Contest entry for the Summer 2018 Design Contest
Designer: André Heines
Gridblock
An abstract strategy game for 2-4 Players
Components:
- all 36 tiles
- all 80 cubes
- 24 cards with value 1-3 (red, yellow, green, blue)
- 6 cards with values 1-6 in unused color (round marker)
- the green card as first player marker
Preparation:
- Each player gets 6 cards and 20 cubes in player color.
- In a 2 player game players receive components in 2 colors.
- Randomly lay out the tiles in a 6 by 6 grid with the symbols up. (The symbols should
be halfway evenly distributed and not packed.)
- Each player randomly draws one card (per color in a 2 player game) and places a cube
of his color in the center of a tile showing the symbol depicted on this card.
- The 6 round markers are sorted 1-6 with 1 on top and placed beside the grid.
- Determine a starting player and give him the green card.
Gameplay:
The game consists of 6 rounds, with 3 turns each. During those turns the players try to place
as many of their cubes on the grid as possible.
Turn sequence:
Each player shuffles his 6 cards and draws 3. Those are his or her cards for the current round.
Starting with the first player and then going clockwise, the current player plays one card and
moves his cube the number of tiles, indicated by the number on the card, placing it on the
center or the target tile. Horizontal and vertical movement is allowed, but not diagonal.
During movement the direction may be changed, but it is not allowed to enter a tile twice
during one turn. If the tile where the movement ends shows the same symbol than the played
card, and if there is a free corner left on that tile, the player puts one of his cubes on one
corner. In future turns a player may place additional cubes on a tile, if there is a free corner
left. If there are cubes on all four corners, the tile can be used for movement, but cubes can’t
be placed on it, the tile is ‘gridblocked’.
End of game:
After 6 rounds the player with most cubes on the grid wins. More than on cube on a tile gives
a bonus/is used as tie breaker.
NOTE: This is just a draft version, not the final rules. ;)