How to play Sync or Swim

by Lindsay Schlesser January 20, 2022

The first routine synchronized swimmers encounter is Sudden Depth! Players work together to swiftly and efficiently perform each card’s challenge, all while the clock ticks down. Once successful, your team moves on to flip the next card but you don’t just complete the newly flipped card; your team must complete all face up cards!

Sudden Depth’s #1 card states, all players must play the same color. Easy enough, right? Then flip over #2 where 2 players must play 1 card with any hands on it while all other players must play a blue card. Ok, no problem to complete both 1 & 2 lanes. Next is where you may find it tricky: Each player must play a low card or high card. Combine that with lanes 1 & 2 plus a counting down clock? Here is the fun part! You are individually working towards the same goal as a team! As you and your team moves forward, the routines become more difficult and yet the clock stays at the same 20 seconds until you are not in sync… then it gives you more time to complete the routine! Element card 4 requires each swimmer to play 2 cards that are different colors. Element card 5 is typically the most difficult in the routine. The 5th Element card in Sudden Depth is to have all swimmers each play 3 odd cards or 3 even cards, however all swimmers must agree to play either odd or even cards.

Example of Sudden Depth first Element card, all players must play the same color

What if you don’t have the same color as everyone else? Swimmers may pass face down cards to any swimmer! What if no one has what you need? Time to go Deck Diving! Discard 2 cards faceup, then take 1 card from the deck and either: keep it or discard the drawn card for another card until you find the one you need.

Example of Deck Diving

Example of Sudden Depth and all of the Element cards faceup

Sync or Swim is a fun, whirlwind, and fast paced co-op game! Once you complete all 5 Element cards, plus the Twist!, you find yourself anxious to see your team’s results and suggesting to play again, if only to beat your old score! Click here to learn more about Sync or Swim, now on Kickstarter!