Getting Started
Frustration is a native iPhone and iPad card game built around Contract Rummy — a game long nicknamed "Frustration". Play locally by passing the device around the table, or start an online match with friends via Game Center. There's no account and no server — Apple's Game Center handles all match delivery.
Choose local pass-and-play or Game Center
From the main menu, pick Local Pass-and-Play to play on one device with 3–6 friends, or Game Center to start or join an online turn-based match. Game Center requires signing in with your Apple ID first.
Deal and play your hand
Every player is dealt 10 cards. On your turn, draw from the stock or discard pile, then optionally lay down or lay off melds that satisfy the round's contract, and finish by discarding one card.
Follow the round's contract
There are 7 rounds, each with its own contract shown at the top of the table — from 2 Sets in Round 1 up to 3 Runs in the final "Frustration" round. Complete your hand's contract to start laying off, and empty your hand to end the round.
Track scores across all 7 rounds
After each round, the scoreboard totals everyone's penalty points from the cards left in hand. Whoever has the lowest total after Round 7 wins.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many players can play?
Frustration supports 3 to 6 players, both in local pass-and-play and in Game Center turn-based matches.
Do I need Game Center to play?
No. Local pass-and-play works completely offline on a single device with no account. Game Center is only needed if you want to play an online match with friends on their own devices.
Are my games or scores saved across devices?
No — Frustration has no account system and no cloud sync of its own. A local pass-and-play game exists only on the device it was played on. An online match's state is kept by Apple's Game Center for the duration of that match.
What are the contracts for each round?
Round 1: 2 Sets · Round 2: 1 Set + 1 Run · Round 3: 2 Runs · Round 4: 3 Sets · Round 5: 2 Sets + 1 Run · Round 6: 1 Set + 2 Runs · Round 7 ("Frustration"): 3 Runs, and you can only go out by laying down your entire hand — not by discarding your last card.
How is scoring calculated?
Cards 2–9 are worth face value, 10/J/Q/K are worth 10, Aces are worth 15, and Jokers are worth 25. Whoever goes out first scores 0 for that round; everyone else is penalised for the cards left in their hand.
What happens if someone quits mid-match in Game Center?
Their score is frozen at their last completed round and they're removed from the turn rotation. If only one active player is left, the match ends immediately with them as the winner.
Is Frustration on the App Store?
Not yet — Frustration is currently distributed via TestFlight to invited friends and family for testing, not through a public App Store listing.
Troubleshooting
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Can't sign in to Game Center
Open the iOS Settings app, go to Game Center, and make sure you're signed in with your Apple ID. Then relaunch Frustration and try again from the main menu.
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A valid-looking meld gets rejected
You must lay down your own round contract in full before you can lay off cards onto anyone's melds — including your own. Double-check runs don't wrap around (e.g. Q-K-A-2 isn't valid) and that jokers aren't exceeding the natural-card limit for that meld.
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The table doesn't seem to update after my opponent's turn
Game Center turn notifications can occasionally lag. Pull down to refresh on the My Matches list, or fully close and reopen Frustration to force a re-sync of the match state.
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App won't open or feels stuck
Force-quit the app (swipe up and away in the App Switcher) and reopen it. If a local pass-and-play game feels frozen, tap the screen to dismiss any overlay first.
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I'm not on the current TestFlight build
Open the TestFlight app, find Frustration, and tap Update. If you're not seeing new builds, confirm you accepted the latest TestFlight invite email.