Connect the Thoughts - Card game Amigo - Free user manual and instructions

Type of product	Card game
Brand	Amigo
Model	Connect the Thoughts
Category	Card game
Age range	5 years and up
Number of players	2-4 players
Playing time	Approx. 15 minutes
Contents	80 cards, 1 bell, instructions
Game objective	Be the first to build a row of five cards, then ring the bell
Gameplay variants	Matching pictures or making connections (e.g., by category, color, letter)
Winner determination	Most cards collected in stack after all face-down cards are used
Dimensions (approx.)	Box: 7.5 x 5.5 x 2 inches
Weight (approx.)	0.4 lbs (180 g)
Power source	None required
Material	Cardboard cards, metal bell
Safety	Suitable for ages 5+; no small parts
Care instructions	Wipe cards with a dry cloth; store in box
Repairability	Not applicable; replace lost cards via manufacturer
Spare parts	Contact Amigo for replacement cards or bell
Warranty	Standard manufacturer warranty

Frequently Asked Questions - Connect the Thoughts Amigo

How do I start a game of Connect the Thoughts?

Place the bell in the center. Shuffle all 80 cards and spread them face-down around the bell. The youngest player rings the bell to start. Then everyone simultaneously picks up a card and places it face-up to start their row.

Can I play Connect the Thoughts with different rules for different ages?

Yes, you can increase the number of cards required for older or more skilled players, or require them to find two matching cards before starting their row instead of one.

What does it mean to make a 'connection' in the game?

Instead of matching pictures exactly, you can place a card next to another if the pictures are related in some way, like both being animals, both starting with the same letter, or both being the same color. Each type of connection can only be used once per round.

What happens if I ring the bell incorrectly?

If you ring the bell but your row has fewer than five cards or has mismatched cards, you place your cards back with the face-down pile and cannot play again until another player correctly rings the bell.

How do I win the game?

Each time you correctly ring the bell, you add those five cards to your personal stack. The game ends when no face-down cards remain. The player with the longest correct row at that moment adds those cards to their stack (ties add both). The player with the most cards wins.

Can I add cards to the middle of my row?

No, you can only add cards to either end of your row (left or right). Only the cards at the ends are available for matching.

What should I do if I pick up a card that doesn't match any end?

Flip it back face-down and place it with the remaining face-down cards. Try to remember the picture for later, as you may need it later in the round.

Are there video instructions available?

Yes, a short video tutorial is available at www.amigo.games/game/connect.

Can I get spare parts if I lose a card or bell?

Contact Amigo customer service at 844-962-6446 or [e-mail] for replacement parts.

How do I clean the cards?

Wipe them gently with a dry or slightly damp cloth. Do not immerse in water. Store in the original box.

USER MANUAL Connect the Thoughts Amigo

Connect the Thoughts Game

AGES 5+

15 MINUTES

2-4 PLAYERS

If you’d like to learn to play by watching a short video instead of reading these rules, please visit www.amigo.games/game/connect.

CONTENTS

80 Cards

1 Bell

Instructions

OBJECT OF THE GAME

To be first to build a row of five cards. Players add cards to their rows when they match pictures on the cards or make connections between the pictures.

SET UP

I. Place the bell in the middle of the table within reach of all players.

1. Shuffle all 80 cards, then spread them face-down around the bell.

PLAYING THE GAME

The youngest player rings the bell to start the round. With everyone playing at once, players pick up a card and place it face-up on the table to start a row. Players continue picking up cards, looking for pictures that match one or more of the pictures on their own face-up card.

a. If one or more pictures match, they place that card to the right or left of their face-up card.

b. If none of the pictures match, players flip that card back over so it's face-down and place it with the rest of the face-down cards (but they should try to remember the pictures in case they need to find one of those pictures later in the game).

1. Players continue to pick up cards. Every time they find a match for a card on either end of their row they place it next to that matching card. Players cannot match cards that are not on the ends, and they may only add cards to their own rows.

2. The first player to build a row with five cards rings the bell and play pauses.

a. If that player's row has five cards that match correctly, that player picks up the cards and places them off to the side to form a stack. The other players place the cards from their rows back with the rest of the face-down cards. The youngest player mixes up the face-down cards, rings the bell, and another round begins.

b. If the row has cards that don't match correctly (or has fewer than five cards), the player who rang the bell places his/her cards back with the rest of the face-down cards. Play continues, but the player who incorrectly rang the bell may not play again until another player correctly rings the bell.

1. In addition to making matches, players can play Connect the Thoughts™ by making connections between the pictures on the cards. For example, a player could place a card with the dog on it next to a card with the penguin on it because they are both animals. Players may only use a connection once per row. For example, if a player connects the broom and the boot because they're both brown (or because they both start with "b"), that player cannot make another connection based on color (or based on letters of the alphabet) during the current round. When a player rings the bell when playing with connections, that player must remember the connections between the pictures and explain them aloud after ringing the bell.

2. At the start of the game, players decide if they want to play by matching pictures (recommended when learning the game and for younger children) or by making connections. When children of different ages and abilities are playing, players may increase the number of cards that older and more-skilled players must collect. Players can also require older children to find two matching cards before they can start their rows (instead of just flipping over any card to start).

WINNING THE GAME

Each time a player successfully rings the bell, s/he adds the five cards in the row to his/her stack of collected cards. The game ends when there are no more face-down cards. The player with the longest correct row at that moment puts these cards into his/her stack (if there's a tie, both players add the cards to their stacks). The player with the most cards in his/her stack wins the game.

If you have questions on these rules or on any of our products, please call us at 844-962-6446, M-F 9:00 – 6:00 Central Time. We’ll do our best to help you.

GAME DESIGN COUNCIL

From time to time, we ask families to review games for us and give comments on the gameplay, educational benefits for their kids, packaging styles, and other attributes in return for free games. If you're interested in being one of these families, please visit www.amigo.games/contactus to sign up or send an email to [e-mail] with “Game Design Council” in the subject line.

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©2018 AMIGO Spiel + Freizeit GmbH. Connect the Thoughts is a trademark of AMIGO Games Inc., Round Rock, TX 78664. Item # 18003 V1-0818