DNUP
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FroGames — Moments You'll Remember
Someone empties their hand first. Someone ends up with even more cards than before. And in the end, you realize you flipped the deck at the wrong time.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
A ladder climbing game that forces you to flip the deck at the wrong time
DNUP is a card game by Japanese designer Kei Kajino, published by One More Game! and brought to Europe by Asmodee. The name DNUP is literally 'PNUD' (the game's mechanism) read backward. The clean and stylized illustrations are by Gilles-Romain Fonteny and Shohei Asaoka.
At the table, you try to empty your hand before others by playing combinations of cards with double values (each card shows two numbers, one on each side). You can flip all cards in your hand, you can overplay opponents, you can steal cards already played by others. The problem is that every wrong move fills your hand instead of emptying it. Games last 15 minutes, the rules are explained in three sentences, but the tension is that of a much longer game.
What they say abroad
Small, fast, mean. Works great as a filler that leaves its mark.
— FroGames
The timing of the flip is everything. Make one mistake and your hand doubles.
— FroGames
DNUP
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews, and game sessionsWhat's in the deck
Four elements that make everything turn
Double-value cards
Each card shows two numbers, one at the top and one at the bottom. You hold the deck in one direction, then you flip it. The values change completely. This is the only mechanic of the game, but it's enough.
Aggressive Overplay
If you play as many cards as an opponent has on the table, your values must be higher. If you succeed, they flip their cards and take them back into their hand. Instant revenge.
Adding to others' piles
You can add one of your cards to those already played by someone else. If this creates a tie with a third player who has lower values, they also flip and take everything back. Domino effect.
Total Flip
Once per turn, you can flip all cards in your hand. It changes the values, but forces you to rebuild your strategy from scratch. Use it wrong and you'll be stuck with 10 cards in hand until the end.
Recommended Sleeves 32 cards in 1 size ▼
If you play often, we recommend protecting the cards with clear sleeves to make them last longer.
| Size | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 59 × 86 mm | 32 |
| Total cards | 32 |
In a few minutes, someone will have flipped the deck at the wrong time. And everyone else will remember it for the rest of the evening.
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
Everyone observes their hand
Everyone holds eight or ten cards in a specific direction. The values are visible, but no one yet knows when it will be best to flip them. The first turns are cautious. Low singles or pairs are played. The table is studied.
The first overthrow
Someone plays two cards with value 7. Someone else plays two with value 9 and forces them to take everything back, flipped. The tension rises. Now every move becomes a target. No one wants to leave cards on the table for too long.
Someone flips everything
A player uses the flip action and completely changes the values in their hand. Was it a desperate or brilliant move? It depends on what they play in the next two turns. The table waits to see if they made a mistake or are about to win.
Two players empty their hand
The first player empties their hand: 2 points. The second player succeeds immediately after: 1 point. The others are left with cards in hand and no points. The game is over, but the evening isn't. The loser wants immediate revenge.
Play until 4 points
After three or four rounds, someone reaches 4 points and wins. The last hands are the tensest: everyone knows that a single mistake gives victory to the others. Flipping becomes a psychological weapon. Whoever uses it last often wins.
How to play
The flow of each turn
Each turn is a choice between four actions. You take one, then the turn passes. Repeat until someone empties their hand.
If you have cards on the table in front of you from the previous turn, you discard them permanently. They don't return to your hand. This frees up space for your next move.
You can play cards from your hand (one or more with the same value), add a card to someone else's, take cards already played by another player (you flip them and add them to your hand), or flip your entire hand.
If you played the same number of cards as someone else with higher values, they must flip and take back their cards. If you add a card and create a numerical tie, the player with lower values does the same.
If you have emptied your hand, you get 2 points and your cards are no longer in play even if someone overplays you. The second to empty their hand gets 1 point. The others get nothing. The game restarts until someone reaches a total of 4 points.
Why it's different from others
Six mechanics that make a difference
Each card has two active faces
These are not classic double-sided cards. Here, each card shows two numbers simultaneously, one at the top and one at the bottom. When you flip the deck, everything changes. 3 becomes 8, 10 becomes 2. Your strong hand becomes weak, and vice versa. It's the core of the game.
Overplaying empties someone else's hand
In classic ladder climbing games, if someone plays higher cards, you pass your turn. Here, if someone beats you with the same number of cards, you have to take everything back into your hand, flipped. It's not just losing your turn: it's going back three moves.
You can sabotage by playing on others' piles
Adding a card to those already played by someone else is not cooperation. It's a way to create numerical ties between players and force the weaker player to take everything back. A nasty move disguised as help.
Flipping is a dedicated action
You don't flip your hand whenever you want: you have to sacrifice an entire turn to do so. It's a strategic move, not a free correction. Flip too early and you end up with useless values. Flip too late and others have already emptied their hand.
Whoever empties first is immune
Once you have emptied your hand and gained 2 points, your cards do not return to play even if someone overplays you. It's the only way to exit the game without risking last-second revenge.
15-minute games, multiple rounds
You don't play just one hand. You play until 4 points, which usually means three or four rounds. This changes everything: a defeat is not the end, and an early victory is not enough. You have to be consistent, not just lucky once.
How it ends
How to win and how to lose
Victory is a race to 4 points. Each round awards 2 points to the first to empty their hand, 1 to the second. The others get nothing.
Victory
- Empty your hand first in a round: 2 points
- Empty your hand second in a round: 1 point
- Reach 4 total points before the others: you win the game
Elimination or defeat
- You are overplayed: you flip your cards and take them back into your hand
- End a round with cards in hand: 0 points for that round
- Don't reach 4 points before the others: you lose
DNUP is not the deepest ladder climbing game you'll find, but it's the nastiest and fastest. Perfect for those who want quick revenge between games.
Frequently asked questions
DNUP FAQ
But if I flip the deck, can I reorder the cards?
No. You can move cards from left to right at any time, but you cannot turn them individually. Flipping involves all cards in hand simultaneously. That's why timing is everything.
What happens if two players empty their hand in the same turn?
It cannot happen. The game is turn-based, so the first to empty their hand gets 2 points and their cards are out of the game. The second to succeed (even immediately after) gets 1 point. The others get nothing.
Can I overplay someone who has already emptied their hand?
No. Once a player has emptied their hand and taken the points, they are out of the round. Their cards do not return to play, even if you overplay them. They are immune.
How many games does it take to understand when to flip?
One or two. The rules are understood in 5 minutes, but the timing of flipping is learned by making mistakes. After a couple of rounds, you understand that flipping too early is worse than not flipping at all.
Is it available in Italian?
Yes. This Asmodee edition includes rules in Italian. The cards are language-independent: they only show numbers, no text.
DNUP is a competitive card game for 2-5 players designed by Kei Kajino and published by Asmodee. Each game lasts 15-20 minutes and is based on a ladder climbing mechanism with flippable cards: each card shows two numbers, one on each side, and you can flip your entire hand during your turn to change the values. The goal is to empty your hand before the others, but every move can be overplayed and set you back. Recommended age 8+ years, immediate rules, very high interaction. Perfect as a nasty filler or game night opener. Available on FroGames.it.
DNUP
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers you're looking for, no beating around the bush.
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