A traditional card game
Learned around the table, not from one rulebook.
Mattis is a traditional Norwegian card game often passed from player to player. Many people learn it at home, in cabins, or at social gatherings, which also means that some rules vary locally.
The shared pressure point is the ending: the goal is to avoid being the final player with cards. That player becomes mattis.
The core structure
Two phases with very different pressure.
The first phase is played in tricks, with each player trying to avoid winning them. Any cards you are forced to collect become the hand you continue with after the deck is empty.
Then phase two begins: now the objective is to get rid of every card. Decisions made during the trick-taking phase directly shape the endgame, and that connection gives Mattis much of its strategic depth.
Strategy
Every trick changes the endgame.
A strong card can save you in one situation, but it may also force you to collect a trick you wanted to avoid. Good play is therefore not only about card values, but also timing and which cards remain in play.
You also need to read your opponents. Who is trying to control the trick? Who has few options left? Mattis rewards attention, memory, and the ability to plan several moves ahead.
Digital adaptation
The same game, made easier to access.
The digital version lets you play offline against computer opponents or meet two to four players online. Mobile and browser players can join the same matches.
Mattis includes the Undertrekk, Overtrekk, and Full Hand variants, several burn rules, and the special Blåmattis rule. Rules and guidance are available inside the game, helping new players learn as they play.