First! Being first is way cool, right? But why? In this quick and crazy game you will have to be Second to get the big points!
That is so much cooler! And now get this: After 5 stages the winner will be the one who has scored the second-most points. It can't get any better than this!
Components
- 1 game board (2 halves)
- 6 Figures
- 6 Color cards
- 32 Race cards
- Rulebook
You will also need a pen and paper (not included).
Setup
Put the two halves of the game board together and put the completed board in the middle of the play area.
Each player takes 1 Color card as well as the accompanying figure. Put your Color card in front of you. It denotes which figure belongs to which player. (If you are playing with less than 6 players return any leftover Color cards to the box - you will not need them during this game).
In the game for 2 players special rules apply. You can find them towards the end of this rules booklet.
Game Play
One game consists of 5 Stages.
At the beginning of each Stage each player will place their Figure onto the starting space in the middle of the game board (between the spaces 1 and -1).
Shuffle all 32 Race cards (only called "Cards" from here on). Every player draws 5 Cards, which forms their hand of cards.
All other cards are put aside for now, you will not need them in the current Stage. In the next stage you have to shuffle them all together again.
In each Stage there will be 5 Card rounds. At the end of these 5 Card rounds there will be a break for scoring. After scoring, the next Stage will commence. At the conclusion of the 5th Stage the game ends.
Card Round Overview
First, everybody should choose exactly 1 Card from their hand that they wish to play this round. Take the chosen card into one hand, keeping them separate from your other cards.
Now one of you should loudly announce the Go Signal "3 - 2 - 1 - NOW!". In the same moment that "NOW!" is being said, everybody must simultaneously take his chosen card and put it, face down, in front of any player of his choice. You may, of course, also choose yourself.
There is no restriction, whatsoever, as to how many cards can be in front of any one player. Therefore it can be that some players receive no cards at all, whereas other players can have one or more cards in front of them. It is also possible that all cards are in front of one player alone.
Now reveal all face down cards that are in front of you. For each card with a positive value (+) move your figure on the game board a number of spaces forward, equal to the value of the card.
For each card with a negative value (-) you must move your figure backwards, again equal to the value of the card. Then put all cards that have been played this round away besides the board.
The colors of the card values have no meaning.
The small white numbers on the bottom left corner of the cards are only needed for a variant, which you can find at the end of these rules.
Example: 1 card with a +2 value is in front of Anne. She moves her figure 2 spaces forwards. There is no card in front of Ben, so his figure doesn't move.
Chris has 2 cards in front of him: a -1 and a -3. So Chris has to move his figure 4 spaces backwards.
Special case: If a figure would move over the space numbered 16, it stops on that space instead and does not move further. This same restriction applies to space -12.
Take heed: Calculate all positive and negative values together before moving and using this special case rule.
Example: Ben's figure is standing on space 15. There is a +3 and -4 in front of him. So Ben is moving his figure onto space 14, for a total of 1 space backwards.
He is not moving the +3 first, causing him to stop on space 16, to then move -4 spaces backwards, which would leave him on space 12.
Play the first 4 Card rounds of every Stage following these rules. For the 5th Card round of every Stage an extra rule applies.
The 5th Card Round
In the 5th Card round you are not allowed to place your chosen card in front of any player. Instead, you have to place your last card in front of yourself! Then after everyone moved his figure the appropriate number of spaces a scoring occurs.
Scoring
First of all, find the space with the figures that are second farthest along the racetrack of the game board. All figures on that space will now receive points equal to the number on that space. This could also be negative points!
Note down all points on a piece of paper. Then prepare the next Stage in the same way as you did during Setup.
Example A: The space that has the figure or figures that are second farthest along the racetrack is number 6, so in this case Anne receives 6 points.
Example B: The space that has the figure or figures that are second farthest along the racetrack is number 1, so in this case Ben receives 1 point.
Example C: The space that has the figure or figures that are second farthest along the racetrack is number -2, so in this case Ben, Chris and Dana each receive negative 2 points.
End of the Game
After 5 Stages (so 5 x 5 Card rounds) the game ends. Count up all points from all players across all 5 stages. The player who now has the 2nd highest amount of points wins!
Should there be a tie, all tied players share in the win.
Game for 2 Players
In the game for 2 players you play with a third imaginary player, called Leo. Put Leo's figure on the starting space and his Color card besides the game board.
At the beginning of each put 4 facedown Cards next to Leo's Color card
In the first 4 Card rounds play of your own cards procedes as usual. You may also put cards in front of Leo to move his figure.
Leo himself will always play his topmost facedown card in front of himself (i.e. just flip his topmost card). In the 5th Card round Leo will not play any more cards, whereas you will play your last card as usual.
Tactical Variant
The variant takes about 30-45 minutes, depending on player count. Changes to the flow of play are as follows:
In each Card round you will put the chosen card face down in front of you.After everybody has chosen, reveal simultaneously.
Now take a look at the small white numbers in the corner of the cards. Whoever has the highest white number, now chooses any 1 figure to move according to the big number on his card forwards (+) or backwards (-) depending on the value.
Then, the player with the second highest white number moves any 1 figure and so on, until every player has moved a figure. A figure may be moved multiple times.
Play in this fashion for the complete 5 Card rounds. Scoring is exactly the same as the normal game, and game length also remains at 5 Stages.
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