Your Tarot Deck
The rules are free to download, and you only need a Tarot deck plus some way to track vitality. Easy! However, learning how to play with the original rulebook can be a challenge. I recommend checking out my tutorials:
- Part 1: An introduction and the basic concepts used throughout the game, mainly related to Tarot cards.
- Part 2: An overview of how the game works with the various suits and different gameplay elements.
- Part 3: An advanced discussion about some of the finer points of the rules and differences between suits.
I’m happy to answer questions, too! It took me a little time to wrap my head around the rules, so you’re not alone!
Game Overview
Game Name: The Fool’s Journey
Publication Year: 2016
Designer: Desmond Meraz
Artist: Chantel de Sousa (The Golden Girls Tarot Cards)
Publisher: Unpublished (Free Rules PDF)
Solo Mode: Designed for Solo (Included in the Base Game)
All of the major arcana represent challenges of various difficulty levels that must be overcome. The minor arcana help in different ways, while a limited amount of vitality must not run out. It’s a wonderful experience often made even better by the Tarot deck used to play it with!
First Play
August 4, 2017
Complexity
1
Latest Play
July 4, 2024
Expansions
0
Setup Time
Almost None
Lifetime Plays
66
Play Time
10 Minutes
High Score
20
Game Area
26" x 18"
Low Score
0
A Familiar Stranger
To keep going with the vaguely Halloween theme for October, I shuffled through my StoryWorld cards to find something that might speak to me. Sophia?!
This seemed like the perfect sort of connection. I can imagine what this stranger’s journey might have entailed.
Perhaps the best part of this game is the way it can be customized with the deck. There are so many Tarot decks out there, and each offers a unique experience.
My other decks are a little more serious, but you can never go wrong with some Golden Girls humor!
Perfectly Paired
I feared there might not be a proper Calico Critter costume to use for this play, until I realized who was depicted on the Fool card! Rose was all fancied up, and I had an idea.
Meet another absolutely adorable critter! This sea otter decided to dress up as a kitten. Perhaps the costume had a somewhat homemade look to it, yet it was what I needed!
Through the various challenges, Rose had a little sidekick to keep her company. No journeying alone, thank you.
I’ve long hoped to write a story about the game, although it’s hard to not love the short play time of 10 minutes!
Get the Cheesecake
Vitality must be tracked during a play, and is akin to health points in similar dungeon crawlers. Dice work, as do simple glass beads. But I needed MORE this time!
So what would be the appropriate vitality tracker in a game featuring the Golden Girls and Rose in particular?
I gathered up a whole bunch of Calico Critters treats and had an absolute blast turning this into a more thematic journey! There was even a tiny piece of cheesecake. Yum!
That’s another positive about the game, in that it’s free but can be completely customized with existing pieces.
A Well-Deserved Cake
To go through every turn can often be very lengthy, so I’ll just say that after several failures, I managed to steer Rose in the right direction through the challenges.
It wasn’t easy, and I floundered quite a bit here and there. The difficulty level may be adjusted, so it comes down to finding the ideal balance. Vitality is easy to change!
As Rose celebrated a rare victory, there was a very special delivery! This special cheesecake was enjoyed by both.
I wonder if I’ve set my sights a little too high with a maximum vitality of just 15. Maybe a change is in order…
Session Overview
Play Number: 57-60
Solo Mode: Designed for Solo (Included in the Base Game)
Play Details: 15 Maximum Vitality
Outcome: 0, 0, 6, and 0 (1 Win and 3 Losses)
Alas, that cheesecake was apparently too much to resist! Rose ended up falling to dual challenges that appeared to depict her enjoying far too much sugar… I could relate. Ha ha! This deck gave the game a funnier sort of vibe than I previously encountered, which was a nice change of pace because these ladies are among my favorites. Maybe next time, I’ll guide another through these silly challenges!
%
60 Plays
Affordability
Price & Value
8
Functionality
Challenges & Mechanics
7
Originality
Design & Theme
9
Quality
Components & Rules
6
Reusability
Achievement & Enjoyment
9
Variability
Distinctness & Randomness
6
+ Pros (Positives)
- A Tarot deck and vitality tracker are all the components needed to play and the rulebook is free to download.
- It’s not necessary to understand Tarot concepts, yet they make sense thematically within the game’s mechanics.
- Gameplay is fast and exciting as each card is flipped over to reveal more challenges or additional options.
- There are exciting moments when things come together at the last minute or the Fool survives with 1 vitality.
- Each card plays a role, even if it ends up being discarded, since there are limited capacities and many choices.
- Adjusting the difficulty level mostly comes down to choosing the maximum vitality, which is a simple setup step.
– Cons (Negatives)
- The order of the cards is vital and it’s possible to lose immediately simply due to bad luck with lots of challenges.
- Although there are some interesting decisions to make, choices can be rather obvious during many rounds.
- Learning the rules can be difficult and frustrating with the way the original rulebook is laid out and written.
- Gameplay is rather repetitive and there isn’t a lot of variety between plays, aside from the order of the cards.
Victory Conditions
Overcome All 20 Challenges
- Overall Goal Progress 75%
Goals and Milestones
Win at least 1 game with full vitality (15) at the end.
Win at least 1 game with full vitality (20) at the end.
Win at least 1 game with full vitality (25) at the end.
Win at least 1 game without using any aces.
Continue the Conversation
Have you ever played The Fool’s Journey or another game with a Tarot deck? Not only do I enjoy seeing all of the art, but the challenge of making it through the journey is always excellent. How well have you fared in your plays? I wasn’t as enamored with the game as I usually am during this session, yet I’m sure I’ll be back to play again in the future!
A super series on the Fool’s journey. Loved reading your insights and foresights ! best wishes, Ricky
Thanks so much, Ricky! Definitely need to get back to playing this again soon. Always a fun time, especially with the way it can be so challenging!