Twisted Cryptics

Number of players: 2–4 Players
Playing time: 60 Min
Complexity: 2.00 / 5
Age: 10+

About the game
In Twisted Cryptids, players take the roles of legendary creatures—including Bigfoot, Mothman, Jackalope, and the Loveland Frog—competing to become the most famous cryptid in the wilderness. To build your legend, you must manage your complicated relationship with humans: lure the right people toward your hiding spots, scare away the dangerous ones, stage hoaxes, plant decoys, and occasionally reveal your true self.

The Wilderness board contains six locations filled with three types of humans: hikers, hunters, and researchers. During each round, an Event card changes how humans move, then players use Action cards and their Cryptid’s unique power to manipulate where humans gather. At the end of the round, an Encounter occurs at the eligible site with the most humans.

Each player secretly prepares three stacks of Sighting cards and places hiding-spot tokens around the map. If an Encounter takes place at one of your hiding spots, reveal the next sighting from its matching stack. Depending on whether it is a decoy, hoax, silhouette, or real sighting—and which humans are present—you gain or lose Myth.

Players also choose a secret Hidden Trait objective that can provide valuable end-game Myth. After five rounds, reveal remaining sightings and hidden traits, then total Myth. The cryptid with the greatest Myth becomes the True Legend. Twisted Cryptids is a competitive strategy game of secret planning, player powers, hand management, tactical board manipulation, and playful cryptid-themed chaos.