Wacky Races is a fast-paced racing game for up to six players. Get your iconic racing team across the finish line first, by hook or by crook!
However, you'll have to deal with changing road conditions, your fellow Racers' special abilities, and the dangerous Traps laid by Dick Dastardly.
The mischievous villain and his mean-spirited partner in malice, Muttley, are never far behind. Players will use combinations of Movement cards, their Racer's special abilities, and the randomly created roadway terrain to try and stay ahead of the pack, avoid the Traps, and win the race!
Components
- 1 Compact Pussycat Miniature
- 1 Boulder Mobile Miniature
- 1 Creepy Coupe Miniature
- 1 Buzz Wagon Miniature
- 1 Army Surplus Special Miniature
- 1 Arkansas Chugga-Bug Miniature
- 1 Convert-a-Car Miniature
- 1 Bulletproof Bomb Miniature
- 1 Crimson Haybailer Miniature
- 1 Turbo Terrific Miniature
- 1 Mean Machine Miniature
- 40 Special Power Cards:
- 10 Racer Dashboards
- 64 Movement Cards
- 16 Trap Cards
- 1 Neutral Racers Activation Card
- 1 Starting Board
- 16 Terrain Tiles k Special Tiles
- 2 Checkpoint Tiles
- 1 Championship Leaflet
Object of the Game
The player whose Racer reaches the Finish Line tile first wins the game!
It will take a great deal of skill, strategy, and a touch of luck to roar across the Finish Line before the other Racers!
Setup
Choosing your Racers
Each player chooses 1 of the Racers as their car in the Wacky
Races, taking the corresponding Racer Miniature, Racer Dashboard, and the 4 Special Power cards for that Racer. At the beginning of each race, players must place their Special Power cards faceup on each corresponding slot on their Racer Dashboard.
Dick Dastardly and Muttley!
Players cannot choose Dick Dastardly as their Racer. This mischievous villain's movement is based on the players'
Neutral Racers
If you are playing Wacky Races with fewer than 6 players, there will be a number of non-player driven Neutral Racers who will also join the race.
After all the players have chosen their Racer, randomly add as many of the leftover Racers to make a total of 6 Racers for the game (7 if you count Dick Dastardly in his Mean Machine).
These Neutral Racers won't use their Racer Dashboard or Special Power cards. Those can be returned to the game box, along with the remaining 4 unchosen Racers, their Racer Dashboards, and Special Power cards.
Neutral Racers' movement is also based on a player's actions, like Dick Dastardly. However, they can still win the race! So watch out for them, too!
Example: 3 players are going to play Wacky Races, and they choose: Professor Pat Pending, Ant Hill Mob, and Rufus Ruffcut & Sawtooth, taking their Miniature and corresponding assets.
Once this is done, they add Red Max, The Slag Brothers, and Penelope Pitstop to the race as Neutral Racers before putting the other Miniatures and unused game assets back into the box and out of the way.
Common Decks:
The Movement Cards
Take all 64 Movement cards and shuffle them together to create a facedown Movement Deck.
Each player is then dealt 3 cards to form their initial hand. The Movement Deck will be used for all players, so make sure it is within reach of everyone.
Each Movement card shows 1 of the 4 basic Terrain types: Desert, Forest, Prairie, or Farm. Players must use these cards to move from each type of Terrain.
The Trap Cards
Take all 16 of Dick Dastardly's Trap cards and shuffle them together to create a facedown Trap Deck.
Each Trap card represents a nasty and dirty trick left on the road by Dick Dastardly.
Setup the Course
Now that the players have determined which Racers will be in the race, and prepped the Movement and Trap Decks, it's time to map out the Race Track using the Terrain tiles!
1. Racers take their positions on the starting board
Place the Starting Board on the table. Place Dick Dastardly's Mean Machine at the rear of the Board on the 00 space. The last player to drive a vehicle (of any type) is the Starting Player.
The Starting Player receives the Neutral Racers Activation Card, placing it faceup in front of their Racer Dashboard.
They take their Racer Miniature and place it next to the Starting Board space just in front of Dick Dastardly (see example). Then, moving clockwise from the Starting Player, all the other players place their Racers next to the Starting Board, from rear to front.
Only 1 Racer is placed next to each space. If there are any Neutral Racers, place them in the remaining Starting Board spaces, ahead of the other players.
Example: After placing The Mean Machine in its designated space, the Starting Player sets their Racer's Miniature (Professor Pat Pending) next to the space ahead of Dick Dastardly.
The next player places Rufus's car in the next available slot, and the last player follows up with their car as well (Ant Hill Mob). The remaining Neutral Racers are randomly placed in the remaining slots, leaving the Starting Board full of Racers who are ready to begin!
2. Set Up the Track's First Half
Take all of the First Half tiles (with blue-colored backs) and shuffle them, facedown, together. Then place all 8 of them faceup in a line extending from the front of the Starting Board. Immediately after the last First Half tile, place the Gas Station tile.
3. Set Up the Track's Second Half
Take the Special tiles for the Swamp, Crossroads, Railroad Crossing, and the A.C.M.E. Laboratory and choose 1 at random. Add the chosen Special tile to all 8 of the other Second Half tiles and shuffle facedown together.
Once shuffled, place these 9 tiles faceup in a line extending from the Gas Station tile. These form the last leg of the Race Track. Immediately after the last Second Half tile, place the Finish Line tile.
You're ready to race!
Example: The starting Player mixes up the Special tiles and draws 1 at random: the Crossroads tile will be the special tile in this race.
Racing
Beginning with the Starting Player and then proceeding clockwise around the table, each player takes their turn, continuing around the table until a car crosses the Finish Line. The first Racer to reach the Finish Line tile wins the race.
After playing their 1st Movement card and moving their Racer, the player may choose to play a 2nd Movement card, as long as it matches the Terrain type where their Racer is currently located. This allows the Racer to move forward 1 space.
The Player Turn
Steps 1, 2, and 3 - Moving your Racer
On their turn, each player MUST play at least 1 Movement card from their hand. This first card moves their Racer forward 1 space, regardless of the Terrain type showing on the card or the type of terrain their Racer is currently on.
Note that special rules or special terrain might cancel this first movement.
If the player played a 2nd Movement card, they may play a 3rd one that must also match the Terrain type where their Racer is currently located. Again, this lets them move their Racer forward 1 space.
Tile Space
In Wacky Races, a space is an open position on a Terrain tile where a Racer can be placed. Each Terrain tile (except for the Swamp) has 2 spaces, 1 on each side of the tile.
This means that only 2 Racers can be on a single tile at the same time. While there, they are considered to be in the same position.
When moving (in any direction), a Racer must be placed in the next free space, swapping the side of the tile if necessary. Tiles that already contain 2 Racers are skipped, and the Racer continues in the same direction until they reach a tile with an open space.
Example: Professor Pat Pending begins his turn on a Forest Terrain tile. For his first Movement card, he plays a Desert, and since the first card does not have to match the Terrain tile, he moves ahead to the open space on the next tile, which is a Prairie.
The second card he plays is a Prairie. This would move the Professor to the Farm tile, but it already has 2 Racers on it. So, instead, the Professor moves to the next open space, which is a Prairie.
Although he could play a 3rd card, he doesn't have another Prairie in his hand. Thus, his movement is done for the turn.
Step 4 - Redraw your Hand
When a player is done moving and potentially resolving any Special Powers or Traps, their turn is over. They draw as many Movement cards as they need to replenish their hand up to 3 cards - note, however, that there's no limit of number of cards a player can hold.
If the Movement Deck is empty, reshuffle the Discard Pile to form a new Movement Deck.
Step 5 - Moving Dick Dastardly
Every time a player ends their turn, it's time for The Mean Machine to rip up some road and wreak havoc on the rest of the Racers!
Dick Dastardly does not pay attention to traffic laws or other rules of the race, so he never counts as taking up a space on whatever tile he is on. The Mean Machine Miniature always stays on top of the tiles.
To move Dastardly, check the last discarded card (sitting on the top of the Discard Pile) and move Dastardly's Miniature to the next corresponding Terrain tile. If the Discard Pile is currently empty, flip the top card of the Movement Deck over to create one and move Dastardly.
Like the Racers, Dick Dastardly treats the Special tiles as having all the Terrain types (wild), meaning he will always stop at them no matter what. The exception is the Gas Station tile. If you ask Dastardly, stopping for fuel is for losers, so he never does so and instead ignores the Gas Station altogether.
If there is ever a moment where Dick Dastardly has no valid tile to move to, his attitude about gassing up in a race comes back to haunt him, and the Mean Machine runs out of fuel! He is now out of the race.
Put his car and the rest of the Trap Deck back in the box. Someone should also probably snicker sinisterly as Muttley laughs at his owner's troubles!
WARNING! If Dick Dastardly is ever in the lead, he'll lay down Traps!
Example: The Ant Hill Mob has just ended their turn, so now Dastardly moves. The last Movement card played by the Ant Hill Mob was a Prairie, so it's still sitting on top of the Discard Pile.
Dastardly then moves to the first Prairie tile ahead of his Mean Machine with no Trap cards already on it, ignoring everything in between.
End of the Round
Neutral Racers Movement
After all, the Players have played their turn and before the Starting Player starts their next turn, all Neutral Racers move. Skip this for the very first round of the game.
Starting with the Neutral Racer in the' space closest to the Finish Line, they all move ahead 1 space (respecting the next free space rule).
In case of a tie, the Starting player can choose which Neutral Racer moves first.
Once all the Neutral Racers have made their first movement, reveal the top card of the Movement Deck and place it on the Discard Pile. Any Neutral Racer that is currently on a tile matching the revealed card's Terrain type is moved ahead 1 space. Then, repeat the process (reveal the top card, move Neutral Racers that match, etc). a 2nd, and then a 3rd time.
Neutral Racers that run into Trap cards automatically trigger them, applying their consequences whenever possible.
Example: Red Max, the Slag Brothers, and Penelope Pitstop are the Neutral Racers in this race.
1 They all move ahead 1 space in order from the lead to the rear.
2 The Starting Player reveals the top card of the Movement Deck. It's a Forest. Red Max is on a Forest tile, so it gets to move again, and Penelope Pitstop is at the Gas Station, a wild tile, so it moves ahead to the next available space.
3 A 2nd card is revealed and it's another Forest, which moves no one.
4 The 3rd card is finally revealed and it's a Desert, which also moves no one. Now, the Starting Player can begin a new round.
Neutral Racers Rule for 2-player Games
After revealing the third card for the Neutral Racers and moving them, also move Dastardly's car according to his normal movement rules.
Dick Dastardly's Traps
If, after its movement, Dick Dastardly is alone in the lead - meaning there are no player-driven or Neutral Racers on the same tile or ahead of his position - he pulls over for a moment to set up Traps and obstacles to thwart those coming up behind him.
Place the top card of the Trap Deck facedown (no peeking!) on the tile he is currently on. Then, he retreats to the back of the race (to the tile right behind the Racer currently in last place).
Dastardly knows where he has already caused trouble and will ignore tiles with Trap cards already on them when moving. Instead, he continues on to the next tile matching the right Terrain type.
Example: Rufus has finished his turn and just moved Dick Dastardly as per his normal rules, placing him unfortunately on the Desert tile ahead of all the other Racers!
The top Trap card is placed facedown on the Desert tile Dastardly is currently on. Then, the Mean Machine's Miniature is moved all the way back to the first Terrain tile behind all of the other Racers, ready to start revving up into the pack after the next player's turn.
Types of trap cards in dastardly's bag of tricks
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Failed Plan
All Racers may unexhaust 1 of their Special Power cards, if possible.
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Boulder
The Racer that triggers this Trap is moved backwards to the first available empty space.
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The Old Switcheroo
The Racer that triggers this Trap switches places with the closest Racer behind them, up to 3 tiles away.
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Oil
All other Racers (not the one that triggered the Trap) move ahead 1 space.
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Log
The Racer that triggers this Trap moves backwards 2 spaces.
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Painted Tunnel
The 2 Racers furthest away from the Finish Line move ahead 2 spaces.
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Broken Bridge
The Racer that triggers this Trap can only play 1 Movement card on their following turn.
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Sabotage
The Racer that triggers this Trap chooses 1 of their Special Power cards to exhaust, if possible.
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Mud Pool
The Racer that triggers this Trap doesn't replenish their hand back up to 3 cards at the end of their turn.
If a Neutral Racer triggers this Trap, nothing happens.
Racers' Special Powers
At any time during a player's turn, they may choose to use one or more of their Racer's Special Powers. These powers represent a variety of weird and useful skills, tricks, or abilities that the Racers can use on their way to the Finish Line.
When a player uses a Special Power, they flip over the matching Special Power card on their Racer Dashboard, exhausting that card. Exhausted cards cannot be used until unexhausted. Special Powers do not get unexhausted easily.
Special Note: Randomly Determining a Terrain Type
If a game effect or Special Power ever requires a player to randomly determine a Terrain type, they look at the top card of the Movement Deck.
Whatever Terrain type is on the card, that's the randomly determined type. Then, place the card in the Discard Pile.
Example: With 2 Forest and 1 Desert cards in hand, Rufus decides to exhaust his Special Power card Sawtooth to swap a Forest tile with the tile in front of his current tile (a Prairie).
He plays his 1st Movement card, which is a Desert, moving from the Farm onto the Forest tile. Then, he plays is 2nd Movement card, a Forest, to roar through the Forest and onto the next tile! If Rufus had a Prairie card, he could use it for his 3rd Movement on this turn.
Setting Off Traps
Dick Dastardly's Traps are dangerous to all Racers. When any Racer (player-owned or Neutral) moves onto a tile that contains a Trap card, the Trap card is flipped faceup and that car suffers the consequences immediately.
If a player has an unexhausted Special Power card for that specific type of Trap, the Special Power card must be flipped facedown and the Trap card is discarded without further consequences.
If a player's Racer cannot cancel a Trap, it suffers the consequences fully and the player's turn ends. The player may still draw Movement cards to refill their hand as normal. After resolving the Trap card, or if it is canceled, the Trap card is always discarded afterward.
If 2 Racers are on the same tile that is affected by a Special Power or Trap, the active player chooses the order to resolve it.
Example: Professor just moved onto the Desert tile containing Dastardly's Trap card. He flips over the card: a Painted Tunnel! Normally, he would apply the Trap card's effect, but his Special Power: Drill-a-Way is ready to be used!
So, instead of triggering the Trap, he flips the Special Power card facedown and discards the Painted Tunnel before continuing his turn normally!
Special Terrain
Wild Terrain Tiles
White bordered tiles (including the Gas Station), and the first 2 spaces on the Starting Board count as ALL Terrain types (matching any Terrain card) when determining a Racer's movement.
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Swamp: This tile ignores the Tiles Space rule and can have any number of Racers on it.
In order to move away from this tile, a player must discard either 2 identical Movement cards or any combination of 3 Movement cards. Neutral Racers always exit this terrain with their first free movement.
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Railroad Crossing: When a Racer moves onto this tile, the Racer(s) in last place move ahead 1 tile.
If there are 2 Racers tied for last place, the player whose Racer landed on the Railroad Crossing can choose which Racer moves first.
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Crossroads: When a player's Racer ends their turn on this tile, they can swap the positions of any 2 tiles in the Race Track, regardless of location along the Track.
Racers on these tiles do not change positions, but any Trap cards move along with their tiles, possibly forcing a Racer at the tile's new location to trigger it immediately, if there are 2 Racers on the tile, the active player chooses which one triggers it!
The Crossroads' effect CANNOT target other Special tiles.
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A.C.M.E. Laboratory: When the lead Racer moves onto this tile, reveal the top card of the Movement Deck.
Place 1 Trap card on the next upcoming tile of that Terrain type, if possible.
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Gas Station: When the Racer in last place moves onto this tile, all players unexhaust 1 of their facedown Special Power cards.
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