Rishta: Aunties Know Best

How to Play

Played before? Or playing Hard Ole Auntie Mode? Go here for a new game generator. If it’s your first time playing, follow the guide below.

Full game includes

Board
  • Game board (1)
Book
  • Rule book (1)
Tokens
  • Suitor tokens (8)
  • Round token (1)
  • Sabr token (1)
Cards
  • Gossip cards (80)
  • How to play cards (10)
  • Priority cards (10)
  • Result cards (16)
  • Agenda cards (30)
  • Auntie cards (10)
  • Suitor cards (8)
Content note

Please review and replace any gossip cards that feel too sensitive.

The full Rishta set on black — box, board, suitor cards, tokens and card stacks

Choose Your Agenda

Pick your agenda and auntie character! Everyone knows which auntie you are, but your agenda is TOP SECRET. Agendas can be:

  • NO Dates with a specific suitor
  • THREE Dates with a specific suitor
  • At least THREE okay dates
  • Sara marries her DREAM DATE
  • Sara goes on a date with all EIGHT suitors
  • Set off the sabr (patience) tracker
Four players pressed together on a sofa, each holding a hand of cards

Get Your Gossip

There are EIGHT eligible men in the community. Each man has FOUR positive traits and the rest are…well…great gossip. The traits include:

  • Citizenship
  • Traditional
  • Easy Mother-in-law
  • Sense of Humor
  • Same Religion
  • Family Reputation
  • Educated
  • Settled Down
  • Arguably Hot
  • Good Job

These men are AI generated, on purpose. AI makes them all look the same. Welcome to the metaphor.

A player at a low table laughing behind her cards while the others watch

Chaperone the Date

Across four rounds, Sara will go on a total of 10 dates. Aunties can share gossip and debate who they want their daughter to date. The chaperone of the dates will make the final decision, taking the group’s opinions into account.

An overhead view of the board and suitor cards, a hand reaching across

Reveal Results

After each round of dates, the chaperone will reveal how each date went. Date outcomes can range from:

  • BAD DATE
  • OKAY DATE
  • GREAT DATE
  • DREAM DATE
A hand lifting a suitor card to show the result card tucked behind it

GET HER ENGAGED!

The game ends with the Engagement Round. The aunties vote for who they want Sara to marry. Majority wins. Then everyone reveals their agenda to see who won!

The whole group with hands in the air, voting on the engagement

But wait, there’s more…

Agenda accusation, a Patience Tracker, a reveal of Sara’s priorities…read the full rules to find out more!

Read the full rules
After the game

Context & debrief

Rishta: Aunties Know Best can bring up a lot of feelings around the said and unspoken expectations for daughters and marriage. Questions to process the end of the game:

  1. How did you feel about playing your character? Do you feel that you played like someone you know?
  2. How do you feel about Sara being voiceless? What does this make you think about daughters in general?
  3. Have you seen family dynamics like this before? Does this feel similar to an experience you’ve had or heard of?
  4. Did your agenda feel like yours or someone else’s?
  5. What do you think influences marriage processes for daughters?
  6. How did you feel about the traits prioritized for each boy? What did it bring up? What felt familiar? What felt unexpected? Do you think different family members hold different definitions for the same traits?
  7. What gossip felt unjustified? What felt valid?
  8. Was there a moment where you wanted to tell Sara something directly and couldn’t? What did you want to say?

Full game files

  • Rishta Print & Play
    Zipped folder of rules and set up guide, game board, and all cards and icons.     29.5 MB
  • Hard Ole’ Auntie Mode Grids
    Optional expansion.     142 kB

Printing

  • Rishta rules & set-up guideDouble sided, flip on short side
  • Rishta game boardDouble sided, flip on short side
  • Rishta print & play cards and iconsDouble sided, flip on long side
  • Hard Ole’ Auntie Mode gridsDouble sided, flip on long side

Print everything double-sided, on cardstock if you can. For maximum durability, matte laminate them. For maximum cuteness, corner-round the edges.