EXIT: The Game – The Magical Academy
EXIT: The Game – The Magical Academy Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Helper App
Would you prefer to have the game explained to you instead of reading the rulebook? If so, download the free Helper App.
Game Materials
- 91 Cards
- 30 Help Cards
- 35 Answer Cards
- 26 Riddle Cards
- 1 Book
- 1 Decoder Disk
- 1 Stand
- 1 Map
- 20 Strange Items
Additional Game Materials
In addition, you will need something to write with (ideally a felt-tip pen and a pencil), at least one pair of scissors, and possibly some paper for taking notes. You will also need a watch (ideally, a stopwatch). 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.
Game Setup
Get the book and the decoder disk ready on the table. Carefully remove the four magic wands, the 11 parchments, the sphere finder, the energy telescope, the elemental focus, the vine, and the still life from the die-cut sheet. Take the elemental focus, fold it along the dotted line, and insert it in the stand as shown on the right. Set the elemental focus at the edge of the table along with the other strange items. You will not need these materials until later in the game.
Sort the cards into three stacks in accordance with what is written on their backs:
- Riddle cards (red)
- Answer cards (blue)
- Help cards (green)
Don't forget: Be sure not to look at the fronts of the cards yet.
Arrange the riddle cards and answer cards in ascending numerical or alphabetical order. Sort the help cards according to the ten symbols. Place cards with the same symbol one on top of another. Place the "Solution" card on the bottom, the "2nd Clue" card on top of that, and the "1st Clue" card at the very top. Then, place the ten help card stacks at the edge of the table.
Where Is the Game Board?
This game has no game board! You will have to figure out for yourselves what you need to find in the game and what the rooms look like. At the beginning of the game, you will only have the book and the decoder disk available to you.
As the game continues, riddle cards will come into play. They will either to be found in illustrations, or referred to in written instructions. Whenever this happens, you can take the corresponding cards from the riddle card stack and look at them. In this game, you will find the riddle cards arranged in alphabetical order from A to Z.
Example: You see an illustration of riddle card A on the book. You may then immediately take that card from the stack and look at it.
You may only look at an answer card when you have entered a code on the decoder disk and have been directed to that card.
You may likewise only use the strange items once you have been explicitly instructed that you have found them. Until then, leave them at the edge of the table!
Course of Play
Your goal is to work together as quickly as possible to save the Academy from the polterbolds before they tear the entire building apart. Time is of the essence! That would definitely be easier if there weren't magic tasks all over the place that you need to accomplish!
IMPORTANT: To solve the riddles, you can write on, fold, or tear the materials … all of this is allowed, and sometimes even required. You can only play the game once — after that, you will know all the riddles, and won't need the game materials any longer!
Solve the riddles in order as you work through the book. Each riddle is assigned a symbol, and you can only advance if you are able to find the correct three-digit code. When you see a riddle, take a close look at the corresponding pages in the book and the riddle cards. Put your heads together to try to solve the riddle and figure out the three-digit code. Then, enter this code on the decoder disk.
On the outer edge of the disk, there are ten different symbols pictured. Each symbol stands for a riddle and one of the codes you are looking for. Pay close attention to which symbol is shown on the cards and in the riddles in the book! Enter the three-digit code under the corresponding symbol on the decoder disk — starting from the outside edge and proceeding toward the center. A number will then appear in the viewing window of the smallest wheel on the disk. This number indicates the number of the answer card that you are then allowed to look at.
Example: You have found the code as the solution to the riddle with the symbol. Enter this combination of numbers under the symbol on the decoder disk. In the little window, you will see the number of the answer card that you are allowed to take from the stack and look at — in this case, answer card 30.
Is the Code Incorrect?
If so, the answer card will tell you with an X. Double check that you entered the code that you intended under the correct symbol. If that doesn't help, take another look at the riddle to see if you can come up with a different code.
Example Answer Card: "Unfortunately, this code is not correct! You might consult your magic books … try looking under 'inspiration.' When you are done, place this card right back in the stack of answer cards!"
Is the Code Possibly Correct?
In that case, you will get an answer card with an overview that looks like the card on the left.
Example Answer Card: "The code may be right. Where can you see the code symbol?" — showing an overview grid of pictured objects, each paired with a different answer card number. "When you are done, place this card right back in the stack of answer cards!"
Where Can You See the Code Symbol?
On the answer cards with an overview, you will find an example image arranged in order for each riddle. Each riddle is marked with the corresponding symbol.
In this example, you want to brew a magic potion in a cauldron with the symbol. Look for the cauldron with the symbol on the answer card. It will point you to another answer card. The overview card points you to answer card 9. Take this card from the stack. Only this second answer card will tell you if the code is really correct.
Is the Code Really Correct?
If so, the second answer card will tell you how to continue. You will find one or more new riddle cards that you are allowed to immediately take from the stack of riddle cards and look at.
Is the Code Actually Incorrect?
Well, in that case you will land on an answer card with an X. Check the number code sequence and compare the symbol on the decoder disk with the symbol on the riddle cards. If the code is still wrong, take another look at the riddle to see if you can come up with a different code.
IMPORTANT: You must solve the riddles in order! In other words: You can only continue to the next riddle or turn to the next page of the book if you have cracked the previous code and the game tells you that you are allowed to proceed!
Don't forget! The riddles are depicted in order on the riddle cards with an overview — starting in the left column from top to bottom, and then in the right column.
Whether right or wrong, return all answer cards to the answer card stack when you are told to do so. All codes can be solved logically. You shouldn't just try entering all possible combinations into the decoder 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 what you will need 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 tell you the proper approach and give you the correct code for the riddle.
Don't be shy about using help cards if you get stuck. Place all used help cards in a face-up discard pile.
When Does the Game End?
The game ends when you have solved the last riddle, the polterbolds are in custody, and the Academy is saved. A card will tell you that.
Assessment
Solving all the riddles is a great achievement! If you also want to assess how well you did with the riddles, you can take a look at the table below. When calculating the number of help cards used, count only the ones that gave you new hints or solutions.
| Time | No Help Cards | 1–2 Help Cards | 3–5 Help Cards | 6–10 Help Cards | > 10 Help Cards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| < 60 Min. | 10 Stars | 9 Stars | 8 Stars | 6 Stars | 5 Stars |
| < 90 Min. | 9 Stars | 8 Stars | 7 Stars | 5 Stars | 4 Stars |
| ≤ 120 Min. | 8 Stars | 7 Stars | 6 Stars | 4 Stars | 3 Stars |
| > 120 Min. | 7 Stars | 6 Stars | 5 Stars | 3 Stars | 2 Stars |
The Game Begins
What are you waiting for? Start the stopwatch or timer! Take the book and begin the game. We hope you have a lot of fun with EXIT – The Magical Academy!
Inka & Markus Brand and Kosmos thank all the test players and rule reviewers.
Certificate of Escape
The following players — on ______ in ______ — successfully drove the polterbolds from the Academy of Magical Arts, found the source of the evil, and saved the Academy from total destruction. They applied their excellent magic skills with brilliance and daring. The international community of magicians sends their hearty congratulations.
- To do it, the players required ______ minutes and ______ seconds.
- They used a total of ______ help cards.
- This earned them ______ stars in the assessment!
- The coolest riddle was: ______
- The trickiest riddle was: ______