The Pandemic Survival 2020 tournament season may have been canceled this year due to the need for physical distancing, but that doesn’t mean that we all can’t enjoy it together over Zoom! That’s what Rodger van den Braak and thirteen other former contestants did last month. I hosted a tournament myself last weekend to try it out—and it worked so well that I’ve written up rules and tips for all of you to try out on your own!
Two-player teams compete to be the first team to find all four cures or the last team to survive.
Images: Sasha Shen Johfre
If you’re not aware of the format, Pandemic Survival pits multiple teams, each composed of two players, against each other with the aim of being the first team to find all four cures or the last team left standing. Every team plays with the same roles, starting hands, player deck, and infection deck. It’s then up to each team to decide how best to play with what they have. The game is typically played on the heroic level and each turn has a time limit of only 75 seconds.
Sound crazy? You are correct.
Up for giving it a try? If you have a copy of Pandemic in your home and access to friends over Zoom (that also have a copy) you have everything you need.
Here are the full rules. I’ve left comments on in the rules document—if you have a question, correction, or suggestion, feel free to note it down or contact me.
I hope this gives you a fun, new way to connect with people while you’re distancing.
Now go wash your hands!
A screen snap of the seven-team tournament that I ran last Saturday. Special thanks to Siew, Alain, Donna, Colleen, Beth, John (hiding behind the whiteboard of doom), Phil, Leslie, Hannah, Sasha, Rich, Michelle, Ken, and Jos for participating. And congratulations to Hannah and Sasha for surviving!