Love Letter
Draw one card, play one card and use a tiny deck of character powers to deduce opponents’ hands, eliminate rivals and earn the Princess’s favor.
Draw one card, choose one of the two cards in your hand to play, and resolve its character power.
Rounds end when one player remains or the deck runs out. Surviving with the highest-value card or eliminating rivals earns a favor token.
Why We Love It
Love Letter gets a surprising amount of deduction from a tiny deck. Because discarded cards are public, every turn gives more information about which characters opponents might still hold.
About Love Letter
Draw one card, choose one of the two cards in your hand to play, and resolve its character power.
Rounds end when one player remains or the deck runs out. Surviving with the highest-value card or eliminating rivals earns a favor token.
Game at a Glance
Draw One Card
Your hand briefly expands to two options.
Play One Card
Character powers reveal, compare, protect or eliminate.
Track Information
Use public discards and revealed cards to narrow possibilities.
Win the Round
Be the last player standing or hold the highest card at the end.
What is Love Letter?
Love Letter is Seiji Kanai’s compact deduction game. Z-Man’s current edition expands the player count to 2–6 and includes 21 Character cards with updated art and components.
Each round represents an attempt to get your letter closest to the Princess by surviving to the end or eliminating the other players.
How the game works
Every turn follows a simple rhythm: draw one card, then play one of the two cards in your hand. The played character’s ability resolves immediately.
Character effects let players compare values, guess identities, protect themselves, force discards or manipulate hands. A round ends when only one player remains or the deck is exhausted; the surviving or highest eligible card normally determines the round winner under the rules.
The decisions that define it
The interesting information comes from what has already been played and how opponents react. A guess is stronger when the remaining card distribution narrows.
Powerful high-value cards are useful at the end of a round but can be dangerous if an opponent can identify them.
Who is it for?
Choose Love Letter if you want a tiny, fast card game with bluffing, memory and deduction that works from two players up to a small group.
For a more open two-player economy, compare Jaipur.
Learn Love Letter in depth
Publisher sources & scope
Checked September 15, 2026. This hub covers the identified current base or standalone edition. Use the publisher rulebook for exact card, tile and special-effect interactions.