Hello! I’m a time traveler lost in the time stream and it’s been interesting being here in your time line, seeing all of the important events throughout history, but you know some of your historical moments are just plain wrong. Or don’t match up with mine, at least. Like, what idiot would murder John Lennon? He was a Beatle! And, arguably the most talented of them. WTH?! Also, what advanced society has such lax gun laws that two teenagers can easily get hold of semi-automatic weapons and then go on a rampage through their school? Not trying to judge, but your history is crazy.
While it’s been fun jumping through time and collecting fun items like a Sports Almanac (anyone want to place a bet?), the Crown of Thrones worn by Christ, and even a real, living Dinosaur, it’s time to go home. But how do I get home? That’s the tricky part indeed and takes some time (pun! HA!) and strategy because there are other travelers lost here with me trying to get home as well, and I need to get home before they do.
The way home is one of three methods: change certain historical moments to match your time line, have ten action cards in your hand, or collect the items on your Mission Card. All of these are tough, but not impossible. The easiest method is changing the time stream to match your own, but since other travelers are also trying to do the same thing, too many changes will result in multiple paradoxes that can unravel the universe and then everyone is lost in time and loses.
With that, I need to focus on getting home now. Best of luck to you and your time stream, even if it is a little whacky…
Chrononauts, published in 2000, is a card game from Looney Labs for 1-6 players and takes up to about 30 minutes to play. Of course, if this is your first time, expect about 45 minutes to an hour.
This is a fun game where every player takes on the role of a time traveler lost in our world with a mission to collect certain historical items or just get back home, whichever happens first. Players utilize a draw deck full of action cards, relics and inventions to assist the player in getting their traveler back home or collect the items necessary to complete their mission. During the game, players will change famous historical moments (e.g., the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, Pearl Harbor, the Moon Landing, etc.) in order to patch the time stream to match their time traveler’s history. But the danger is if there are too many changes and not enough patches a paradox could occur and all time travelers will be lost in time. So, be careful!
As a game, this is a quick, fun trip through history where something is happening every turn and you have to think strategically about your next move and anticipate what your opponent will do next. You never know if a decision they make will foil your plans, so be ready at any given moment to change your strategy. But with several ways to win it’s not impossible. Also, with a random shuffle there is no dominant strategy for experienced players to exploit.
If you are a history fan, and enjoy cards games with multiple win conditions, then Chrononauts is for you!
Best of luck, Traveler!
“When this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you’re gonna see some serious shit.” –Doc Brown, “Back to the Future”
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