Niagara Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components and Set Up
• Aim of the Game
• Gameplay
  • Play Paddle Cards
  • Move Canoes
  • Influence Weather
  • The River Flows
  • End of Round
• The Golden Paddle Rules of Niagara
• How to Load and Unload Gemstones
• How to Deliver Gems to the Jetty
• How to Steal Gemstones
• Watch Out, Waterfall!
• Game End and Winner
• An Example Round
• Quick Reference for Niagara
  • Each Round

Components and Set Up

• Game Board: Place the two halves of the game's box on the table adjacent to each other to form a platform, as shown in the diagram. Place the game board on the platform, so the overhanging 'waterfall' part of the board hangs off the edge of the box lid.
• Twelve round river spaces (clear discs): Place 9 of the discs on the river bed (from the end with the rope to both of the waterfall edges). Place the other 3 river discs next to the game board.
• Gemstones in 5 colours: Place the 7 gemstones of each colour in their matching-coloured gem spaces.
• 1 Cloud: Place the cloud on the "0" space of the weather track.
• 10 canoes in 5 colours: Each player takes 2 canoes of their chosen colour and places them in the "jetty area."
• 35 Paddle cards in 5 colours: Each player takes the 7 paddle cards matching their canoes' colour (6 numbered cards and 1 cloud card) and holds them in their hands.
• 1 lifesaver: The most hydrophobic player takes the lifesaver and is the starting player. They place it on their circle-shaped lifesaver space.

Each player has their own discard space and lifesaver space for their paddle cards and ring.

Aim of the Game

The first player to bring four gemstones of the same colour, or five gemstones of different colours, or any seven gemstones back to the jetty, wins the game.

Gameplay

Hello there adventurers! This section shows you an overview of how the game works. The specific actions are explained in full below.

Play Paddle Cards

Each player simultaneously selects a paddle card and places it face-down on their personal discard pile. Then, on their turn, they reveal the card. The start player is the first to reveal, and then turns proceed clockwise.

• Players that reveal a number card move their canoes.
• Players that reveal the cloud card influence the weather.

Move Canoes

• Players must move all of their canoes that are in the water (loading and unloading gemstones counts as movement). Movement of canoes into the water from the jetty is optional.
• If both a player's canoes are on the jetty, they move only one into the water.
• The number on the played paddle card shows how many river spaces a player moves their canoe(s). If a player moves both canoes, they must move each canoe the amount of spaces on the card.
• Loading and unloading gems at a gem space requires 2 movement points.

Influence Weather

Players that play a cloud card must move the cloud one space along the weather track in their chosen direction.

The River Flows

After each player has had their turn, the river flows. To do this, slide as many river discs into the Niagara equal to the river's speed.

To work out the river's speed, add the value of the lowest played number card to the current weather value.

As the river flows, canoes in the water will be carried downstream.

If only cloud cards were played, the river's speed is equal to the current weather value.

If the river's speed is 0 or -1, the river doesn't flow.

At the fork of the river, the discs almost always alternate the direction they flow into. In the unlikely event of a river disc getting stuck on the fork, simply push the disc to the opposite side of the fork than the last disc.

No canoe may leave the river space it is on while the river flows.

End of Round

At the end of a round, the starting player passes the lifesaver to the player to their left, who is the starting player of the next round.

Any revealed paddle cards remain on their discard piles. The next paddle cards will be laid on top of them. Only when all 7 cards have been played can players pick them back up.

The Golden Paddle Rules of Niagara

• Each player may only move their own canoes.
• Any number of canoes can occupy any river space.
• Canoes can only enter and exit the water via the jetty – unless of course they fall off the waterfall!
• Every movement from river space to river space costs one movement point. This also includes moving from the jetty to the first river space and back.
• Each canoe can move either upriver or downriver. Players may not change direction mid-movement.
• If a canoe moves downriver past the fork, the player may choose which direction the canoe goes. If a canoe moves upriver past the fork, it must continue to move upriver (it cannot go back down the other side of the fork).
• Players must always use all of their movement points, unless they move to the jetty.
• Canoes may return to the jetty unloaded.

Canoes may reach the jetty with movement points leftover, but they must move the full distance when entering the water.

How to Load and Unload Gemstones

• Each canoe can hold only one gemstone.
• Each gem space can only be reached from specific river spaces. From these river spaces, canoes can be loaded and unloaded. This costs 2 movement points and can only be done before or after moving the canoe. Players may not move, load or unload gemstones and then move again.

Tactical Tip: Unloading a gemstone can be useful if you can get to a more useful gemstone in the same turn. It can also be useful to free up space to steal from another player (see "How to Steal Gemstones" below).

• The colour of unloaded gemstones does not have to match the colour of the gem space.
• When collecting gemstones from a space with different coloured gems, the player may choose which to load.
• Players may not load a gemstone and then unload it in the same turn.
• Players may only unload and then load on the same turn if the colour of the gemstone they unloaded is different to the one they loaded.

How to Deliver Gems to the Jetty

• If a loaded canoe moves from the first river space to the jetty, the player takes the gemstone from the canoe and places it in front of them, in clear view of all players. You do not need to reach the jetty by exact count.
• The canoe is placed in the area near the jetty and can enter the water again next turn.

How to Steal Gemstones

Players are allowed to steal gemstones from other players! However, only when moving with an empty canoe upriver to a space with a loaded canoe (the victim!). Stealing gemstones does not cost any movement points.

• Players are not allowed to unload and steal on the same river space on the same turn.
• Players may not steal from themselves.

Watch Out, Waterfall!

Every time the river flows, the canoes get closer and closer to the waterfall. For each new river disc that enters the river, one will plummet off the other end!

• If a canoe falls off the edge of the waterfall, it is destroyed! Leave the canoe at the bottom of the waterfall. If it was loaded, put the gemstone back in its matching coloured gem space.
• Players may buy a new boat (if they have less than 2) for the cost of one gemstone of any colour. Players may only buy a new boat at the start of a round, before revealing their paddle card. Bought canoes are returned to the jetty area, and paid gemstones go back to their matching gem spaces.

EXCEPTION: If a player has no canoes and no gemstones, they may take a single canoe at no cost and place it in the jetty area. If a player has no canoes but has gems, they must pay as usual.

Game End and Winner

When a player has returned four gemstones of one colour or five gemstones of different colours or any seven gemstones, the round is played out. That player and any other players that manage to fulfil one of those conditions by the end of the round are the winners of the game.

An Example Round

To show you some of the more interesting tactical elements of NIAGARA.

The game begins. Each player selects a paddle card. The starting player reveals his card …

Bolly BLUE is the starting player. He reveals a 6. He moves a canoe 4 spaces downriver and loads a clear gemstone.

Gail GREEN reveals her cloud card. She moves the cloud from the 0 space to the +1 space.

Yasmin YELLOW reveals a 5. She moves 3 spaces downriver and collects a purple gemstone.

Richard RED reveals a 1 and moves one canoe to the first river space.

Charlie BROWN reveals his 4 and moves 4 spaces downriver (as he is going downriver, he cannot steal from Bolly BLUE).

None of the players may move both of their canoes, as they are both at the jetty at the start of the round.

The lowest played paddle card was Richard RED's 1. This is added to the current weather value, which is a +1. Therefore the river's speed is 2, and 2 discs will be slid into the river.

The first round is over. Bolly BLUE gives the lifesaver to the left, Gail GREEN. The played paddle cards remain on the board. Each player plays subsequent cards on top of it.

Gail GREEN reveals a 1 and moves a canoe onto the first river space.

Yasmin YELLOW reveals a 6. She unloads a purple gemstone to the yellow gem area, loads a yellow gem and moves two spaces upriver. She also moves her second canoe to the clear gem space, where she picks one up.

One of Richard RED's canoes is at the purple gem space. He reveals a 5, loads a gemstone and returns to the jetty. With his second canoe, he moves to the purple gem space and picks up a gem.

Charlie BROWN's paddle card is a 3. He moves upriver 3 spaces and steals a gem from Yasmin YELLOW. He also launches his second canoe.

Bolly BLUE reveals a 5. He unloads the clear gemstone to the blue gem space, moves 3 spaces upriver and decides to steal from Richard RED (he doesn't want him getting another purple gem!). Bolly BLUE decides to leave his second canoe onshore.

The river's speed is 2 (the lowest card is a 1 and the weather is +1). The lifesaver is passed to Yasmin YELLOW. Each player has 5 paddle cards left.

Yasmin YELLOW reveals a 4. She unloads her clear gem at the blue gem space and loads a blue gem. She also loads her other canoe at the yellow gem space and moves 2 spaces upriver.

Richard RED uses his 2 in order to move 2 spaces upriver and steal Yasmin YELLOW's gem. He also launches his second canoe.

Charlie BROWN reveals a 5 and moves one space downriver. He unloads his yellow gem and loads a blue gem. He loads a yellow gem onto his other canoe and moves 3 spaces upriver.

Bolly BLUE plays a cloud card. He moves the cloud to +2.

Gail GREEN reveals a 5. She loads a purple gem and moves back to the jetty. She leaves her second canoe onshore.

This round, the river's speed is 4 (as the lowest paddle card was a 2 and the weather is at +2). Bad luck for Yasmin YELLOW and Charlie BROWN, as both lose a loaded canoe to the depths of Niagara! The lost gemstones are placed back on their spaces and the canoes stay at the bottom of the waterfall. Yasmin and Charlie can't buy new canoes for the next round, as they don't have any gemstones yet.

The starting player is now Richard RED. Each player has 4 paddle cards left …

Quick Reference for Niagara

Each Round

Step 1: Play paddle cards face down (simultaneously).

Step 2: In turn order, reveal paddle card and take turn. Begin with starting player, then clockwise order. Keep played paddle cards face up on discard pile until all 7 there, then pick all up.

Move Canoes (if number card played):

• Move all canoes in water the number of spaces on card each, but:
  • Only move one canoe if both are at jetty
  • If one is at jetty, it may stay there or move into water
• Load or unload canoes from gem spaces (2 movement points each):
  • Only before or after movement
  • One gemstone per canoe
• Unload then load the same canoe in one turn (4 movement points):
  • Only with gemstones of different colours
  • Only at the same gem space
  • No loading and then unloading in one turn
• Bring a gemstone to jetty:
  • Move a loaded canoe to jetty (doesn't need exact movement)
  • Place collected gems clearly in front of player (doesn't cost movement points)
• Steal from another player's canoe (doesn't cost movement points):
  • Only when moving upriver
  • Only when landing on the same space as the loaded 'victim' canoe

Influence Weather (if cloud card played):

• Move cloud along one space on the weather track (may not skip action)

Step 3: River flows. Determine river's speed: lowest played card + current weather (cloud's position).

• Slide that many river discs into the river (equal to river's speed)
  • Canoes move with river
• Every canoe that falls off is destroyed and loaded gems lost
  • Pay one gemstone to buy new (empty) canoe
  • One free canoe if player has no canoes and no gemstones

Step 4: Pass lifesaver (= new starting player for next round).

Game End: At least one player has:

• 5 differently coloured gemstones, or
• 4 gemstones of one colour, or
• Any 7 gemstones

at the end of the round.

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Author: Thomas Liesching. © 2004 Zoch Verlag. Illustration: Victor Boden. English translation: Scott Huntington.