Barbascura X: Bestie Bastarde is a party card game built around six rounds of competitive challenges, where players aim to outmatch their opponents by playing powerful Beast cards from their hand. In each round, players simultaneously choose and play one or two Beasts face down, then reveal them and activate their abilities in turn order. A clever use of abilities is key, as each Beast can influence the outcome in different ways.
After all abilities have been resolved, players compare the total Strength of their Beasts still in play, potentially boosted by biome bonuses tied to the current challenge. The player with the highest total wins the round and claims the Challenge card, earning points.
At the end of each round, players refill their hands and pass the leader role to the player with the lowest score. After the final round, players reveal their secret goal cards, which can grant additional points if their conditions are met. The player with the highest total score wins the game.