For bug reports, suggestions, or just to say hi: postmaster@lucianomanenti.com
Scala 40 exists in two versions: the Classic one, the original the game started with, and the New one, rewritten from scratch while keeping the same game engine, but with concrete improvements on several fronts. Here's what changes, point by point.
Cards are bigger and easier to read than in the classic version, designed for anyone who finds it tiring to tell suits and values apart on small screens or with a crowded hand.
In the classic version, while an opponent was playing their turn, you couldn't touch your own cards. In the new version you can reorder your hand at any time, even while opponents are still playing, without having to wait for your turn.
The game engine was rewritten from scratch using more modern, reliable techniques. It's not a visible change on its own, but it's the foundation that made all the other fixes and new options on this page possible.
The Undo button (↩) now always restores exactly the previous situation — card order, melds on the table, scores — without the occasional inconsistencies that could happen in the classic version after multiple undos.
When you recover a Joker by dragging the card it represents (to take it back and play it elsewhere), the card now always correctly takes the Joker's place, regardless of exactly where you "drop" it on the group of cards on the table. Previously, in some cases, the card could end up being added as an extra card instead of replacing the Joker, leaving it in the meld.
The player who deals the cards (the "dealer") now correctly changes every hand, following the rule that the player after the current dealer always starts. A "DEALER" label clearly shows who has this role each hand.
A set or a run must always contain at least one real card: it's no longer possible to play (nor can an opponent) a combination made entirely of Jokers, something the classic version allowed by mistake.
Clicking NEW (gear icon, new version) opens a panel where, besides the number of opponents, you can turn these additional rules on or off. They are all optional and disabled by default, except where noted:
If enabled, whoever recovers a Joker (by replacing it with the real card it represents) must play it within the same turn, instead of being able to keep it in hand.
If enabled, whoever draws from the discard pile must play that card (in a meld or as an attack) within the same turn it was drawn.
If enabled, you can't discard a card that would attach to a set or run already on the table, unless it's the only card left in your hand. This rule is also applied to computer-controlled opponents.
If enabled, when the Ace is the only card left in hand at the end of a hand, it's worth 1 point instead of the usual 11. With any other card in hand, including a second Ace, the value stays 11 as per the official rules.
If enabled, an opponent whose score has reached or exceeded the set point limit no longer receives cards and skips subsequent hands: their score stays frozen at the value reached, while the game continues among the remaining players.
When enabled, as long as the discard pile holds a single card anyone may take it and keep it in hand, even without having opened yet: no obligation to open on that turn. The window closes by itself as soon as the pile grows to two cards, and never reopens, because the pile only grows when someone draws from the stock. It applies to the computer opponents too, though they only use it to pick up a Joker.
When enabled, at the end of the hand anyone who never managed to open pays a flat 100 points instead of the sum of the cards left in hand. It takes most of the luck out of the count: it no longer matters whether you are left with three face cards or three low ones. Players who did open keep paying the sum of their cards, as always.
When you lose a tournament, you can choose which sound to hear between the classic thunder and Mozart's "Lacrimosa" (set as the default). This was added because some players found the thunder too sudden and harsh (others actually like it that way 😊). The choice isn't made in the options panel, but directly on the end-of-tournament screen, with an instant preview of the selected sound; it's saved and stays valid for future games.
For the full list of controls and game rules, including the point-by-point differences between the two versions, see the rules page.
For bug reports, suggestions, or just to say hi: postmaster@lucianomanenti.com
© 2026 Luciano Manenti