EXIT: The Game – The Gate Between Worlds Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Helper App
• Game Materials
• Game Setup
• Where Is the Game Board?
• Game Description
  • Is the Code Incorrect?
  • Is the Code Possibly Correct?
  • Where Can You See the Code Symbol?
  • Is the Code Really Correct?
  • Is the Code Actually Incorrect?
• Need Help?
• Additional Game Materials
• When Does the Game End?
• One Final Tip
• The Game Begins
• Certificate

Helper App

Download the free bonus app for a game tutorial, an atmospheric soundtrack, and a digital timer. For Android, iOS, and Fire. Check the app stores for details. Download the free Kosmos Helper App!

Game Materials

• 61 Cards
  • 30 Answer Cards
  • 30 Help Cards
  • 1 Riddle Card (that's right, just 1 card!)
• 8 Posters
• 10 Strange items
  • 4 rubber bands
  • 1 key
  • 1 trap
  • 3 rods
  • 1 board
• 2 Display feet
• 1 Decoder disk

In addition, you will need writing implements (ideally ball-point pens, pencils and an eraser), one or more sheets of paper, a pair of scissors, and a watch (ideally, a stopwatch) to keep time. As an alternative, you can use the digital timer with the atmospheric soundtrack. Just select the game in the Kosmos Helper App and click on the hourglass.

Each copy of this game is packaged with the greatest care. Unfortunately, occasional mistakes can occur. Before playing, please check to make sure that the game materials are complete. If anything is missing, do not start the game until contacting: US: [email protected] UK: [email protected]

Game Setup

On the decoder disk, fold the black strip toward the rear and slide the two display feet onto the locations provided for them. For now, place the posters and the "strange items" at the edge of the table. Sort the cards into three piles in accordance with what is written on their backs:

• Riddle card
• Answer cards
• Help cards

Be sure not to look at the front side of any of the cards.

Check to be sure that the answer cards are arranged in ascending numerical order. Sort the help cards according to their symbols. Then place them at the edge of the table. Place cards with the same symbol one on top of another, with the 1st CLUE card on top of the 2nd CLUE card, and the latter on top of the SOLUTION card.

Where Is the Game Board?

This game has no game board! You will have to figure out for yourselves what you have to find in the game and what the rooms or spaces look like. At the beginning of the game, you will only have the decoder disk available to you. As the game continues, you will add a riddle card and posters — either to be found in illustrations, or referred to in written instructions. Whenever this happens, you can take the corresponding items and look at them. You are also only allowed to use the strange items when explicitly instructed that you have found them. Until then, leave them at the edge of the table!

Example: When you see an illustration like this, you may immediately take that riddle card (riddle card A, in this case) from the stack and look at it.

Game Description

Your goal is to uncover the secret of the gate between worlds as quickly as you can.

That would definitely be easier if every world were not occupied with a riddle. As soon as the game begins, you are allowed to look at the decoder disk. As the game continues, you will keep finding objects that are locked with a three-digit or color code. To open them, you will have to find the proper code and enter it on the decoder disk. On the outer edge of the disk, there are ten different symbols pictured. Each symbol stands for one of the codes to be solved. But which symbol belongs to which code? You will have to figure that out for yourselves. So it's advisable to pay attention to every detail. If you think you will able to crack one of the codes, enter the code under the corresponding symbol on the decoder disk. A number will then appear in the viewing window in the smallest wheel of the disk.

This will indicate the number of the answer card that you are then allowed to look at. If the code was wrong, you will have to keep looking for the answer or try a different riddle for now. If the code was right, the answer card will tell you how to continue.

Example: You have calculated the code 8 9 7 as the solution to the riddle with the (star) symbol. Now enter this combination of numbers under the (star) symbol on the decoder disk. In the little window, you will see the number of the answer card that you are then allowed to take from the stack and look at.

Is the Code Incorrect?

If so, the answer card will tell you. In that case, simply return the card to the pile and take another look at the riddle that you failed to solve. Maybe there's something that you overlooked. Or it may be that you simply don't yet have the information that you need to solve it. Then you will just have to continue someplace else.

Example Answer Card: "Hey! McFly! Anybody home? Unfortunately, this code is not correct!"

Is the Code Possibly Correct?

If so, the Answer Card will look something like this:

Example Answer Card: "The code may be right. Where do you see the code symbol?" — showing a grid of pictured objects, each paired with a different answer card number.

Where Can You See the Code Symbol?

Good question! To answer it, you will have to take a close look at the pictures on the riddle card or the posters. There, you will find all sorts of locked objects.

All of these objects are marked with a symbol. In our example, there is a gate with the (star) symbol on it. So look at the answer card next to the gear gate and you will see that you are now supposed to take answer card 6 from the pile.

Note: You must see the object with the symbol on the answer card or on a poster in order to open it. You cannot open what you have not yet found — just like in a real escape room.

Is the Code Really Correct?

If so, the answer card will tell you how to continue. You will be allowed to open a new poster or take certain strange items.

Is the Code Actually Incorrect?

Well, in that case you must have made a mistake, and you will just have to think again and come up with a different code.

IMPORTANT: Whether wrong or right — return all answer cards to the answer card pile. All codes can be solved logically. You shouldn't just try all possible combinations on the disk.

Need Help?

The game can provide you with assistance if you get stuck. For each code, there are three help cards that can be recognized by the symbol on their back sides.

In addition to giving you an initial useful clue, each "1st CLUE" help card also tells you which game materials you have to have found in order to be able to solve the corresponding riddle.

The "2nd CLUE" help cards will give you more concrete assistance in finding a solution to the corresponding riddle.

The "SOLUTION" help cards will give you the solution to the riddle.

IMPORTANT: Always take the help cards for a specific riddle card or a specific riddle on a poster. These riddles are usually identified with a symbol (just like on the decoder disk). It won't help you to use help cards if you have not found a riddle with the corresponding symbol.

So have a little patience — some of the riddles can only be solved with the help of several posters. You won't always have all of them available to you right away. Sometimes, you will first have to grapple with other riddles to get new game materials. But don't be shy about using Help Cards if you get stuck. Once you have used them, place them on a discard pile.

Additional Game Materials

In addition to the materials contained in the box, you will need paper and a pen for taking notes. You will also need a watch/stopwatch.

IMPORTANT: You can write on, fold, or cut the materials ... All of this is allowed, and sometimes even required. You can only play the game once — after which you will know all the riddles, and won't need the game materials any longer! This enables the game to contain the most interesting variety of riddles.

When Does the Game End?

The game ends when you have solved the last riddle and uncovered the secret of the gate. A card will tell you that. At the beginning of the game, start a stopwatch so that you will know how much time you needed.

You can look at the table on the next page to see how well you did. When calculating the number of help cards used, of course, only the ones that gave you new hints or solutions should count. If a help card only had something that you already knew anyway, do not include it in the calculation.

Time	No Help Cards	1-2 Help Cards	3-5 Help Cards	6-10 Help Cards	> 10 Help Cards
< 60 Min.	10 Stars	8 Stars	7 Stars	5 Stars	4 Stars
< 90 Min.	9 Stars	7 Stars	6 Stars	4 Stars	3 Stars
≤ 120 Min.	8 Stars	6 Stars	5 Stars	3 Stars	2 Stars
> 120 Min.	7 Stars	5 Stars	4 Stars	2 Stars	1 Star

One Final Tip

Any game materials that you successfully used to help solve a riddle should be set aside. That way, you will be able to keep track of the materials more easily and won't get them mixed up.

The only things that you will need for several of the riddles, are the illustrations of the locations.

The Game Begins

What are you waiting for? Start the stopwatch and uncover the secret of the gate before it's too late!

Starting now, you are allowed to look at the decoder disk and begin solving riddles. If anything is unclear, don't be shy about looking something up in the manual during the game.

The authors and Kosmos thank all the test players and rule reviewers.

The Authors: Inka & Markus Brand live with their children Lukas and Emely in Gummersbach, Germany. They have published many children's and family games together and won numerous prizes. Ralph Querfurth is an author and game editor. He and Sandra Dochtermann came up with the idea for the EXIT Games and asked Inka and Markus in 2015 if they would like to work on them.

• EXIT concept: Kosmos (Ralph Querfurth, Sandra Dochtermann)
• Illustrations: Martin Hoffmann
• Cover Illustration: Martin Hoffmann
• Title graphics: Michaela Kienle
• Graphic Design: Sensit Communication GmbH
• Editing: Ralph Querfurth
• English Text Editing: Ed Gartin, Ted McGuire

© 2020 Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co. KG, Pfizerstr. 5-7, 70184 Stuttgart. Tel.: +49 711 2191-0, Fax: +49 711 2191-199, [email protected], www.kosmos.de. Printed in Germany. © 2020 Thames & Kosmos, LLC, Providence, RI, USA. Thames & Kosmos® is a registered trademark of Thames & Kosmos, LLC. All rights reserved. Distributed in North America by Thames & Kosmos, LLC, Providence, RI 02903. Phone: 800-587-2872. Web: thamesandkosmos.com. Distributed in United Kingdom by Thames & Kosmos UK LP, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 3HE. Phone: 01580 713000. Web: www.thamesandkosmos.co.uk.

This game is recyclable. Separate the plastic from the paper/cardboard.

Certificate

The following players — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 — have on ______ in ______ uncovered the secret of the gate.

What an outstanding achievement, and what luck that they will not be lost in other worlds forever!

• To do it, they required ______ Minutes and ______ Seconds.
• To do it, they required ______ help cards.
• This earned them ______ stars in the assessment!
• The coolest riddle was ______
• The trickiest riddle was ______
• The one who solved this riddle was ______