Ubongo Extreme
Ubongo Extreme Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- 54 puzzle cards (with 432 puzzles)
- 52 tiles in 4 colours
- 4 hexagonal tokens
- 54 gems
- 1 cloth bag
- 1 sand-timer
Before the First Game…
…carefully remove all the pieces from the cardboard.
Puzzle Cards and Tokens
Each puzzle card has a different arrangement of white hexes that must be covered exactly with tiles of one colour.
One side of each puzzle card shows 3 tiles of each colour; the other side shows 4 of each colour.
Each player takes the tiles shown that are the same colour as his token.
Preparation
- Decide whether to use the easier side of the puzzle cards (3 tiles each) or the harder side (4 tiles each). (It is recommended that you use the easier side for your first game.) Shuffle the puzzle cards and place them as a deck in the middle of the table, so that the side to be used is face-down.
- Sort the tiles by colour and arrange them on the table so that they are separate from one another, enabling each tile to be clearly seen.
- Place 9 blue sapphires and 9 brown pieces of amber in the middle of the table. This is the display and at the same time these gems serve to count the number of rounds in the game. Put all the other gems in the bag, along with the four tokens and then put the bag within easy reach of everyone.
- Each player now draws one of the tokens out of the bag and puts it in front of him. The colour of the token indicates the colour of tiles which the player will use for this round. If there are less than 4 players, leave the remaining tokens in the bag, ready for the next round.
- Place the sand-timer ready for use.
Playing the Game
The game lasts for 9 rounds.
A Round
- In turn, each player takes the top puzzle card from the deck and places it in front of him, with the side that will be used face-up.
- Identify those tiles pictured on your card that are the same colour as your token, and take these tiles from the middle of the table. Example: The player with the red token takes the red tiles which are pictured on his card.
- Once everyone has taken the appropriate tiles, turn over the sand-timer.
- The players now try to arrange their tiles on the card so as to match and cover the shape. The tiles can be placed with either of their sides face-up.
- As soon as a player has placed the tiles correctly, he should shout, "Ubongo!"
- The first player to solve his puzzle and call "Ubongo!," takes 1 blue sapphire from the display and also draws 1 gem from the bag.
- The second player takes 1 brown piece of amber from the display and also draws 1 gem from the bag. 3./4. If a third or fourth player also solves their puzzle before the sand-timer runs out, they draw 1 gem out of the bag.
- The current round finishes once the sand-timer has run out. (If no one was able to solve their puzzle, there is a second chance – see further rules at the end).
The Gems
The gems have different values according to their colour.
There are:
- 9 rubies, each worth 4 points
- 18 sapphires, each worth 3 points
- 9 emeralds, each worth 2 points
- 18 pieces of amber, each worth 1 point
The back of the tokens shows the different values of the gems.
- 1st player: 1 blue sapphire + 1 gem from the bag
- 2nd player: 1 brown piece of amber + 1 gem from the bag
- 3rd player: 1 gem from the bag
- 4th player: 1 gem from the bag
End of the Round
- The display of 9 sapphires and 9 pieces of amber also serves to count the number of rounds. In a normal round, the quickest player wins a blue sapphire and the second quickest player wins a brown piece of amber.
- However, if nobody has succeeded in solving their puzzle during a normal round, a blue sapphire and a brown piece of amber are taken from the display and put in the bag.
- If only one player has managed to solve his puzzle in a normal round, a brown piece of amber is taken from the display and put in the bag.
- After every round there will always be one less sapphire and one less piece of amber in the display.
- After each round, the players put:
- their puzzle cards to one side
- the used tiles back in the middle of the table
- the tokens back in the bag.
Now the Next Round Begins
- Each player takes a new puzzle card from the deck.
- Shake up the bag and each player draws a token in order to determine the tiles that he will use in the new round (it is possible that a player will use the same colour several times in a row).
End of the Game
- The game ends after the ninth round, by which time all the gems in the display will have been awarded or added to the bag.
- Each player now adds up the value of his gems.
- The winner is the player with the most points.
Example: A player with 1 red ruby, 1 blue sapphire, 3 green emeralds and 3 brown pieces of amber has: 1 x value 4 = 4 points, 1 x value 3 = 3 points, 3 x value 2 = 6 points, 3 x value 1 = 3 points, for a total of 16 points.
Further Rules
Second Chance in a Round
- If nobody manages to solve their puzzle before the sand-timer runs out – the players get a second chance. The sand-timer is turned over again and the players continue to try to solve their puzzle.
As soon as one player has solved his puzzle he calls "Ubongo!" and the others must stop immediately, even if the sand-timer is still running. The successful player takes 1 gem from the bag but since he only solved the puzzle during this second chance, he does not win a gem from the display. Nobody else can win any gems at all.
- 1st player: 1 gem from the bag (Only 1 player can win a gem in the second chance.)
If nobody is able to solve their puzzle before the sand-timer runs out for the second time, nobody wins any gems and the round finally ends.
- To recap: After a normal round in which nobody solves their puzzle a blue sapphire and a brown piece of amber are taken from the display and put into the bag. The second chance then takes place.
Tiebreaker at the End of the Game
If more than one player has the highest total, there is a play-off. Each of the tied players draws a token, takes a puzzle card and the appropriate tiles. A call of "Ubongo!" starts the play-off. The first to solve his puzzle is the winner of the game!