Mada

Mada is a quick, tactical card game set on the island of Madagascar, where players compete as ring-tailed lemurs racing to collect the most prickly pears. Each round is a balancing act between playing it safe and pushing your luck to score big.

On your turn, choose one of three actions: play a card (equal to or higher than the previous one), draw a new card, or take a risk. High cards score more prickly pears but end the round faster — which might benefit your opponents. Special Lemur and Scorpion cards shake up the action and keep everyone on their toes. The game ends when a player collects their 5th card, and the player with the most prickly pears wins.

What's good?

• Push-your-luck tension on every turn — intense right to the end
• Special cards add surprise and player interaction
• Plays in 20 minutes and fits in a pocket — ideal for travel
• Easy to learn, with enough tactical depth to keep it interesting

Who is it for?

• ✔ Groups of 2–5 looking for a fast, competitive card game
• ✔ Families with children aged 7 and up
• ✔ Travellers wanting a compact game that plays quickly
• ✖ Not suited to players wanting cooperative play or longer sessions

A standalone game. Part of the Helvetiq pocket collection.

Pair with: More titles in the Helvetiq collection.