Race to the Treasure!
Race to the Treasure! Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Ages, Players, Playing Time
Ages 5+. 2-4 players. 20 minutes.
Includes
- 1 Letter Die
- 1 Number Die
- 1 Game Board
- 10 Ogre Cards
- 27 Path Cards
- 4 Key Tokens
- 1 Ogre Snack
Object
It's a race to see who can get to the treasure first – you or the Ogre. Players work together to make a continuous path from START to the treasure while collecting 3 Keys that will unlock the treasure. If the players collect 3 Keys and reach the END space first, they win. If the Ogre reaches the END first, he wins. If the players do not collect 3 Keys they cannot win, even if they are first to the END.
Set Up
Open the board. Determine the placement of the 4 Keys and 1 Ogre Snack on the spaces on the board by rolling the dice. For example, if you roll a C on one die and a 5 on the other, place a Key on the space in column C and row 5.
Do the same for all Keys and then the Ogre Snack. Only one Key or Ogre Snack can be on a space.
Shuffle the Path Cards and Ogre Cards together and place them face down in a draw pile where everyone can reach them.
Note: There are 4 Keys, but you only need to pick up 3 to win the game. The extra Key gives you some choice about which Keys to pick up.
How to Play
The first player draws a card from the pile. If it is a Path Card, place the card face up in the START space on the board. A Path Card can be placed in any direction. Players are encouraged to decide together how to place the Path Cards. If the card drawn is an Ogre Card, place the Ogre Card on the top-most space in the Ogre's Path. It is now the next person's turn. On each turn, a player takes 1 card from the draw pile, plays that card, and then it's the next person's turn. As Ogre Cards are drawn, place them on subsequent spaces on the Ogre's Path.
Path Cards
Path Cards are played by placing one end of the drawn card to an open end of any card on the board. Remember, you are trying to beat the Ogre to the treasure so your goal is to place as few path pieces as possible while still collecting 3 Keys and making a continuous path from START to END. It is OK to have several paths going at once – maybe to pick up Keys, or in order not to get blocked. It is OK to have paths that do not connect. You cannot play more than 1 Path Card on a space. You cannot change a Path Card once it has been played.
Keys
You pick up Keys by placing a Path Card on the space where a Key is. When you pick up a Key, place it on one of the KEY spaces on the bottom of the board. You must have 3 Keys in order to win.
Ogre Snack
An Ogre Snack removes an Ogre Card from the Ogre's Path. You collect the Ogre Snack by placing a Path Card on the space where the Ogre Snack is. When you collect the Ogre Snack, set it aside. Players decide together when to use the Ogre Snack. You can use the collected Ogre Snack at any time in the game. Once the Ogre Snack has been used, set it and the Ogre Card aside. Neither can be used in the game again.
Game End
The game is over when there is a card on the END space. If it is a Path Card, you all win! If it is an Ogre Card, the Ogre wins.