Takoyaki Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Goal
• Grill & Takoyaki
• Game Preparation
• Sequence of Play
• End of the Game
• Rules for Cooking Takoyaki

Goal

Your goal is to complete 5 orders as quickly as possible. But beware! This takes a lot of skill - only the best chefs can turn takoyaki over quickly so that it doesn't burn!

Grill & Takoyaki

Each grill has two areas:

• Unheated area (6 spaces for raw takoyaki)
• Heated area (6 spaces for fried takoyaki)

The illustration labels the two takoyaki states as Raw takoyaki and Fried takoyaki.

Game Preparation

Before the first game, assemble the grills, as shown inside the box.

1. Shuffle the deck of order cards face down and place the deck where everyone can reach it.
2. Each player receives a grill (and orients their grill the same way as the deck of order cards), 2 sticks and 6 takoyaki (2 red, 2 green, 2 blue). Place the takoyaki on the grill as illustrated.
3. Each player takes sticks in the selected color, holding one in each hand.

Example setup for 4 players.

Sequence of Play

1. The player who most recently ate Japanese food reveals the top card from the order deck.
2. Everyone looks at the order and then tries to prepare it as quickly as possible on their own grill, arranging their 6 takoyaki balls to match the order card.
3. Whoever first completes the order shouts "TAKOYAKI!" and taps the completed order card with their stick. The other players stop cooking their takoyaki and check to see whether that player completed the order correctly.
   • If so, the successful player takes the order card and places it face down in front of themselves.
   • If not, the unsuccessful player can no longer work on this order, but the other players may now continue.
4. Whoever successfully completes the order and takes the card will then reveal the next card from the order deck. All players now compete for the next order!

Note: When an order is completed, all players leave their takoyaki arranged as it is at that moment. Do not restore them to the setup positions.

End of the Game

The game ends when a player gains their 5th order card. They receive the title of Takoyaki Master!

Rules for Cooking Takoyaki

• Hold the sticks below the marked lines.
• Each hand holds only one stick.
• You may not pick up takoyaki balls. You can only push them on the grill, with one or two sticks (to move a ball to another space or to turn it between its raw and fried sides).
• A player drops out of the current round (stops playing until the next order card is revealed) if:
  • a takoyaki ball falls from their grill, or
  • they touch a takoyaki ball with their hand, or
  • they pick up (instead of pushing) a takoyaki ball.
• Each player must arrange their own takoyaki balls to match the order card, exactly as they see both from their seat at the table.
• Do not rotate grills during play.
• The order is completed if the heated area has only fried takoyaki in the correct places, with sauces fully visible on top, and the unheated area has only raw takoyaki in the correct places, with sauces fully hidden underneath.
• The exact orientation of the white mayonnaise pattern on fried takoyaki balls does not matter.