Alice has returned to Wonderland, although this time she isn’t interested in chasing rabbits or attending tea parties. She’s looking for a decent game of blackjack, and the locals are more than happy to oblige. Unfortunately, her opponents include a grinning cat, a completely unhinged hatter, and a queen who has a worrying habit of threatening people’s heads. Getting twenty-one might be the easy part. Convincing the Queen of Hearts that losing is an acceptable outcome could prove a little more difficult.
Wonderjack is a blackjack-inspired roguelike card game from Victorian Studio launching on Steam today. It reimagines Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland as a series of card battles against familiar characters, each with their own strategies and special abilities. You’ll use Power Cards to interfere with matches, collect relics that improve your chances, and work toward defeating the bosses waiting at the end of your journey. With eight possible opponents and plenty of ways to bend the rules, this isn’t exactly the sort of blackjack game you’d find at your local casino.
Twenty-One Is the Magic Number
The basic rules of Wonderjack will be familiar to anyone who’s played blackjack. Your goal is to get as close to twenty-one as possible without going over, ideally finishing with a better hand than your opponent. Of course, Wonderland has never been known for following sensible rules.
Rather than simply drawing cards and hoping for the best, you’ll be competing against characters who have their own abilities and approaches to the game. Some prefer playing cautiously, avoiding unnecessary risks and waiting for a good opportunity. Others are more unpredictable, taking chances that could either win them the match or send their plans crashing down. That means paying attention to who’s sitting across the table. A strategy that works against a careful opponent might be less successful against somebody willing to gamble everything on one reckless decision.
The Mad Hatter and Cheshire Cat are among the familiar faces you’ll encounter, alongside other residents of Wonderland.
The House Rules Are Whatever You Say They Are
While traditional blackjack relies heavily on the cards you’re dealt, Wonderjack gives you opportunities to interfere with the game through special Power Cards. These cards introduce effects that can change the outcome of a match. Some let you draw a specific number of cards, giving you greater control over your hand. Others can clear every visible card from the table, effectively throwing everyone’s carefully considered strategy out of the window.
There are 21 Power Cards included at launch, although some must be unlocked as you progress. There’s one complication, though. Your opponents have access to Power Cards too. You could spend several turns building what looks like an unbeatable hand, only for the Cheshire Cat to interfere and leave you wondering why you bothered planning anything in the first place.
A Little Something for Your Trouble
Winning matches earns you opportunities to strengthen your build through relics. After each victory, you’ll choose one of three relics, adding a new ability to help with future encounters. Some provide passive bonuses, while others introduce active effects you can use during matches.
With 21 relics available in the launch version, there’s room to experiment with combinations that complement your preferred approach. You could concentrate on effects that give you greater control over your cards or look for bonuses that help you take bigger risks without immediately regretting them.
As you progress, you’ll also unlock new artwork and information about the characters and other elements of the game, providing something to collect beyond another successful hand.
The Queen Is Waiting, and She Doesn’t Like Losing
A complete run consists of three regular matches followed by a boss encounter, with eight possible opponents appearing throughout the game. Victorian Studio has also outlined plans for additional content, including a Lights Out mode, custom matches, a secret opponent, a progression map, and an expanded codex and art gallery.
Wonderjack launches today for Windows, with a free demo available on Steam. The demo includes two matches against randomly selected opponents and nine possible relics, giving players a chance to experiment with the mechanics before buying the full game.