In Pandemic, virulent diseases are constantly breaking out all over the world and the players are disease-fighting specialists whose mission is to treat outbreaks whilst researching cures. This is a co-operative game with no individual winners or losers. Each player has a special skill and the object of the game is to work together as a team to cure the four diseases. Time is of the essence as diseases can spread more quickly as the game goes on, but if all the diseases are cured, everyone wins – otherwise everyone loses. It’s everyone versus the game. The 2013 edition of Pandemic includes two new characters, the Contingency Planner and the Quarantine Specialist, not available in earlier editions of the game. 1-4 players, age 8 and up, allow up to an hour to play.