BOX
BOX Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Object
Earn the most points at the end of the game by creating squares with four corner dots in your Secret Color.
Components
30 cards:
- 24 Box Cards
- 6 Secret Color Cards
Setup
BOX may be played with 2 or 3 players individually, or as 2 teams with 4 or 6 players. If playing in teams, arrange yourselves so that no team takes two turns in a row.
- Choose a Dealer to perform these SETUP steps.
- Shuffle the 6 Secret Color Cards face down. Then, deal 1 to each player (team):
- Individual game (2 or 3 players) or Team game (4 or 6 players). Once the color information has been memorized, the Secret Color Card should be passed (face down) to the remaining teammates, then set aside face down. Place any remaining Secret Color Cards aside, face down.
- Use 1 unused Secret Color Card as the Starting Card, by keeping it face down and placing it in the center of the playing area. (See EXAMPLE below.)
- Shuffle and deal all the Box Cards to all players, such that all players have the same amount of cards. Each player places the dealt cards in a stack, in front of themselves (face down), then draws 1 card into their hand.
- The oldest player is the Start Player and the game is ready to begin.
Example setup for a team game with 4 players: Player A (TEAM 1) and Player C (TEAM 1) are on opposite sides of the playing area from each other, as are Player B (TEAM 2) and Player D (TEAM 2), so each team's players are not seated next to each other. Each player has a stack of face-down Box Cards in front of them. The Starting Card (the back of an unused Secret Color Card) lies face down in the center of the playing area.
Playing the Game
BOX is a strategy game in which players attempt to create squares with four corner dots of their Secret Color by placing cards from their hands on an ever-growing display in the playing area. The larger the square, the more points it will be worth at the end of the game. Players take turns in clockwise order and will want to conceal their Secret Color through clever play, to reduce their opponents' chances of covering or blocking potential squares. When all cards have been placed into the playing area, points are scored, and the player (team) with the most points is the winner.
Game Turn
On your turn, you must play a Box Card from your hand to the playing area, while observing the following rules:
- A card must be placed such that the dots continue in a straight line.
- A card must be placed either next to 1 or more existing dots, OR so that it covers 1 to 4 (maximum) existing dots (colored or gray).
Then, you draw a card from your stack to bring your hand back to 1 card.
Example placements: Card A is covering 2 existing dots from a previously placed card. Card B and Card C do not cover any dots, but each card is placed next to at least 1 dot and is aligned (vertically or horizontally) with the existing dots. Card D is not placed legally, as it is not placed such that the dots are aligned vertically or horizontally to existing dots.
Game End
The game continues with each player playing a card in turn until all 24 Box Cards have been played. Then, players (teams) must reveal their Secret Color to their opponent(s) and add up their total points for the game.
Scoring
All scoring occurs at the end of the game and is based on the cumulative point total of all valid squares using a player's (team's) Secret Color. Players (teams) score points for squares that have four corner dots that match their Secret Color. A square's point value is determined by its size, and is worth 1 point for each dot (or empty dot space) on one of its sides. A 10 x 10 square is the largest that can be scored--larger squares have no value, although there is no penalty for creating larger squares. Corner dots may be used to score multiple squares.
After each player (team) adds up their total score from all valid squares in their Secret Color, the player (team) with the most points is the winner. In the case of a tie, the player (team) that took the first turn is the winner.
Scoring Examples
Player A completed 2 squares in her Secret Color (PURPLE). One square is worth 5 points, the other is worth 8 points.
Player B completed 3 squares in his Secret Color (BLUE). One square is worth 4 points, the second is worth 5 points, and the third is worth 7 points.
Diagram caption: 3 empty dot spaces allow Player A to score an 8-point square.
Player A's total: 5 points + 8 points = 13 points.
Player B's total: 4 points + 5 points + 7 points = 16 points.
Player B wins the game with 16 points.