Moose Match Mayhem
Moose Match Mayhem Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
94 cards, 1 Moose Token
Overview
Each player takes a card from the stack. Everyone chants "Moose, Match, Mayhem!" flips their card over, and immediately races to select the best card to make a match. The first player to collect three sets of matching animals, wins!
Objective
The first player to collect three (3) sets of moose, squirrels, or bears wins!
Set Definition
A set consists of three (3) animals of the same color (ex: three white moose, three brown squirrels). Sets can be completed using wild cards of the same animal.
Setup
The number of cards in the deck depends on the number of players. There are two colors of each animal.
| Players | Cards |
|---|---|
| 3 Player | Remove 2 of each color bear, moose and squirrel (remove 12 cards total) |
| 4 Player | Use all the cards |
| 5 Player | Remove 2 of each color yeti, and 2 avalanche (remove 6 cards total) |
| 6 Player | Remove 4 of each color yeti, and 2 avalanche (remove 10 cards total) |
Players gather around a table, preferably standing, and use two face-down stacks as draw piles on either side. Cards are played in a central area, and players collect cards in their "herd." Refer to the diagram for the suggested table layout.
Diagram: the Center Play Area sits in the middle, with Player 1 Herd and Player 3 Herd on its two sides, Player 2 Herd and Player 4 Herd at the other two sides; Draw Piles and the Discard Pile are placed beside the herds.
How To Play
- Everyone plays at the same time in this game.
- Players all take a card from a draw pile and place it in their hand. Players' hands should be palm-up, with the card face down (players should not look at their card).
- All players chant "Moose…Match…Mayhem!" and flip their card over on the word "Mayhem". The cards should land face-up in the central play area.
- Once cards are played, players immediately race to grab the card of their choice. Each player can claim only one card. As soon as a player has touched a card, no one else may take it. Players must take a card each round.
- NOTE: There are three special cards – Wilds are 'good' but yetis and avalanches are 'bad'. See "special cards" below!
- Players place the card they chose into their herd (see "table management" suggestions).
- When a player has collected a set, the player then flips the set over and moves it off to the side, face-down. Completed sets are not affected by Yeti or Avalanches.
- If the draw piles run out, shuffle the discard pile to become the new draw piles.
Special Cards
Wild Cards: (Grab these cards!)
- A wild card can be used to create a set of the corresponding animal. For example, a wild bear card can be used with two brown bear cards for a set of three bears.
- Multiple wild cards can be used in the same set.
Yeti: (Avoid these cards!)
- When a player collects two of the same color Yeti, the Yeti scares all the animals away, and the player must place their entire herd (including the Yeti cards) into the discard pile.
- Note: completed sets are not affected by the Yeti cards and remain in the player's possession.
Avalanche: (Avoid these cards!)
- If an Avalanche card is played in the central play area, any player who touches any card must immediately put their entire herd (including wild and yeti cards) into the discard pile.
- If no players touch a card after a few seconds, players say "All clear!" and move all the cards in the central pile to the discard pile.
- Note that completed sets are not affected by the Avalanche and remain in the player's possession.
Use Token to Break a Tie
- If two players try to take the same card at the same time, then pause, and use the Moose token to resolve the dispute.
- A neutral player flips the token while one player calls heads or tails. If that player wins the dispute, they win the card.
Table Management
To keep a clean table, use the suggested layout (Herd Layout). Group the animals in stacks, with wild cards below and Yeti cards off to the side.
Herd Layout diagram: stacks of Moose, Bear and Yeti cards in a row; Wild Cards and Completed Sets shown below.
Winning The Game
The first player to collect three (3) sets wins!