To the Moon: Bestest Memories Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Memory Cards
  • A. Points
  • B. Emotion Type
  • C. Quirk
  • D. Attached Emotions
• Emotion Cards
  • Recurring Bug
  • Lingering
  • Unstable
• Research IDs
  • Researching
  • Reservation
  • Discount
  • Retrieval
• Setup
• Gameplay
  • Step 01. Hand Limit
  • Step 02. Take an Action
    • a. Draw from Discard
    • b. Exchange
    • c. Research
    • d. Collect Memory
  • Step 03. Apply [COLLECTED] Quirk
  • Step 04. Refill Memory Lanes
• Endgame
  • How to Win
  • Tiebreaker
• House Rules
  • Novelty Cost
  • First Round Closed
  • Top Memory Visible
• FAQ

Components

• 35 Memory Cards (includes [End of the Line])
• 48 Emotion Cards (11 Happiness, 11 Sadness, 11 Anxiety, 11 Longing, 4 Recurring Bug)
• 5 Research ID Cards
• 2 Memory Lane Markers (Conscious and Subconscious)
• Rulebook + PDF Version (see back cover)

Memory Cards

Example card (Public Performance): A is the point value, B the Emotion types, C the quirk, D the Attached Emotion icon.

A. Points

The point value of the Memory.

Note that some Memories will have point values defined within their quirk description.

B. Emotion Type

Each Memory can only be collected using specific Emotions indicated at the bottom of their card. When collecting a Memory, all Emotions must be of the same type.

C. Quirk

Read each Memory as it appears to see how its quirks modify its behavior. Some Memories have special tags that indicate a specific moment when their quirk can be executed.

• COLLECTED: The effect applies as soon as a player collects the Memory.
• PLACED: The effect applies as soon as the Memory is revealed from the Memory Deck.
• OWNED: The effect is now a permanent aspect of the owner's capabilities.

D. Attached Emotions

If a Memory with an Attached Emotion icon is placed on the Memory Lanes, take Emotions from the Emotion Deck equal to the indicated number and hide them face down beneath that Memory. When that Memory is collected, the Emotions are collected as well.

Emotion Cards

Emotions are required to collect Memories. Some have Lingering/Unstable aspects which grant them extra potential.

Recurring Bug

Recurring Bug is unique in that no Memory requires it to be collected. However, Recurring Bugs are the only cards that have both the Lingering and Unstable properties.

Lingering

Lingering Emotions work exactly the same as normal Emotions except that they can also be used to Research. (See Research IDs for more information.)

Unstable

Unstable Emotions work exactly the same as normal Emotions except that any two Unstable Emotions (of any type) can also be used in place of one of any other Emotion, including a Lingering Emotion.

Research IDs

Each player starts with a Research ID Card. Research ID Cards are displayed openly and do not count against your hand limit.

Researching

To Research, you must spend 2 Lingering Emotions of any type/combination. On your turn, discard 2 Lingering Emotions and place your Research ID on an available Memory on the Memory Lanes. Note: This counts as your action (see GAMEPLAY).

Reservation

If a Memory has a Research ID on it, that Memory may only be collected by the owner of the Research ID. This allows players to reserve Memories for the future.

Discount

When collecting your Researched Memory, the Emotion cost of the Memory is reduced by 2. Note: Emotions used to collect the Researched Memory do not need to match the Emotions originally spent placing the Research ID.

Retrieval

Collecting your Researched Memory also retrieves your Research ID. Research IDs must stay in place until collected.

Setup

1. Assign Players. Distribute Research IDs randomly to all players. The player who most recently took a photo goes first.
2. Dealing Cards. Shuffle the Emotion cards. Deal 6 Emotions to everyone. Emotions should be kept hidden from other players.
3. Memory Deck. Place the Memory Deck face down near the Memory Lanes.
   • E. [End of the Line]. Remove [End of the Line] from among the Memory cards. Shuffle the Memory cards thoroughly, creating the Memory Deck. Then shuffle [End of the Line] into the bottom 12 cards of the Memory Deck.
4. Emotion Deck. Place the remainder of the Emotion cards face down on the table. This becomes the Emotion Deck.
5. Discard Pile. The player who goes first must choose one Emotion from their hand and place it face up beside the Emotion Deck. This will become the Discard Pile where all Emotions will be discarded after use.
6. Memory Lane Cards. Mark two rows using the Memory Lane cards (Conscious and Subconscious). Place 6 Memory cards from the top of the Memory Deck into two rows of three in the center of the playing area starting in each Memory Lane row. These rows will be known as Memory Lanes.
7. Attached Emotions. If a Memory has an Attached Emotion icon, take Emotions from the Emotion Deck equal to the indicated number and hide them face down beneath that Memory.
8. Apply [PLACED] Quirks. If a Memory has [PLACED], execute the quirk text immediately.

Gameplay

On your turn, execute the following steps:

Step 01. Hand Limit

If you have more than ten (10) Emotion cards in your hand, discard down to exactly ten.

Step 02. Take an Action

You must use exactly one of the actions available (see table). Note that not all actions will be possible on your turn.

a. Draw from Discard

Draw the top card from the Discard Pile and place it in your hand.

If the Discard Pile ever empties, immediately take a card from the top of the Emotion Deck and place it face up in the Discard Pile.

b. Exchange

Discard 1 Emotion of your choice, then draw 2 new cards from the top of the Emotion Deck and place them in your hand.

If the Emotion Deck ever empties, set the top card of the Discard Pile aside and flip over the remainder of the pile without shuffling it. This flipped pile will become the new Emotion Deck.

c. Research

Discard any 2 Lingering Emotions, then place your Research ID (you must have one available) on any eligible Memory. (See Research IDs for more detail.)

d. Collect Memory

To Collect a Memory, discard the # of Emotions equal to the required cost of the Memory in its designated Memory Lane. (The cost is shown by the number of cards pictured on the Memory Lane marker, e.g. Conscious shows 3 cards.)

• Emotions spent must all be the same type.
• Emotions must be indicated on the Memory.

Example: a Memory showing Sadness and Longing among its Emotion icons in the Conscious lane (cost 3) can be collected with 3 Sadness OR 3 Longing.

Once collected, display Memory where all players can see.

Step 03. Apply [COLLECTED] Quirk

If you have collected a Memory that has [COLLECTED], execute the quirk text immediately.

Step 04. Refill Memory Lanes

If there are any empty spaces in the Memory Lanes, refill them with the top card(s) from the Memory Deck.

If a Memory has an Attached Emotion icon, attach the indicated amount of Emotion cards beneath that Memory.

If the Memory has [PLACED], execute the quirk text immediately.

If [End of the Line] is revealed, the game ends immediately!

Your turn is over. Play passes clockwise and continues until [End of the Line] is revealed.

Endgame

How to Win

The game ends when [End of the Line] is revealed from the Memory Deck.

Each player will add up the points of all of their collected Memories. The player with the most points wins!

Tiebreaker

If the game ends in a draw, the player with the most Memories wins. If the players are still tied, the player with the most Emotions in hand wins. If it's still a tie after all that, smile and shake hands.

House Rules

Novelty Cost

The newest Memory on the Memory Lanes always costs 1 extra Emotion. You can keep track of this with a coin that you relocate whenever a new Memory is placed.

First Round Closed

No player may collect a Memory until everyone has had one turn.

Top Memory Visible

The top Memory of the Memory deck is always turned face up for everyone to see.

FAQ

Q: If a Memory requires multiple Emotion types, can I mix Emotions to collect it? A: No. Each Memory must be purchased with only one type of Emotion.

Q: What if I mix Emotion types using Unstable Emotions? A: In this case, yes. Any two Emotion cards with Unstable properties can replace any other Emotion card.

Q: Can two Unstable Emotions replace a Lingering Emotion? A: Yes! But only a single Lingering Emotion. Hypothetically you could Research using four Unstable Emotion cards of any type.

Q: If I want to Research a Memory, do the Lingering Emotion cards need to be Emotions required by the Memory? A: No, to Research, any Emotion will work so long as it's Lingering.

Q: Is there a way to disarm/remove another player's Research ID? A: Normally, no. Once a Research ID is placed it can only be removed when the Memory is collected. However, [Hospital Visit] creates the only exception by allowing its owner to Research any Memory even if it is already Researched by another player. The displaced Research ID is then given back to the owner.

Q: What do I do if I can't perform an action on my turn? A: You should always be able to perform an action, even if that means going over your hand limit. If you go over your hand limit, then simply reduce back down to ten cards at the beginning of your next turn.

Q: What happens when I run out of Emotion cards? A: When that happens, the only option available for you is to draw the top card from the Discard Pile.

Q: So... the Emotion Deck never gets reshuffled? A: Nope! Just flip over the Discard Pile. Trust us.