Iconic Neon Stories
Iconic Neon Stories is a fast, simple, and visually innovative party game by Adrie Drert and Arnold van Birsberger, published by Jolly Dutch, and illustrated by Henk-Jan Hogendoorn. The deck is full of glowing neon icons that are meant to inspire rather than define, so every round feels like a new burst of creativity. It’s perfect for game nights with friends: it doesn’t get repetitive, it keeps the energy up, and it’s absolutely hilarious when everyone starts telling wild stories.
Below you’ll find a detailed overview of the game, its full rules, and a few tips to make your sessions even smoother.
Goal of the Game
Win the most points by creating the most iconic stories. Players earn points by getting votes from others at the end of each round.
Components
109 Icon Cards
1 Start Player card
The neon design is what sets this game apart. The game actively encourages players to interpret it creatively.
Game Setup
Select, and place the Start Player card on the table.
Shuffle the Icon deck and place it face down in the center, within everyone’s reach.
Prepare a 30-second timer; your phone works fine.
Structure of a Round
Each round is played in three phases:
Imagine and Swap
Narrate
Vote
After every round, gather all used and discarded cards (except for the ones used as score markers), shuffle them back into the draw deck, and pass the Start Player card to the next person on the left.
Let’s look at each game phase in detail.
Phase 1: Imagine and Swap
Deal five cards to each player. Keep them secret.
Draw one card from the deck and place it face up in the middle. This is the shared starting card that every player must begin their story with.
Start the 30-second timer. During these 30 seconds, players think up an iconic story that begins with the shared card and uses their five hand cards in any order.
Once during these 30 seconds, each player may discard one to five cards and draw the same number from the deck. The new cards must be used in their story.
Note: Icons can be interpreted in many ways. For example, a sword can mean battle, knight, weapon, courage, revenge, or danger.
Phase 2: Narrate
Starting with the Start Player and moving clockwise:
Before telling their story, each player draws one additional card from the deck and places it face up in front of them. This is their personal end card and must be the final card of their story.
Start the 30-second timer again.
Tell your story, using the following seven-card sequence:
The shared start card,
Your five hand cards (in any order),
Your personal end card.
If a player cannot finish within 30 seconds or fails to include all their cards, they are not eligible for votes in that round.
Phase 3: Vote
Once everyone has told their story, it’s time to vote. You cannot vote for yourself or for anyone who did not finish within the time limit.
Everyone raises their hand, counts to three together, and then points to the player they think told the most iconic story.
The player with the majority of votes earns one point. In the case of a tie, all tied players earn one point.
Each point is tracked by placing the player’s personal end card face down in front of them.
Gather all played and discarded cards (except point cards), reshuffle them into the deck, and start a new round with a new Start Player.
End of the Game
The game ends once everyone has been the Start Player once.
For three or four players, each player should be the Start Player twice.
Alternatively, you can set a total timer and play until it runs out.
The player with the most points wins. If there’s a tie, the tied players play one final tiebreaker round and everyone votes.
Iconic Neon Stories is a fully eco-friendly game, built to not hurt the environment.
Example Round
Imagine the following cards:
Shared start card: light bulb
Julia’s hand: crown, clock, cat, suitcase, sword
Julia’s personal end card: mask
Julia decides that the light bulb represents an “idea.” Her story goes like this:
“The light bulb turns on in the dark room as the queen (crown) races against time (clock) to save her cat that disappeared with a mysterious suitcase. To rescue it, the queen faces danger (sword) and defeats the criminal with a mask that had taken away the cat.”
This story uses all seven cards in sequence and shows how icons can take on multiple meanings.
Why This Game Works
Neon design: The glowing style gives the game personality and makes every card feel alive.
Simple gameplay: The rules are straightforward, so everyone can jump right in.
Fresh every time: Because icons can mean anything and cards change each round, the game never feels repetitive.
Social and funny: It’s best with friends, where unexpected interpretations lead to laughter and surprises.
The Timer Problem and Easy Fixes
The game doesn’t include a timer, so you’ll need to use one of your own. Here is what you can do:
Use a simple kitchen timer or a 30-second sand timer, if you have one. It’s more visual and keeps everyone focused.
Place one phone in the center of the table and use it as a shared timer, with the sound turned off and ideally without internet to avoid notifications.
You may adjust the round time to 45 or 60 seconds if you prefer more relaxed storytelling.
We recommend assigning one “timekeeper” per round so others can focus on their stories.
Optional Variants
Variants of this game are possible, and we recommend a number of them:
Theme Rounds: Each round must fit a chosen genre, such as sci-fi, romance, or horror.
Word Restriction: Ban certain words (for example, “and” or “then”) to add challenge.
Team Mode: Play in pairs and create shared stories; teams vote on the best one.
Speed Round: Cut the timer to 20 seconds for an extra burst of chaos.
Tips for Great Sessions
Encourage open interpretations. The weirder, the better.
Keep the pace moving. Short turns keep everyone engaged.
Reward bold creativity. Unusual stories often win more votes.
The box of Iconic Neon Stories
Overall
Iconic Neon Stories is a party game that’s as bright as it is clever. The neon visuals make it stand out, the rules are easy to grasp, and the freedom of interpretation means every round feels new. Even if the box doesn’t include a timer, a quick workaround keeps things running smoothly. Play it with friends, laugh, and create stories that are truly iconic, with the option to add fun variations to the game.
Because of the above, we rate this game as an 8.5/10. Buy it here.
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