BitFlip

BitFlip is an 18-card puzzle solitaire game created for plantform's 18-card-or-fewer game contest.

BitFlip is played on a 1-dimension array on whatever surface you are playing on, using 18 cards each with a Light side and a Dark side. Each side of the card contains an ability you can use when you played that card.

BitFlip is also available as a Workshop item for Tabletop Simulator here. Do note that since Tabletop Simulator lacks the ability for cards facing different directions to be shuffled together, the deck has been replaced by a bag.

GOAL 

The aim of the game is to end up with an array of 18 Light side up cards, or 18 Dark side up cards.

SETUP 

Shuffle the cards randomly, making sure their sides are randomly facing either Light or Dark as well. For a more challenging game, you may make it so that exactly 9 cards starts off facing Light. The top card of the deck should always be visible.

If you are playing on Tabletop Simulator, take one card out of the bag and place it next to the bag. For the purpose of the game, this slot serves the role of the top card of the deck.

PLAYING CARDS

You may play a card onto any position within the array, even between existing cards. However, you may not rearrange the order of already played cards. When playing a card, you must play it with the same facing direction as it was in your hand, unless permitted by either its own effect or the effect of another card. The effect of the card that was just played always resolves first, followed by any other effects that get activated as a consequence of the previous card's effect, in order of activation.

DRAWING CARDS

Once the previous turn has finished resolving, if you have fewer than 5 cards in your hand, draw 1 card from the top of the deck into your hand. When drawing a card, whether from the effect of a card or from simply starting a new turn, you must keep the card in the same facing direction as it was when putting it into your hand, unless permitted by either its own effect or the effect of another card.

If you are playing on Tabletop Simulator, to simulate drawing from the deck, take the card next to the bag into your hand, then replace that slot with another card from the bag.

PICKING UP CARDS

Certain card effects allows you to pick up cards already played into the array back into your hand. When putting a picked up card into your hand, you must keep it in the same facing direction as it was in the array, unless permitted by either its own effect or the effect of another card. This action does not activate the effect of the card you picked up, nor any effects on cards already in play.