Tie-breaking in Simultaneous Play Games

I design a lot of games that involve elements of simultaneous play. Onikuma, Tailwinds, Double Trap, Wheel & Deal, Best Cellars all have elements of simultaneous play in them because I strive to minimise player downtime in my games. I also appreciate the play space that is created when players are forced to decide at the same time because it forces players to really consider their opponent, and what they think their opponent might do. In this way it means that the game experience will be different depending on who you are playing with (and how well you know them). However, simultaneous play is not all upside! The effective implementation of simultaneous play elements in a game presents lots of challenges too. Among other challenges, one that often comes up is how to resolve ties in a satisfying fashion, particularly when two or more players tie for the same value.

In games like 6 Nimmt, where each card has a unique value, simultaneous play resolves smoothly because there is no chance of a tie: there will always be a card definitively lower in value than any other card played.

Other games, such as those where there is the potential of players playing a card of equal value, require the inclusion of an (often clunky) tie-breaking mechanism. I thought I'd list some of them here that I've employed during my own design journeys, that might be helpful to you.

TOM'S LIST OF TIEBREAKER MECHANISMS FOR SIMULTANEOUS PLAY GAMES

1. Turn order tiebreaker: This is a tried and proven tiebreaker mechanism, because it is consistent, clear and definitive. You assign someone a first player marker, then if a tie occurs, the rule is something akin to "ties are broken clockwise from the first player". The challenge here is that some simultaneous play games don't have "turns" per se, and the inclusion of a first player marker can be a bit arbitrary or feel out of place.

2. Conditional player marker turn order: As above, but instead of a "first player" token, you instead include a token that goes to a player under some specific circumstance. For example, if you lost the tie, you might then take the tiebreaking token so you win the next tie. This can work, but it is also possible that the player who gained the tiebreaker token may not be involved in the next tie during the game, and therefore gained no benefit from having it (which could be unsatisfying).

3. Accrued secondary resource tiebreaker: Similar to number 2, this instead sees the players accruing some kind of in game currency as a consoltation prize for losing the tiebreaker. E.g. in our friend Jay's surfing game, Stoked, players accrue Respect tokens when losing ties, and in future tie situations, the player with the most Respect wins. This allows players to think tactically about ties, and provides a reasonably consistent catch up mechanic. Usually these resources are spent/reset once they are cashed in. This seems to be how ties are handled in the new version of Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest with the Reputation track.

4. Arbitrary secondary value: This is where the card played has a primary value (e.g.a King) and also has a secondary characteristic (e.g. the suit of Spades). In most cases the King would win on rank if it is higher than the other cards played, but if two kings are played, the King with the more powerful suit wins. E.g. a King of Hearts defeats a King of Spades in some games. This is how ties were originally handled in my game Onikuma, and in the first edition of Libertalia, where the crew members had a secondary number on them that was used in regards to ties. This method is quick, definitive, and clean but can sometimes feel unfair (especially if one player seems to repeatedly find themselves on the receiving end of some bad luck).

5. Bid/auction: Depending on the nature of the game, it may be possible to include an auction phase between tied players if there is an in-game currency that might facilitate differentiating the players. The use of a once round or blind bidding system here could work.

6. Player agreement: In my newest game, Dwarven Double Trap, I handle ties between players by allowing them to discuss and agree who might "win" the tie. This won't work for every game, but in this particular instance both players stand to benefit the same from the situation, and by discussing who will become the active player as a result of the tie they can work together to maximise their advantage (at the expense of the other players).

I will continue to add to this list and try to make it an exhaustive resource for useful tiebreak mechanisms (specific to simultaneous play).

Happy gaming