Pretty cool
Pretty cool
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| 2 to 8 players | 30 min | Ages 10+ |
Trait Cool is a drawing game unlike any other: here, it's impossible to let your pencil run freely on the slate. Each player must represent a word by drawing only on the pre-printed dotted lines, turning each artistic attempt into a real graphic challenge. Cooperative and accessible from age 10, the game brings together 2 to 8 players for games lasting about 30 minutes, ideal for family or friends. Its originality and all-ages appeal led to its selection for the renowned Spiel des Jahres 2025, the highest global distinction in board gaming.
How to play Trait Cool?
Game Setup
Distribute one erasable slate and one marker to each player. Place the deck of word cards in the center of the table, along with the decoy cards. The box contains 8 slates, 8 markers, 240 cards, and a rulebook. Each player secretly draws their word card without showing it to the others. The timer is ready: the game can begin.
Gameplay outline
Each player has 2 minutes to draw their word, but they can only draw on the dotted lines of the slate. There's no improvising extra lines: the graphic constraint is total. This system turns each drawing into a creative puzzle and often leads to unexpected, surprising, and sometimes very funny sketches.
Once time is up, the drawings are placed face up. All word cards are shuffled with decoys and revealed. Together, players eliminate words that don't match any drawing. Each player takes turns eliminating a word they deem an intruder. The game consists of 4 rounds.
Win/Loss Condition
The goal is to make as few mistakes as possible over 4 rounds. The more successfully the group identifies the drawn words while eliminating all imposters, the more points they score. Victory is collective: the entire team wins or loses, depending on the final score achieved across all rounds.
Our Tips for Winning
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Opt for simple shapes rather than complex details
When drawing under a dotted line constraint, look for large, recognizable silhouettes. A well-proportioned overall shape will always be more legible than a drawing overloaded with small details. Simplify your vision of the word and ask yourself: what is the first shape associated with this concept?
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Exploit the contours and the voids as much as the strokes
Dashed lines leave gaps. Learn to use these gaps as an integral part of your design. Sometimes negative space – what you don't draw – is as eloquent as what you do draw. A trained eye will be able to read both.
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Adjust your strategy according to the word's difficulty
White words are easy and black words are difficult. For abstract or complex words, think about depicting an associated scene or a strongly related object rather than the concept itself. For "freedom," draw an open cage. For "cold," sketch a mountain or a stylized snowflake.
FAQ – All About Trait Cool
Do you need to know how to draw to play Trait Cool?
No, and that's precisely one of the game's greatest strengths. Trait Cool doesn't require any particular drawing talent. On the contrary, sometimes clumsy strokes and unexpected interpretations are what make the game so enjoyable and lead to many moments of laughter around the table. Ingenuity always takes precedence over artistic technique.
Is Cool Trait really a cooperative game?
Yes, completely. Unlike classic drawing games where players compete against each other, Trait Cool is an original cooperative game combining intuition, creativity, and observation, where ingenuity will triumph over artistic talent. The whole group wins or loses together.
What distinguishes Trait Cool from other drawing games?
The dotted line constraint is entirely new in the world of board games. The game plays on a regressive pleasure: that of numbered drawings or "finding shapes in the clouds." This mechanic forces players to reinterpret existing lines rather than drawing freely, which radically changes the experience.
Can you play Trait Cool with two players?
Yes, the game is designed for 2 to 8 players. With two players, the experience is more intimate, and the deduction phase is more straightforward, as there are only two drawings to identify among the decoys. It's a more intense setup where each mistake carries more weight.