60 Seconds to Save the World

60 Seconds to Save the World Rulebook

Table of Contents

Goal

Enact four matching plans to solve the problem before the time deck runs out OR before the panic level reaches level 7.

Components

Your game should include the following. If it does not, contact [email protected] for assistance.

108 Cards:

72 Time Cards
7 Continent Cards
7 Leader Cards
1 Solution Card
5 Problem Cards
15 Escalation Cards
1 Panic Level Card

45 Tokens:

1 Location Token
7 Campaign Tokens
7 Leader Tokens
7 Panic Tokens
23 Problem Tokens

Setup

Choose 1 problem card for the game. You can pick one or choose randomly. Read the scenario text aloud to all players and set up any necessary problem tokens as described on the card. Return the remaining problem cards and problem tokens to the box.
Take the 3 escalation cards that match the chosen problem and shuffle them together. Place one escalation card, face down, next to the problem card. Return the remaining two escalation cards to the box.
Shuffle the 7 continent cards and deal one to the table, face up. This is considered the problem continent. Place the location token on that continent card. Then place the remaining continent cards to form the map as shown in the setup diagram. Also, place the solution card in an area outside of the map next to the problem continent.
Shuffle and deal 1 leader card to each player. This determines each player's continent and superpower.
Each player must place their matching leader token on their continent card (side down).
Designate an area in front of each player where their terminals are installed (see page 7).
Shuffle the time cards to form a face down time deck and designate an area next to the deck to be the discard pile. Then discard the top cards, face up, based on the number of players:
- 2 players: 6 cards.
- 3 players: 3 cards.
- 4 players: No cards.
- 5 players: 2 cards.
- 6 players: No cards.
Deal 3 time cards to each player for 2–4 player games and 2 time cards for 5–6 player games. Players should keep their hands secret from each other.
Place the panic level card and choose whether to play on the normal difficulty side or the hard difficulty side. Then place the 7 panic tokens (side up) on each of the circle spaces.

The oldest player takes the first turn. Players are now ready to begin the game!

How to Play

Players work together to enact four matching plans to solve the problem (see "Order: Enact Plan" on page 9). Players achieve this by playing time cards from their hands to form stacks of cards in front of them. These card stacks are called terminals and can be used to execute orders.

There are six types of plans: Destroy, Contain, Trade, Talk, Cure, and Divert. The problem card lists which "valid" plans will solve it.

A Note on Table Talk

Although players work and talk together, they may not talk freely about any information of cards in their hand. Since players are leaders in different parts of the world, they need to execute orders from their terminals to communicate that information to each other. Players may freely state which cards they would like to have.

Turn Order

Turns are taken clockwise around the table. During your turn, you may perform up to two actions. A player can perform both of the below actions OR perform the same action twice:

Install a card into your terminal.
Execute an order at a terminal.

After taking actions, you may enter the optional Draw Phase (this is required if you did not perform any actions).

1. Install a Card into Your Terminal

Cards are placed in front of you into stacks, one by one, making terminals. The first card played is the base of the terminal and each subsequent card added to that terminal must be placed on top of it, not covering the icons at the bottom. The top most card of a terminal determines what plan it belongs to. You may have as many terminals as you like.

Each time a "thumbs down" icon on a card is installed into a terminal, raise the panic level in that player's continent (see "Panic Level Rises" on page 12).

2. Execute an Order at a Terminal

You may use one of your terminals to execute an order. While a terminal can be used for a variety of different orders, it can only be executed once. Once the order is executed, discard all of the cards in that terminal.

The "strength" of that order is determined by adding the appropriate icon values in the terminal. There are two types of orders: Communicate and Enact Plan.

Order: Communicate

When you execute the order, you must choose which kind of communication based on the icons in that terminal:

Press Conference (television icon)
Fax (fax machine icon)

Press Conference

When a press conference is executed, add up the television icon values (all other icons in the terminal are not used). You may decide to either:

REDUCE PANIC - Remove panic tokens in your continent or adjacent continents (connected by a dotted route), for 1 television each. To remove a panic token from a continent that is not adjacent, it will require +1 television for each continent traveled. Place the tokens back onto the highest open level on the panic level card.

With 2 television, remove 2 panic tokens from home/adjacent continent or 1 panic token from a non-adjacent continent.

-OR-

SHARE INFORMATION - Quietly show cards from your hand to one player in your continent or an adjacent continent, for 1 television each. To share information with a continent that is not adjacent, it will require +1 television for each continent traveled.

With 2 television, show 2 cards to Africa or 1 card to Australia.

Fax

When a fax is executed, add up the fax icon values (all other icons in the terminal are not used). Give cards to players in your continent or adjacent continents, for 1 fax each. To give a card to a continent that is not adjacent, it will require +1 fax for each continent traveled.

With 2 fax, give 2 cards to Africa or 1 card to Australia.

Hand Limit of Three Cards

A player can never have more than 3 cards in hand. If a fax would force a player to go above 3 cards, they must discard card(s) from their hand first to accept the new card(s). If a player chooses not to accept them, the faxed card(s) are discarded.

Order: Enact Plan

When an enact plan is executed, you may attempt to do one of the following:

Solve a problem.
Remove the escalation card.
Remove a problem token.

Note that the escalation card may only be removed after it has been revealed (see "Panic Level 5: Escalation" on page 12).

Plan Requirements

In order for a plan to be successfully enacted, the plan's terminal must have the following:

The topmost card in the terminal designates the type of plan it is. The plan must be of a valid type shown on the problem card.
Must equal or exceed the political influence (blue crowd icon) required (see "Political Influence" on page 11).
Must have 100% approval (all approval/thumbs up icons). Any panic (thumbs down) icons may be attempted to be converted (see "Time Counts Down" below).

Time Counts Down

If there are any panic (thumbs down) icons in the terminal when an enact plan is executed, you may use precious seconds in an attempt to sway the public and convert them into approval (thumbs up) icons. Add up the total amount of time (stopwatch icon) at that plan's terminal and then, one at a time, reveal that number of cards from the top of the time deck:

Any cards drawn with an approval (thumbs up) icon will convert a single panic (thumbs down) icon in the terminal.
Any cards drawn with a panic (thumbs down) icon have no effect.

You may stop revealing cards at any time, even if you have not met the approval requirement.

If you have any panic icons remaining, the plan fails: discard all cards in the terminal and drawn "Time Counts Down" cards.

Example: This player has 3 time (3 cards) to try to convert 2 panic icons.

Political Influence

Add up the political influence (blue crowd) icon values to determine the plan's political influence.

The political influence required to solve a problem is listed above the current panic level (the highest level of the panic level card that does not have a panic token on it). The political influence required to remove the escalation card is listed on the escalation card. The political influence required to remove a problem token is described on the problem card.

If Plan Is Successfully Enacted (100% Approval)

Solve a problem: Add the top card of the terminal (plan card) to the solution card. Players win the game when the solution has four matching plan cards.
Remove the escalation card: Remove the escalation card and put it back into the box. It cannot return to the game, even if the panic level reaches level 5 a second time.
Remove a problem token: Remove a problem token from the continent and return it next to the problem card.

After a plan succeeds, discard all remaining cards in the terminal and drawn "Time Counts Down" cards.

End of Turn: Draw Phase

At the end of your turn, you may draw cards up to your hand limit of 3 cards. To do this, you must discard one time card from the top of the deck, and then may draw as many cards as you would like until your hand is full. If you took no actions during your turn, you must draw cards. You may also discard one card from your hand before you enter the draw phase (discarding is not considered an action).

Panic Level Rises

If a card with a panic (thumbs down) icon is installed into your terminal, the panic level rises 1 level per panic icon. Take the lowest level panic token from the panic level card and place it onto your continent.

Continent Locked

If a continent ever has 3 or more panic tokens on it, immediately flip a panic level token over to the locked side. (The printed side name is a symbol in the source; "locked side" is the transcriber's wording.) This represents that the continent is locked and players there CANNOT execute any orders or enact plans. Another player must reduce the panic in that continent to less than 3 tokens for it to be unlocked. A player in a locked continent may install cards into their terminals and still participate when other players execute a press conference or fax.

Panic Level 5: Escalation

When a panic token is taken from the space numbered "5" on the panic level card, the escalation card is revealed. The negative effect on the card will remain active during the game, until the escalation card is removed with a valid plan.

Leader Superpowers

Players each receive a superpower, listed on their leader card, that can be used once per game. After your superpower is used, flip your character token over to the used side. (The printed side name is a symbol in the source; "used side" is the transcriber's wording.) Superpowers are not considered actions and can be used at any time even if they interrupt the game play during another player's turn.

Game End

The game ends in VICTORY immediately if:

Four matching plan cards (cards of the same type) are enacted on the solution card. These can be made by any player.

The game ends in DEFEAT immediately if any of the following conditions occur:

A player cannot take their turn after the time deck runs out.
The panic level reaches level 7.
Any of the problem scenarios occur, as listed next to the scenario on the problem card.

Problem Scenario FAQ

Alien Invasion

If a player makes a communication and there is no UFO Token available, the lowest numbered UFO moves from its continent to the active player's continent. The previous player that had the UFO can now execute Communication orders again.

Asteroid Storm

Place the removed Asteroid Token next to the problem continent. For a non-dexterity version, players flip the asteroid token like a coin. If the asteroid lands on the 2 side, it may be placed in the adjacent continent of the active player's choice. If it lands on the 1 side, it must be placed on the active player's continent.

Super Flu

The +1 icon on the Hospitals allows players to extend the reach of their faxes at no additional cost. A fax from Antarctica to Europe would normally cost 2 fax to travel through Africa, but if there is a Hospital in either Antarctica, Africa, or Europe, the fax would only cost 1 fax.

World War

All War Tokens touching the problem continent must be removed before players can execute an enact plan order to solve a problem.

Zombie Outbreak

You cannot place a Zombie Token on a continent that is already infected with a Zombie Token. In the event a "double thumbs down" card is installed into a terminal, only one Zombie Token is placed on a new infected continent, though two panic tokens are still placed.

Glossary

Approval (thumbs up) - In order for a valid plan to be enacted, it must have 100% approval. Any cards in the terminal with panic (thumbs down) need to be converted with Time Counts Down.
Communication (television / fax) - Orders executed at terminals that allow a player to reduce panic, share knowledge, or send cards to other players.
Connection - The dotted line connecting two adjacent continents together.
Escalation - Once the panic level reaches "5," the escalation card is revealed and adds a penalty. Can be removed by enacting a valid plan of the type listed on the card.
Locked - Three or more panic (thumbs down) tokens on one continent. You cannot execute orders or enact plans from that continent until panic tokens are removed by other players.
Panic (thumbs down) - For every panic icon on a card that is installed into a terminal, place the lowest level panic token from the panic level card onto the active player's continent. The current panic level is the highest level of the panic level card that does not have a panic token on it.
Plan - Required to solve the problem, remove the escalation card, or remove problem tokens. The topmost card in a terminal designates what type of plan it is in order to be valid.
Political Influence (blue crowd) - Required in a terminal to enact valid plans.
Problem - The scenario that players must solve to save the world.
Solution - Four matching plans enacted to solve the problem.

Optional Variants

Adjusting Difficulty

For a lighter game, any of the following variants may be used in any combination:

Play without problem scenarios.
Play with the "normal" side of the panic level card.
Play without escalation cards.
Players have a hand limit of up to 7 cards.

Campaign Games

You can track your victories over the course of several games using the campaign tokens. Place the 7 campaign tokens under the box tray at the start of the campaign. When the game ends in a victory or defeat, take the appropriate token and place it on top of the box tray. To win the campaign, you must place all 4 victory tokens before you place 3 defeat tokens in the tray.