Nova Luna Game Rules

Nova Luna is a game that challenges your strategic thinking and decision-making skills. In this game, you will embark on a journey to complete tasks and achieve goals. The game combines elements of puzzle-solving with resource management, creating an engaging and immersive experience. At the start of the game, you will be presented with a set of tasks that you need to complete. These tasks can range from simple to complex, and it’s up to you to decide which ones to focus on. Each task requires a certain combination of resources to complete, so you will need to carefully manage your resources to ensure success. To collect resources, you will need to navigate the game board, which is divided into different spaces. Each space represents a different resource, and you can collect resources by landing on these spaces. However, landing on a space will also advance the game, making it more challenging to complete tasks. You will need to carefully balance your resource collection with your task completion to maximize your chances of winning. As the game progresses, you will encounter various obstacles and opportunities that will test your decision-making skills. Some tasks may require you to collaborate with other players, while others may involve competing against them. It’s important to stay adaptable and flexible, as the game can change at any moment. Each decision you make in Nova Luna has consequences, and it’s up to you to make the most of every opportunity. By strategically managing your resources, collaborating with other players, and adapting to changing circumstances, you can increase your chances of success. Are you ready to embark on this challenging journey? The fate of Nova Luna is in your hands!

Welcome to NOVA LUNA, a game all about making connections! As you play this tile-laying game, you’ll need to make careful decisions and plan ahead. The Moon Wheel holds a limited supply of tiles, so you’ll need to think strategically and adapt with each new moon. Your goal is to create synergies between the tiles and build your path to victory. Choose wisely!

What’s Included

• 68 tiles in 4 colors
• 84 discs
• 1 Moon Wheel
• 1 Marker
• Rulebook

How to Win

Your goal is to place a goal disc on each of your tiles whenever you complete a goal. The first player to place all their goal discs wins the game.

Getting Started

First, I’ll put the Moon Wheel in the middle of the table. Then, I’ll place the Marker above the golden field on the outer selection track, right above the new moon.

Next, I’ll take all the tiles and shuffle them. Then, I’ll place one tile face up on each of the remaining 11 spaces.

After that, I’ll make several draw piles with the remaining tiles and place them face down near the Moon Wheel.

Now it’s time to choose your player color. You’ll need 21 discs in your color.

But wait: If this is your first time playing Nova Luna, it’s a good idea to use fewer discs. For 3 players, use 18 discs instead of 21. And for 4 players, use 16 discs instead of 21.

Finally, we’ll determine the game order. Each player will place one disc from their supply in the middle of the table. The person who slept the latest will then blindly draw the discs until they’re all taken.

Here’s how you can create a pile of discs using these simple steps:

1. Start by gathering all the discs in the order they were drawn. The first disc should be placed at the bottom of the pile. Then, stack the next disc on top of it, and continue this process until all the discs are stacked.
2. Once you have formed the pile, it’s time to set it on the new moon of the moon track. This is an important step to follow.

Now let’s take a closer look at the components of a disc:

The Parts of a Disc

The tiles in this game have three important features: color, time cost, and goals. Let me break it down for you.

First, let’s talk about color. The tiles come in four different colors: blue, red, turquoise, and yellow. Each color has its own significance in the game.

Next up is time cost. You’ll notice that each tile has a number at the top left corner, ranging from 1 to 7. This number indicates the amount of time it will take you to select and place that particular tile. Keep this in mind as you plan your moves.

Lastly, we have goals. These are represented by the numbers in the other corners of the tiles, ranging from 0 to 3. To complete a goal, you need to place tiles adjacent to it that match its color. The more goals you complete, the better your chances of winning. For detailed instructions on completing goals, please refer to page 5 of the game manual.

Remember: Although it’s usually not recommended, you can still place tiles that don’t match any adjacent goal color. Sometimes, it can’t be avoided and you have to make the best of it.

Let’s Get Started!

When we play the game, we each take turns picking tiles from the Moon Wheel and adding them to our displays. The order of turns is determined by where our player disc is on the moon track.

The player with the disc furthest back on the track always goes first. If more than one player has their disc in the rearmost position, the player with the disc on top of the stack goes first.

When it’s my turn, I follow these five steps:

1. I have the option to fill the selection track.
2. I choose a tile and move the marker.
3. I move my player disc forward.
4. I add a tile to my display.
5. I work towards completing my goals.

Step 1: Fill the selection track (optional)

When I start my turn and there are only one or two tiles left on the selection track, I can decide to fill it up. If I do, I will draw tiles from the draw piles and put them face up on the selection track.

It’s important to fill the space closest to the Marker first, going in a clockwise direction. I should continue filling the spaces in clockwise order.

If there are no tiles left on the selection track when I start my turn, I have to fill all the empty spaces.

If I happen to run out of tiles, I should fill up the selection track as much as I can.

For example: Let’s say I’m playing as Orange and it’s my turn. I choose to fill the selection track. I will place nine new tiles, starting from the first empty space on the selection track after the Marker, and going clockwise.

Step 2: Choose a Tile and Move the Marker

Now it’s time to choose a tile and move the Marker. Starting from where the Marker is currently placed, look at the three tiles in clockwise order. Ignore any empty spaces without a tile. From those options, select the tile you want to use and place the Marker on the space where that tile was.

• Keep in mind that tiles with higher numerical values are generally easier to complete the goals on.
• Remember, you must select and place a tile during each turn. Skipping this step is not allowed.

For example, let’s say I’m playing as the Blue player. I choose the yellow 4-tile, and then I move the Marker to the space on the selection track that was emptied when the yellow 4-tile was removed.

3. Go forward with your player disc!

When you choose a tile, the number in the top left corner tells you how many spaces to move your player disc on the moon track. If another player is already in that space, you stack your player disc on top.

Remember: The player with the furthest back disc always goes next. If multiple players are in the backmost space, the player with the top disc goes next.

For example: Let’s say Blue picks the yellow 4-tile (see the example on the previous page). They move their player disc forward four spaces on the moon track.

4. Placing your tile

Now it’s time to add the tile you picked to your display. The first tile you choose will be the start of your display, so place it in front of you on the table. For the following turns, place the new tile next to a tile that’s already in your display.

Remember to place all the tiles face up, with the time cost shown in the top left corner.

• Each player builds their own display of tiles, so make sure everyone has enough space.
• You have to place a tile every turn. You can’t save a tile to use later.

5. Completing goals

Each tile you pick may have 0 to 3 goals on it. Each goal should be considered on its own, and each goal can have 1 to 4 different colors.

I’m here to explain how goals work in this game. It’s actually pretty simple once you understand the rules. Just remember that the colors of the tiles in your goal need to match the colors of the adjacent tiles. If they do, you’ve fulfilled your goal!

But there’s a twist: if you have chains of the same color tiles, they all count together towards fulfilling a goal. So, count all the tiles of the same color that are next to each other, and add up their value as a chain.

Here’s the catch, though: the color of the tile with the goal doesn’t count. Only the colors of the tiles around it matter.

Whenever you fulfill a goal like this, cover it with a goal disc from your personal supply. And the best part? You can complete multiple goals on the same turn, as long as they meet the requirements. So keep an eye out for those matching colors!

If I still have some goal discs left, I’ll go back to step 1. If not, I’ll move on to the End of Game.

• The order of the colors in the goal doesn’t matter. The important thing is to match the right colors in the right amount to finish a goal.
• I can use any tile for any goal, as long as I follow the adjacency rules.

For example: Let’s say I’m playing as Blue. I choose the blue 4-tile and place it to the right of the yellow 4-tile. Later, on another turn, I choose and place the blue 3-tile to complete the “2 Blue” goal on the yellow 4-tile.

Achieving Goals with Chains: A Perfect Example

Completing the yellow tile’s goal of “2 Blue” can be achieved in another fascinating way. All you have to do is use neighboring tiles of the same color. It’s that simple!

So, how does it work? Well, you place a blue tile next to the yellow one and then place a second blue tile right next to the first one. Voila! A chain of blue tiles is formed, and you’ve successfully completed the goal.

Remember, though, that tiles placed diagonally do not contribute to adjacency. That’s why the goal “3 Red” on the yellow tile remains incomplete in our example.

Hey! Did you know that you can achieve multiple goals at once on one tile? It’s pretty cool, right? Let me explain how it works.

Picture this: You have a yellow tile and you want to complete both the “3 Red” and “2 Blue” goals. Well, guess what? You can do it! You just have to place the yellow tile in the right spot on your player display, and boom – both goals are completed at the same time!

But here’s the fun part – once you complete a goal, you get to cover it with a goal disc from your personal supply. It’s like a little trophy that shows off your achievement. How cool is that?

Hey there! Let me explain a cool concept to you. See, if you put the blue 4-tile in a specific spot, something magic happens. The “2 Reds” and “4 Reds” goals are met by a chain of red tiles. Oh, and guess what? The red 3-tile is right next to the blue 4-tile, but vertically. Pretty neat, huh?

But wait, there’s more! Check out the red 5-tile, red 2-tile, and red 1-tile. They form another chain, connected to the red 3-tile. Here’s the fun part: when you add these red tiles together, they count as 1, 2, 3, and 4 red tiles all at once! Amazing, right? This means they meet a goal too!

The Game Comes to an End

The game is complete when I, the current player, have successfully placed all 20 of my goal discs onto the tiles within my display (17 or 15 discs in a beginner mode). This achievement crowns me as the winner of the game!

However, the game also concludes when I reach a point where I am no longer able to select any more tiles. This happens when all the available tiles have already been chosen. In this scenario, the player who holds the fewest remaining goal discs emerges triumphant.

If a tie occurs, the winner is determined by the player who possesses the least number of goal discs that would have been played next. So, it’s crucial to strategize and plan your moves wisely to secure victory!