Players take the role of powerful Dons in the post-apocalyptic western city of Prosperity. They send their family members, or minions, to do their bidding and accomplish important tasks for the family. Players compete against each other to become the most prestigious family by rebuilding the city, defending from raiders, and outsmarting their opponents. Badlands is a game involving simultaneous selection of actions, represented by minions cards, which can each be used up to once a round. These actions are taken in the order specified on the cards, and interact with each other in a way that provides players with strong opportunities for counter-play. The key to success is being able to predict which actions your opponents will select and profiting from them.