Quick steps to get started
GOAL — Be the first to empty your hand, or the last player left alive. Penalties make you draw cards; whoever reaches 25 cards is eliminated, so you can also win by outlasting everyone.
BASIC RULE — Play a card that matches the colour or the number of the card on top of the pile. If you have nothing playable, draw.
CONTROLS
Desktop: click a card to play it, click the deck to draw. When a card asks you to choose a colour or a rival, the choice appears on screen.
Mobile: with a full hand the cards overlap, so the first tap lifts a card and the second one plays it. You can also swipe a card upwards to play it straight away.
Runs: tap the first card of the run — it carries a magenta badge showing how long the run can get — then tap the following cards one by one; the game highlights what fits. Swipe up or press PLAY RUN to drop them all at once.
ACTION BUTTONS (bottom row, they only appear when you can use them)
LAST CARD! — call it when you are down to one card. If a rival presses CAUGHT! before you do, you draw.
COLD BLOOD — freezes the penalty coming at you. One per match, and it doubles the next penalty you deal.
DOUBLE! — raises the XP at stake. Rivals can fold before it lands on them.
The lifebuoy icon in the top right turns the beginner hints on and off.
What's it all about?
RUTHLESS! is an online multiplayer card game from the crazy eights family — with a mean streak. Empty your hand to win, or be the last one standing: every penalty makes you draw, and whoever reaches 25 cards is eliminated. What makes it different are three rules of its own. RUNS let you drop a whole sequence of consecutive numbers in the same colour in one turn — the last card rules, so a good run changes the colour, lands a penalty and empties half your hand at once. COLD BLOOD is one token per match that freezes the penalty coming at you and doubles the next one you deal. DOUBLE! raises the XP at stake when you feel ahead, and your rivals can fold before it lands on them. Play against real people online, with bots that have personality when nobody is around. Classic, a daily table that changes for everyone, ranked Arena with leagues, 2 vs 2, three-round tournaments and private rooms. 168-card deck, five languages, free.
Our player, ratings, and related picks
Play Ruthless! Merciless Cards free on CubicRubik in our cards collection. We host the game in a fast browser player, keep your recent plays and favorites on our site, and show related titles so your next session is one click away.
Unlike bare embed pages, CubicRubik adds ratings, category context, how-to steps, and curated related games around Ruthless! Merciless Cards—so you get discovery and guidance, not only a third-party frame.
Quick answers before you play
Platforms & genres
