Monkey
Monkey Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Overview
Monkey is a goofy, fast-paced, family card game where it's all about monkeys, climbing, and getting to the top of the Tree. To do this requires a good memory, a keen eye for color, simple math and a large, large dose of luck. Each turn you draw a Tree card into your hand and then face a Spell card from the crazy wizard Kurgill who is out to get you. Most of his spells will slow your progress, but the odd one will help you out. Assuming the spell doesn't end your turn, you'll have the opportunity to "use" two actions. With these you can draw more cards, try to climb the tree, or set traps to hinder your opponents. The first player to beat the "Treetop Challenge" and successfully dodge Kurgill's traps there wins the game.
Contents
- Character cards (x5)
- Tree cards (x60)
- Reference cards (x1)
- Spell cards (x24)
First Time Playing
Remove the black-fronted cards (Kurgill & the 3 birds). These are for the solo mode or Krazy Kurgz variation (p. 9). Also, you can simplify play by not setting Monkey Traps until you understand how traps work (p. 5-6).
Setup for Standard Play
(see p. 8-10 for variations)
- Shuffle the Tree cards. Then set up the Tree by placing 4 random Tree cards face-down for the Trunk and 3 face-down for for the Treetop as shown in Figure 1 below. No peeking!
- Set the leftover Tree cards face-down as the Tree Deck and have each player draw a starting hand of 3 Tree cards. You can look at your hand, but don't show it to others!
- Shuffle the Spell cards & set them face-down as the Spell Deck.
- Choose your Monkey Character and place it next to the Tree-bottom (position 1). This is the lowest "position" in the game.
- Choose a player to start first, then take turns clockwise.
Figure 1: Standard Setup
This figure shows the starting setup of a 3-player game with all monkeys starting at the Tree-bottom (position 1).
Legend: 1-4 = The Trunk positions; T = The Treetop (i.e. "position 5"); * (red) = Treetop cards; green * = Discard piles (cards go face-up here). Tree Deck and Spell Deck are shown as face-down piles, and a starting hand of 3 cards per player is shown.
Positioning: When at the Trunk (1 - 4), place your Monkey beside its Trunk card. When at the Treetop, place it right at T. Any number of players can be at T, same for positions 1-4.
Falling: If you ever "fall" in the game, go down 1 position. For example, if your Monkey is at 3 and has to fall, move it to 2.
On Your Turn
- Draw the top card of the Tree Deck into your hand. There is no hand size limit in Monkey, so you always get to draw.
- Flip over the top card of the Spell Deck into its discard pile. Then do that spell's action (see the SPELLS section on p. 7-8).
- Use the 2 Action Points (AP) that you are allowed each turn:
- a. Use 1 AP to Draw a Tree card from the Tree Deck.
- b. Use 1 AP to Attempt to climb a Trunk card (see p. 3-4).
- c. Use 1 AP to Set 2 Monkey Traps (see p. 5-6).
- d. Use 2 AP to Take the Treetop Challenge (see p. 4-5).
- Pass your turn over to the next player by saying, "Climb on!"
Action combos: The actions above that require only 1 AP can be used in any combination. For example, you could use your 2 AP to draw 1 Tree card then make 1 attempt to climb the Trunk (or vice versa). Alternatively, you could use 2 AP to repeat the same action, such as setting 4 Monkey Traps in a single turn.
Attempting to Climb a Trunk Card
Use 1 AP to try and climb the Trunk as follows: Reveal the Trunk card at your monkey's position for everyone to see. Its number value is the Trunk "difficulty." In order to climb you must "beat it" by playing down Tree cards from your hand to use as "climbing cards." These cards must add up to a value greater than the Trunk difficulty. But there's a catch: color matters! If the Trunk card is colored, you must use cards of a different color to beat it but if the Trunk card is black, you can only use black cards to beat it. (See Figure 2 on p. 4 for examples of how to climb using climbing cards.)
Wilds: Wild 20s are special—use them to climb any Trunk color!
Figure 2: Climbing Examples
| Trunk Difficulty | Color Rule | Climbing Card Combos (✓ = Works, ✗ = Fails) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Any color but green allowed | ✓ 6 · ✗ 5 (green) |
| 7 | Any color but yellow allowed | ✓ 3 + 2 + 3 · ✗ 4 + 4 (yellow) |
| 15 | Only blacks & Wilds allowed | ✓ 8 + 9 (black) · ✗ 8 + 9 (red) |
| 20 | Any color allowed | ✓ 10 + 10 + 1 · ✗ 20 (ties) |
IF YOU CAN'T BEAT A TRUNK CARD: You fall down 1 position, but any climbing cards you might have used go back to your hand. Turn the Trunk card you tried to climb face-down again.
IF YOU BEAT THE TRUNK CARD: You advance to the next position (unless you have Monkey Traps on you; see CHECKING TRAPS on p. 6). Discard all climbing cards you used in the attempt and turn the Trunk card you climbed face-down again.
Take the Treetop Challenge
If you are at the Treetop, use 2 AP to attempt the Treetop Challenge in which you try to beat each Treetop card individually: Reveal any one of the 3 Treetop cards and try to beat it as if it were a Trunk card. If you beat it, set aside the climbing cards you used (these are needed when checking the 2 Treetop Traps at the end, p. 5). Then repeat this process by revealing another Treetop card and trying to beat it until you have beaten all 3.
Forget Not: Monkey is about memory! Remember each Trunk and Treetop card that gets revealed so you know what's ahead!
IF YOU CAN'T BEAT A TREETOP CARD: Fall to position 4 and discard all the climbing cards you used so far in the attempt. Then turn any revealed Treetop cards face-down again.
IF YOU BEAT ALL 3 TREETOP CARDS: There is one final threat: Kurgill's Treetop Traps. These are cards which represent Kurgill's final attempt to stop you from climbing the Tree:
Figure: Treetop Traps — Reveal the top 2 cards of the Tree Deck as the traps. If they "catch you" due to a "number match" (see CHECKING TRAPS on p. 6), stay at the Treetop but discard all climbing cards used. Reset the Treetop cards face-down again.
Winning the Game
The first player to complete the Treetop Challenge and dodge both of Kurgill's Treetop Traps wins the game!
Setting Monkey Traps
Monkey Traps are random cards taken from the Tree Deck which you set on opponents who are at the Trunk to hinder them from climbing. Traps are never guaranteed to work but they can wreck a player's plans when they do (see CHECKING TRAPS on p. 6). To set traps, use 1 AP and take the top 2 cards from the Tree Deck as Monkey Traps (no peeking!). Set each one face-down on top of any opponent at the Trunk (even Kurgill), as shown on Figure 3. Each one can go to a different opponent, but you must follow the "trap limit": you cannot set Monkey Traps on a player who has 4 already on them. (If you are ever left with a Trap you cannot legally set, just discard it.)
Beginner Tip: Setting Monkey Traps on a player who is at a difficult Trunk, like a Black 15 or Wild 20, is often a strategic play!
Figure 3: Monkey Traps
- Limit of 4 allowed per player
- Can only be set on players at the Trunk
Falling and Traps: If you have Traps on you but you have to fall, carry them with you!
Checking Traps
After you beat a position where there are Monkey or Treetop Traps hindering you, you have to check to see if any of them "catch you" and stop you from climbing: First, gather all climbing cards you used and make their numbers easy to see (if you beat the Treetop Challenge this means all the cards you used, i.e. from the whole challenge!). Now reveal each Trap card hindering you, one at a time, and STOP if you reveal one whose number matches that of any climbing card you used (ignore colors).
IF YOU GET A "NUMBER MATCH": You're caught! Do not advance. Discard your climbing cards and only the revealed Monkey Traps (or both Treetop Traps)... better luck next climb!
IF YOU GET NO "NUMBER MATCHES": You dodge the traps! Advance as normal. Discard all traps and climbing cards used. OR: If you just dodged the 2 Treetop Traps, you've won!!
Figure 4: Did You Dodge the Traps?
- ✗ No! Stay at your position! Trunk card 10 (flipped). Revealed trap: 8. Climbing cards used: 5 and 8. The 8 is a number match!
- ✓ Yes! Go to next position! Trunk card 20 (flipped). Revealed traps: 20 and 4. Climbing cards used: 7, 7 and 7. No number matches.
Dodging Tip: Play climbing cards that have the same numbers on them if you can—this lowers your chances of getting caught!
Running Out of Cards
If the Tree Deck ever runs out of cards, shuffle its discard pile, reset the Tree Deck, and then continue the game where it left off. If this is not possible because the discard pile also runs out of cards, then STOP!: All players with 6 or more cards in hand must discard cards (of their choice) until they have only 5 left. Shuffle all discarded cards and reset them as the new Tree Deck.
Spells
This section describes the spell cards and how many there are of each. When you flip over a spell, do its corresponding action:
- Anvil (x2): Ouch! An anvil falls on your head: Lose the rest of your turn!
- Axe (x4): Chop chop! You may discard any Trunk or Treetop card and replace it with a new one from the top of the Tree Deck (no peeking!) OR You may discard any 1 Monkey Trap card in play.
- Banana (x4): Yum! Draw another card from the Tree Deck into your hand.
- Boxing Gloves (x4): Monkey fight! Each player must place a Tree card from hand face-down. Count 1, 2, 3, then reveal. The one with the highest number wins and draws a free Tree card. The one with the lowest loses and falls down 1 position. Discard all fight cards. (Note: if you had no cards to participate in the fight, you also fall down 1!)
In Ties: If everyone played the same number, all players fall down 1. If you tie for lowest, each in the tie falls down 1. If you tie for highest, no one wins or draws a card.
- Dynamite (x2): Boom! The player to your left discards a card at random from your hand. (Note: in solo mode, lose the card you just drew at the start of your turn.)
- Gnome (x1): You got gnomed! Fall down 1 position, receive 2 Monkey Traps (ignore the trap limit), and immediately end your turn. IMPORTANT: After you get "gnomed," reset the Spell Deck by reshuffling all discarded Spell cards back into the deck. He'll be back!
- Pixie (x3): Peek! You alone may peek at any 1 Tree card in play (i.e. any 1 Trunk, Treetop, or Monkey Trap card).
- Slide (x1): Wheeeee! Your monkey falls down 1 position, but you still get to play the rest of your turn.
- Bird (x3): Birdie burden! Flip over the top card of the Tree Deck then set it aside along with the bird card you drew, keeping its number visible. For the rest of the game, players cannot use that number anymore as a climbing card (except Kurgill), but players may still use that number as a fight card when boxing gloves are drawn (p. 7).
Variations
1. Super-Tree (1-4 players): Everyone has a Trunk!
- Setup: Players start the game with their own 3-card Trunk but share a common 3-card Treetop (see Figure 5 on p. 10).
- Taking the Treetop Challenge: Costs 1 AP, not the normal 2!
- Only 1 at the Treetop: If you move to the Treetop, oust any player that's there. That player must fall down 1, to the Trunk of your choice. If Kurgill ousts you, fall back to your own Trunk.
Mix it up: Variations can be used alone or in combination, but all solo mode games require the Krazy Kurgz variation (p. 9).
2. Krazy Kurgz (1-4 players): Kurgill tries to beat you to the top!
- Play this in solo mode (i.e. just you against Kurgill) OR play with up to 4 people along with Kurgill.
- Setup: Use standard or Super-Tree setup but this time add Kurgill as a player & mix the 3 birds into the Spell Deck (see Birds, p. 8).
- Kurgill's Turn: At the end of each round, Kurgill gets a turn (don't flip a spell for him). On his turn he makes ONE attempt to climb the Tree as if he were a monkey: Reveal the Trunk card at his position, then flip over the top 2 cards of the Tree Deck to use as his climbing cards (the top 3 cards if the Trunk's difficulty is a Wild). Kurgill ignores all color rules! If he beats the Trunk card, he advances. But if he fails, he stays at his position.
- At the Treetop: If Kurgill starts his turn at the Treetop, he attempts the Treetop Challenge: Reveal any Treetop card for him to try first, then go clockwise (using the same rules he had at the Trunk). If he beats all 3 Treetop cards and dodges the Treetop Traps there, he wins the game! (And laughs, "Mwaha-ha-HA!")
- Traps: Monkey Traps work on Kurgill as they would any other player. He must also face the 2 Treetop Traps at the end of the Treetop Challenge. (But didn't he set these?... Yes, he's gone crazy!)
- Boxing Gloves: Kurgill joins all fights as if he were a monkey: Use the top card of the Tree Deck as his fight card. If he loses: he falls down 1 as normal. If he wins: he moves up 1! (If possible.)
3. Insane Mode (1-4 players): Trunk Traps and few goodies!
- Setup: Use standard or Super-Tree setup but this time remove all bananas and pixies from the Spell Deck (i.e. the main goodies!).
- Trunk Traps: Every time you beat a Trunk position (& dodge all traps on you, if any), face 2 final traps before you can advance...
Trunk Traps: Reveal the top 2 cards of the Tree Deck as the traps. These are like Treetop Traps (p. 5) but occur at the Trunk.
Figure 5: Super-Tree Setup (variation)
This figure shows the starting setup of a 3-player game playing the Super-Tree variation (p. 8), with a 3-card Trunk for each player and a shared 3-card Treetop.
Legend: T = The Treetop; * (red) = Treetop cards; green * = Discard piles. The Tree Deck and Spell Deck are shown as face-down piles, and a starting hand of 3 cards per player is shown.