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How to play Mayday Protocol with two players

Mayday Protocol plays with two to four people: one pilot at the PC, and one to three co-pilots holding the free manual. The same room is the setup the studio describes first. A voice call works too. Playing alone is possible if you perform both jobs, and the studio FAQ says that is not the recommended way. Use the setup checklist below before starting a first round.

What to put on the table

Setup, from the studio page and the FAQ
PieceWhat to doSource
Headcount2 to 4 people. Exactly one pilot. One to three co-pilots.Studio page and FAQ
MachinesOne PC runs the game. Co-pilots use a second screen, a phone, or paper.Studio page
PurchaseOnly the pilot needs a paid copy.Studio page and FAQ
Same roomCo-pilot reads the manual and does not watch the panel.Studio page
RemoteVoice plus an open manual is enough.FAQ
SoloYou play both roles. Possible, not recommended.FAQ
WinClear the panels, then Final Stabilization, before the timer or the mistake cap.Manual
LoseTime runs out, or too many mistakes.Manual

A first sitting, in order

Pick the pilot before anyone opens a panel. Put the manual on page 1, in a language you both read. The pilot calls the gauges: oil pressure, airspeed, altimeter, tachometer, fuel, temperature, ammeter. The co-pilot uses those readings to decide which protocol is live, then turns to that page. From then on the pilot describes the screen in short phrases, and the co-pilot answers with the next press. Save Final Stabilization for the end. The first time through, finishing matters more than the clock. Leaderboards arrived in version 1.5.0, so they are not part of the original March release.

How to talk without stalling

The useful call is specific. “Top row, third lamp, blue” beats “the blue one.” The co-pilot should not explain the whole page, because the pilot cannot act on a paragraph while a timer moves. Agree on color names before the round if one of you says “gold” and the other says “yellow.” The manual’s color protocols fail when a spent color is reused, so a shared name matters. If you are remote, point the camera at the manual only when you are stuck, not at the cockpit. Showing the cockpit to the co-pilot removes the puzzle.

If you are alone

The FAQ’s phrase is “possible, not recommended.” One person would have to alternate between reading the manual and operating the cockpit. The publisher does not describe a dedicated solo mode or a pause-and-solve feature; the supported group setup remains one pilot with co-pilots.

Cockpit controls the pilot operates in Mayday Protocol
Cockpit controls the pilot operates in Mayday Protocol
Wide cockpit view from the store screenshots
Wide cockpit view from the store screenshots

Questions people ask

Can you play Mayday Protocol with 2 players?
Yes. That is the minimum the studio describes: one pilot and one co-pilot.
Does each player need a copy?
No. One purchase covers the pilot. Everyone else uses the free manual.
Can co-pilots play on a phone?
Yes. The manual is HTML and PDF, so a phone browser is enough.
Can you play solo?
The FAQ says yes, and says it is not recommended.
Can you play online?
There is no second-PC online mode to buy. Remote play is a voice call plus the manual.
How do you communicate?
Out loud, or over any voice chat. The game does not provide the channel.

Manual quick referenceBack to the overviewAll Mayday games

Sources