Skull - Seconda Edizione
🐸 Details from BoardGameGeek
Consiglio BGG sul numero di giocatori
Categorie
Meccaniche
Design & Art
Lingua
🐸 How pre-orders work
🐸 A wise frog knows when to split the order… and when to wait for the right leap.
- Arrives
- October 28, 2026
Si abbina bene con
The FroGames review
You play a card. Then another. Then someone calls out a number. Everyone looks at them. Someone raises. You try to figure out if they're bluffing or if they really know. Finally, someone flips the cards and someone else starts swearing.
WHAT IT IS
The simplest game in the world, and the meanest
Designed by Hervé Marly and published in 2011, Skull is the quintessence of bluffing: a party game played entirely through eye contact. Each group has four coasters, three with roses, one with a skull. No supplies, no dice, no board. Just four thick cardboard discs, illustrated by Rose Kipik and Thomas Vuarchex with Day of the Dead biker themes.
You play cards face down in front of you, one after the other. Then someone makes a bid: «I'll flip three cards and find only roses». If no one raises, they must actually do it. If they find a skull — theirs or someone else's — they lose a card forever. Two successful challenges win you the game. One mistake eliminates you. The rest is all in the looks, the timing, and the pauses. Zero luck: if you lose, it's because someone read you better than you read them.
What they're saying abroad
"Everything is played in the players' heads. It's a game of poker face and meeting eyes."
Everything is played in the players' heads. It's a game of poker face and meeting eyes.
— Bruno Faidutti
Skull is the best party game you can take anywhere: four cards each, rules in a minute, and after ten minutes, the table is already on fire. There is nothing meaner.
— FroGames
Skull
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on the rules, international reviews, and game sessionsWhat you have in your hand
Four cards. Three lie well, one kills
The three roses
The good cards. Play them to seem innocent, or to build a clean stack before slipping in the skull. Or play them all and hope no one believes you.
The skull
The card that kills. If someone flips it — even you — you lose a card forever. Play it early and hope someone overbids. Or keep it in your hand and bluff until the end.
The bid
Call out a number: how many cards can you flip while finding only roses. Start with your own stack, then flip others'. If you find a skull, you're out for a round. If you succeed, you win a challenge.
The raise
Did someone make a bid? You can raise: «I'll flip one more». Whoever raises last must actually do it. And if they fail, they lose a random card. Forever.
Come si gioca
Video dimostrativo di gameplay.
🎲How to playThe rules in four steps▼
How to play
The flow of every round
A round lasts a few minutes. You play until someone wins two challenges or until only one player remains standing.
In turns, everyone plays a card from their hand, face down, in front of them. You can play a flower or the skull. No one knows what you played. When everyone has played, another round takes place: whoever wants to plays a second card. And so on.
Instead of playing a card, you can pass and make a bid: you declare how many cards you can flip (starting with your own) finding only flowers. Example: "I'll flip five cards." From that moment on, no one can play cards anymore: you can only raise or pass.
The other players, clockwise, can raise ("I'll flip six") or pass. This continues until everyone passes. Whoever made the highest bid must flip: first all their own cards, then others' (they choose the order).
If you find only flowers for the declared number, you win a challenge. Two challenges = victory. If you find a skull (yours or someone else's), you lose: you discard a random card from your hand without looking at it. If it was your own skull, you choose which card to discard. If you run out of cards, you are eliminated.
⏱️Your first gameThe play-by-play▼
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
The first round is always clean
Everyone plays a card face down. No one has played the skull yet, or so it seems. Someone plays their second card. Then someone stops and makes the first bid: "I'll flip two cards." The table wakes up.
The first bluff
Someone has played three cards. Too confident. Someone else raises: "I'll flip four." You played the skull as your second card. You smile. He looks at you. You aren't sure if he figured it out.
Someone loses a card
The highest bid reached six. He starts with his own pile: three flowers. Then he flips the first card of someone else: flower. Second card: skull. The table explodes. He chooses a random card from his hand and discards it without looking. Now he has three cards instead of four. If he loses again, he's out.
Someone wins the first challenge
She played all flowers. She made a low bid; no one raised. She flipped her four cards: all flowers. First challenge won. She needs one more and she wins the game. Now everyone looks at her differently.
Heart-pounding finale
She won another challenge: game over. Or someone read her well, matched the right bid, and took her down. In that case, she was left with two cards and the game went on for another ten minutes, until someone else closed it. It doesn't matter: you're already shuffling for a rematch.
🐸Know this firstThree honest things, as friends▼
Know this first
Three things you need to know
If you don't like lying, this game is torture
Skull is pure bluff: you must lie while looking people in the eyes. You can't hide behind dice or decks of cards. Either you are good at reading others, or you get read. If your group hates direct bluffing or is embarrassed to lie, this game will be awkward for everyone.
It works with three players, but loses its edge
The game starts at three but explodes with five or six. With three players there is too much information (you immediately figure out who has the skull), and the chaos of multiple raises is missing. It's playable but not memorable. The ideal number is five or six.
Some groups burn through it in an evening, others play it for years
Skull is a game of reading players, not reading cards. If the group learns to bluff well, every game is different and it never gets old. If, however, someone always bluffs the same way, the game resolves quickly and becomes repetitive. It depends on the people, not the game.
🏆Victory and defeatWhat the end rewards▼
How it ends
How to win and how to lose
The game ends when someone wins two challenges or when only one non-eliminated player remains.
Victory
- You win a challenge if you flip the declared number of cards finding only flowers
- If you win two challenges, you win the game immediately
- If all other players are eliminated, you win (even without two challenges)
Elimination
- If you flip a skull during your challenge, you lose a card from your hand
- If it was someone else's skull, you discard a random card without looking
- If it was your own skull, you choose which card to discard
- If you run out of cards, you are eliminated from the game
Skull is the simplest game you can pack in your suitcase, and the meanest you can put on the table. Zero luck, all bluff. Four cards each and away you go.
💬Frequently asked questionsQuick answers before the cart▼
Frequently asked questions
Skull FAQ
What mechanics does Skull use?
Skull uses pure bluffing, auctions/bidding and minimal hand management. There are no dice, no drawing cards, no luck: everything is based on reading opponents and timing. It's poker without poker cards.
Can I combine multiple copies of Skull to play with more than six?
Yes. Each box contains six decks of four cards (one per player). By combining two copies you can play with up to twelve players, but with more than eight the game slows down: bidding becomes long and the tension is diluted. The ideal remains 5-6 players.
How long does a game really last?
The box says 15-45 minutes and it's true: a fast game ends in 15 minutes (someone dominates immediately), a tense one can reach 40-45 (eliminations, bidding, comebacks). The duration depends on how well players bluff. With beginners, 20 minutes is the average.
Is it suitable for those who have never played board games?
Absolutely yes. Skull is a perfect gateway game: rules in two minutes, zero setup, zero complex components. The only barrier is the comfort with bluffing: if the person is shy or hates lying, they might feel uncomfortable. But for anyone who loves classic social games (poker, werewolf), Skull is a sure hit.
Is this edition in Italian?
Yes, this Asmodee edition is completely in Italian: rules, box, and components are localized. The coasters only have illustrations (skulls and flowers), so language does not affect gameplay — but the manual is translated and clear.
The people behind the game
Who invented it, who designed it, who publishes it — and what else they have done.
Skull is a pure bluffing party game for 3-6 players designed by Hervé Marly, published in Italy by Asmodee. Each game lasts 15-45 minutes, recommended age 10+. The game uses bidding and minimal hand management: four cards each (three flowers, one skull), zero luck, all bluff. The winner is the one who completes two challenges by flipping only flowers, or who eliminates all opponents. Essential mechanics, maximum tension, ideal as a gateway game or party filler. Available on FroGames.it with fast shipping.
Skull - Seconda Edizione
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers you're looking for, no beating around the bush.
📸Do the images match the actual product?
The photos on the website often come from BoardGameGeek and are intended to give you an idea of the game. They may vary slightly from the version you receive. The content declared by the publisher is always binding.
📦Does the content of the box match what is indicated?
We always strive to provide the correct content, but minor variations are possible due to reprints or updates. The information comes directly from the publishers. If you have any questions, please contact us!
⏳How do pre-orders work?
Pre-order the game before release, payment is immediate, and the game is reserved for you. As soon as it arrives, we'll ship it right away! If there are any delays, we'll update you promptly.
🔒Can I trust buying here?
Absolutely! Secure payments, tracked shipments, and a team that loves board games as much as you do. If something goes wrong, we'll do our best to fix it.
🛠There's a problem with my order, what should I do?
Write to us now! Whether it's a missing part, damage, or an error, we'll help you resolve it as soon as possible. Your experience truly matters to us.