Protagonist/Antagonist for micro memory strategy game?

So I am working on a memory strategy game.

16/18 cards are picked and randomly placed face up in a 4x4 grid. Both players have some time to study the cards.

Player 1 is the protagonist and player 2 is the antagonist. Player 1 closes their eyes while player 2 switches the placement of any 3 cards (each card can only be switched with another adjacent card). Then player 2 flips all of the cards face down.

Player 1 starts by revealing a perimeter card. If it's a good card (worth points) the protagonist must again close their eyes while the antagonist gets to switch placements of any 1 card. If it's a bad card, the antagonist does nothing. After resolving either outcome, player 1 continues and reveals another card adjacent to the previously revealed card.

Player 1 continues to reveal cards one by one until they have revealed a certain number of bad cards. Once that happens, their turn ends and they add up the points from all revealed good cards.

Then, the same 16 cards are picked up and again randomly placed in a 4x4 grid. Players again study the cards but the roles are reversed.

After both rounds of play, the player that scores more points on their round as the protagonist wins the game.

So as you can see there is some strategy, luck, and bluffing involved. The mechanic works with an exploratory/conquer theme (i.e dungeon/territory/space exploration etc.) but needs to have an appropriate antagonist that meddles with the protagonist's progress. That is why hero v dungeon master was my 1st idea or invaders v a King(dom).

Thoughts? Or new suggestions after updating this information? Thank you!

And here is an example of the 18 cards using the space exploration. The Star (sun) grants each adjacent planet an extra point and the Black Hole is a special hazard that allows the antagonist to switch ANY two unexplored cards.

Each regular Planet is worth 1 point, and the Habitable Planet is worth 2. The Hostile Planet is worth 1 point but also has 1 hazard.