Spite and Malice Extreme Game Review

Spite And Malice Extreme Game Background

Spite and Malice Extreme is a two-player card shedding game where players play against a computer opponent. The word “extreme” in this game name refers to the ability to play cards from your opponent’s discard piles (and their ability to play from your discard piles).

Zygomatic developed this game.

How to Play Spite And Malice Extreme

Game Modes

Press the Play button on the right side of the welcome screen to start a timed game, or press the Untimed button to start an untimed game.

Untimed modes are a single game at a time. When players play through a game in timed mode there are 3 levels. The first stage gives you 8:00 to beat it. The second stage gives you 7:30 to complete it. The third and final stage must be completed in under 7:00. The moves of your hand and the computer player count against the play time.

Game Goal

The goal of this game is to move all of your cards from the play stack on the left to the center stacks. You must do so before your competitor sheds all their cards, and you must beat the timer if you play the game in timed mode.

Basic Gameplay Advice

Playing Cards

Each of the center waste piles must begin with an Ace, and then build up in ascending order up to the Queen.

Cards may be played from your hand, your play stack, or your 4 discard piles. The play stack starts with 20 cards, and has a number to it’s lower right indicating how many cards remain in it. Only the topmost card on discard piles is playable. When you lay a card to the discard pile it ends your turn. If you use all 5 cards in your hand you will be dealt a new set of 5 cards and can continue your turn.

This “extreme” version of Spite and Malice allows you to play cards from your opponent’s discard pile, while allowing the computer opponent to also use your discard pile cards. Otherwise this game plays exactly the same as Spite and Malice.

Scoring

Players score points based on the plays they make and how much time they have remaining. Each play from any location to the center stacks is worth 50 points per card laid. Players score 5 points for each second they have remaining on the clock. Timed game scores are the sum of the 3 level scores.

To win a round and advance to the next level you have to discard all cards from your play stack before the computer player does.

Advanced Playing Tips & Strategy

Card Playing Priority

Whenever possible it is usually best to play cards from your play stack since it is the goal of the game. Next up it is best to play from your hand so you get new cards to match, then finally play from the discard piles.

When laying cards to the discard piles try to place the same value atop each other, or place cards in descending sequential order if possible so you can easily play them.

Play quickly if you are playing a timed game, as it is easy to run out of time.

Offense vs Defense

You see both the top card on your play stack and the top card on your opponent’s play stack. You can intentionally hold cards in your hand so that you make it harder for the computer to use their play stack if they are close to beating you, or play more aggressively with working down your play stack if you are ahead.

Be careful not to lay a card to your discard pile if it makes it easy for your competitor to use their next play stack card, particularly if they are ahead of you.

Make sure to take advantage of cards your competitor lay in their discard pile to block their next play stack move whenever possible.

Using Wildcards

Use Kings when they help you make a run that blocks your opponent’s play stack move, or helps you make your play stack move. You can also yank cards your opponent need to complete the numerical run to their play card so that you block them.

Educational Aspects

This game can help players learn about probabilities and develop strategic offensive and defensive card playing strategies.

Player Age Recommendations

Players of all ages should enjoy this virtual card game. Players who like this game should also like Spite and Malice, which is essentially the same game, except that you and the computer can not play cards from each other’s discard piles.