This Palace is a card game against the computer
Palace: Zombie Apocalypse is backtablegames’ zombie-themed shedding card game on itch.io. The aim is to be the first player with no cards left. This reference covers its published rules, rather than assuming rules from another Palace variant.
The theme does not make it a shooting or exploration game. Start with the turn order and special-card exceptions before choosing a strategy. Nisu does not host the game or claim to have played it.
Check your playable cards against the discard pile
A normal turn plays one or more matching-rank cards at least as high as the top discard. If you cannot play, you take the pile. The published sequence is hand first, then face-up palace cards, then blind face-down cards.
Before selecting a card, identify which stage you are in and read the current pile. That small check helps separate a stage mistake from a rank mistake. It is a learning routine, not a claim that the lowest playable card is always the best move.
| Card or event | Creator’s published effect |
|---|---|
| 2 — Medic | Playable on anything; resets the pile. |
| 7 — Tripped | The next player must play 7 or lower. |
| 8 — Immunity | Copies the card underneath. |
| 10 — Kills All | Clears the pile; you take another turn. |
| Four of a kind | Also clears the pile and gives another turn. |
Read the exception before applying the normal rank rule
The action-card table is the useful reference when a move seems inconsistent with the normal rank comparison. In particular, inspect the card beneath an 8 before treating the visible top card as a simple rank target.
For a practice turn, describe the current constraint in words before clicking. Then compare your intended play with that constraint. This gives you a concrete reason to review if the result differs from what you expected.
Do not transfer a remembered house rule from a different Palace game without checking this build. The creator’s short description does not settle every possible special-card interaction, tie or ordering question.
Keep the palace stages visible in your plan
The face-down stage is explicitly blind play in the author’s instructions. This guide does not provide a way to inspect those hidden cards or guarantee a safe final sequence.
While learning, note when you finish one stage and enter the next. If a run ends badly, identify whether the decision you can improve happened before the blind card or whether the reveal itself was the uncertainty. That is more useful than labelling every loss a strategy failure.
The checked page describes computer opponents. Online rooms, private multiplayer sessions, account saves and a mobile control scheme are not established by its rules; no such function is provided by Nisu.
Quick help
What happens when I cannot play a card?
The creator’s rules say you pick up the entire discard pile.
What does the 8 do?
The 8 copies the card below it, according to the published action-card list.
Which cards do I finish first?
The published order is your hand, then your face-up palace cards, then blind face-down cards.
Source and scope
Checked October 29, 2026 against backtablegames’ original rules. Nisu has not played the game or tested special-card interactions. The turn checklist is editorial; the creator’s current game remains the authority for unresolved cases.