Gremlins is a game of strategy, luck and reading your opponents. Just like in poker, there's no 'right' way to play or a single route to victory, but there are a plenty of mistakes that will make things much more difficult for you. I'm making this guide to help you avoid them.

I don't see it as a finished product, so if you have any questions or suggestions, I'll be more than happy to take them into account. If you read Russian, the guide Гремлинский советник by user Somni has some very useful advice as well, so be sure to check it out. There might be something similar in Chinese as well.

Although this guide assumes you have played through the tutorial, it's worth reminding yourself of the basic rules in single player modes. The Gremlin Automatons may be a bit peculiar in their choices and approach to the game, but their AI can definitely hold their own against starting players and get you ready for the real thing. Playing against them will help you wrap your head around the basics of the game and ensure you don't become an easy prey online. Even better is trying a few rounds with your friends before heading out to play Ranked or Custom games!


There's a tiny 'i' button on the top right hand corner that hides the (lovely) card art, but shows you the effects of the cards. You can also see it by moving your cursor over the gear icon in the top left corner of the cards themselves, but this will help you read your cards faster and spend the precious littlel time you've got thinking of your next move(s) and strategy instead of getting confused by the cards you've been dealt.


There's a collection of hints and tips that you can scroll through on the main menu of Gremlins, Inc. Yes, there's a lot of them, and some won't make sense until after you've played through a few rounds, but there's some very useful advice there, so check back when you feel ready for more tips. You'll need every help you can get!

On default settings, you'll be able to choose between several characters, depending on the number of players. There four rough archetypes: money-grabbing leeches (Banker, Collector, Gambler), vote-hungry crooks (Manager, Prosecutor, Politician), sneaky cockroaches (Pauper, Merchant, Damned) and annoying jerks (Thief, Secret Agent, Engineer). It's a very rough division, as some represent two or more of the archetypes, but this will give you a rough idea on what to expect from each.

Remember that you can always check your character's abilities by right clicking on his portrait or moving your cursor on the lightbulb icon on the side. Make sure you keep them in mind, as they can and will make a difference. You should also try to be aware of your opponents' special abilites, as some of them can be used against you, but don't worry if it's too much for the time being.


Forming your starting hand is your second big choice in the game. When choosing the cards to keep, you can move the screen around to see the board and check the nearby locations. I usually try to keep the cards with higher move count or ones that would let me get some extra money or votes in the first couple of turns. On the other hand, cards with one or two move points as well as Criminal cards you can't use up quickly will be a burden on your shoulders.


Your starting hand will also shape your next few moves. Do you have an Honest Crook card and a couple of Criminal/Secret cards? Get a head start in votes! Have an income increasing card and you are reasonably close to the bank? Money will let gremlins do anything and everything, so go for it!

Don't make any big plans yet, though, as they tend to go to waste pretty quick. However, it's usually a good idea to decide early on if your main source of score (gears) will be money or votes, or a lot of low-scoring cards (e.g., if you're a Pauper). Relying on lucky draws is unlikely to net you many wins. It's also very hard to win without having an income of at least 50 gold pieces, so a lot of players make that their first priority.

I don't advise grabbing gears right from the start, as that will turn everybody against you. Keeping karma low is also a good idea (unless you're playing as Damned). Playing nice will keep more paths open for you, and you can't afford not to have a backup plan in Gremlins, Inc.

Since your opponents are unlikely to play Investigation or Framed cards at the beginning of the match (or they will choose the recipient randomly), this might be a good time to try and carry a Criminal card (which usually is a ticking time bomb you want to dispose right away) to its destination. Unless you're already leading in money or gears, that is.


Some characters (like the Banker) rely a lot on a successful early game, so stopping them from build up income quickly will keep them at bay. However, in the beginning you should mostly prepare for any openings by getting a decent amount money, income or votes, and building up a good hand. In the meantime, keep a low profile and try to see which one of your opponents is more dangerous. Striking at somebody early and without a very good reason might cause the other player to retaliate, and you don't want to play against the RNG and an angry Gremlin!

After the first 15 or so rounds you'll see the first differences between players and their approach to the match. One of them might have gotten a head start in score, somebody else probably is working towards winning the elections, while yet another might be hoarding money and/or income. Observe the players and think where do you stand. Remember that a high income in the beginning is usually more dangerous than a few extra gears!

Ideally, you will have a decent income already and some money and/or votes saved. I strongly recommend always having at least a couple of votes on hand for a lucky Court or Office card when you're doing your tour around the board. It's also usually not a good idea to have less than 150 coins on you - unless you see a way how to get some extra money in the very next turn. This money will also save you from a sneaky opponent who might want to send you to jail. An it might be difficult to get past that Misfortune spot from jail without any money...

Keeping your karma low isn't as important, but it can be useful as well. Not only it will save you from some misfortunes, but you'll also be less likely to suffer harshly from other cards your opponents might be tempted to play. Even if you play as a Damned, try not to let karma run sky-high right away. Losing 100 coins early on can be very painful.


Now is the time to take a good long look at your cards and see if you see any opportunities showing up. Some cards are obviously better than others, but even an Accelerator in your hand isn't worth much unless you can play it reasonably quickly. It's very easy to lose your best card, and even easier to get discouraged if you've been staking everything on it. That's why I recommend focusing your attention on cards playable on spots close to you. This is also why highly mobile characters like Pauper can be very powerful.

It is usually worth holding on to cards that would let you get out of jail or avoid misfortunes, however. They can also give you an opportunity to jump to the Dump or Court quickly, which can be invaluable at certain moments.

Criminal cards, on the other hand, are a liability, and I suggest not having them on you for more than two turns, unless you're lagging behind so much none of your opponents will play tricks on you (it's not good to be behind so much, though). If you get one at the right moment, however, it can be a very nice boost indeed.

That's the main trick to using cards, really: build short term plans around your current hand and try to minimise risks, but also keep your eyes open - if you suddenly get the Cheating! card, for instance, don't be afraid to use up another good card to get to Casino quickly.


Yes, there's a pattern to these headlines. This is a game of juggling many plates at the same time, and knowing when to risk is just as important as everything else.

You know all those reviews complaining about randomness in Gremlins, Inc.? Yes, it is an important part of the game, but it doesn't mean you have to surrender yourself to the whims of the RNG. The Gambler character is particularly good at using it for his own benefit, but anybody can minimise the impact of dice rolls. Pay bribes if you don't want to go to the prison (if those 20-30 gold make or break your plan, it needed a stronger foundation in the first place), don't gamble if you can't afford to lose, and have a backup plan whenever possible. Or else, just roll the dice and enjoy the rollercoaster of emotions! It's boring to always play safe, after all.


Not only you should keep an eye on who's ahead in score as well as their money, income and votes, but you should also follow their playing strategy and decide if you shouldn't change your plans. If somebody is collecting votes, it might not be worth getting in an election race you're not sure you can win. If you lose, you'll have wasted a lot of moves and money to pick up votes, but you'll have precious little to show for it. However, you can keep a card that would get you a bunch of votes in one go and play it just before the election to make one last rush.

The same thinking applies if you are leading in votes - make sure that there isn't an easy way for somebody to snatch that win from your hands! Basically, see what each player has committed to and think how you can stop them.

Keeping an eye on their cards can also tell you a lot about their strategy. For instance, if they move with a Criminal card, it might not be worth playing Inspection on them, as they're unlikely to have another one on their hands. However, if they always pay bribes on police spots, it might show that landing in jail would be extremely painful for them (and vice versa - stepping on every police spot might indicate they want to get in jail, so don't give them that pleasure).

Whether you're playing to a certain score or turns (don't forget the victory conditions!), there will come a point where a sudden breakaway and a couple of high scoring cards can decide a winner. The game from then on is almost all about preparing a good combo or building up funds, while also trying to stop your opponents from doing same. That's why you should take extra care to avoid risks in late game if you're ahead. However, if you've been keeping a low profile, now's the time to become aggressive. Ultimately, it will take a bit of practice to decide when you should be making a run for it.

One last advice: try not to stop a few gears short of the win unless you have some way to reclaim losses or grab the last missing gears. You can and will get Misfortunes and Investigations then, and you won't have anybody to blame but yourself!


It's worth repeating it again: pretty much the only thing that matters at this point is your score. Don't worry about your karma, don't bother increasing your income, the elections generally don't matter either (unless those one or two gears can influence the outcome). Just try to rack up the points, attack the player you perceive to be more dangerous and do your utmost to avoid jail or misfortunes, unless you can avoid them or they don't matter anymore.


Once the end score is shown, it might be worth going through the post game log, especially if you were playing against an experienced and high-ranking opponent. From this screen you can see how he managed the risk and which spots he chose to visit more often with that particular characters. That along with any observations you will have made of his play style are your main learning tools.

Good luck, enjoy the game and be nice to others!

(And huge thanks to the developers for the game and the ongoing support.)