Detailed Guide to Robo Rally Game Rules

Hey there! You’ve stumbled upon a comprehensive guide to the rules of the thrilling game known as Robo Rally. Whether you’re a seasoned player or completely new to this world of robotic mayhem, this guide will provide you with all the information you need to play and enjoy the game to its fullest.

Game Overview

When it comes to Robo Rally, the goal is simple: be the first to reach all of the checkpoints scattered throughout the game board. However, it’s important to proceed with caution because you won’t be the only one racing to reach these checkpoints. Your opponents will be doing the same, and since this is a game of strategy and programming, chaos is bound to ensue!

Understanding Robot Programming

In this game, you’ll be programming your robot’s every move. Using a deck of program cards, you’ll select a sequence of actions that your robot will perform in each round. These actions include moving forward, turning, and firing lasers. The catch is that not everything always goes as planned, and your opponents’ actions might throw a wrench into your perfectly programmed sequence.

The Game Board

The game board is where all the action takes place. It’s filled with various obstacles, such as conveyor belts, rotating gears, and even deadly lasers. You must navigate your robot through this maze-like board, avoiding obstacles and maneuvering around your opponents to reach the checkpoints. Keep in mind that certain spaces on the board can have special effects, so be prepared for surprises!

Game Rounds

A game of Robo Rally is played in rounds, and each round is divided into different phases. In the programming phase, you’ll select the cards for your robot’s actions and arrange them in the order you’d like your robot to perform them. Once all players have done this, the game moves on to the execution phase.

In the execution phase, the programmed actions of each player’s robot are carried out simultaneously. This is where the chaos and unpredictability come into play. Sometimes, your robot’s intended actions will be influenced by the actions of other robots or the effects of the game board. This can lead to unexpected collisions, detours, or even falling into deadly traps!

Winning the Game

The race to victory in Robo Rally is all about reaching the checkpoints in the correct order. Each checkpoint you reach earns you a flag, and the first player to collect all of their flags is declared the winner. However, be careful not to get too caught up in the chaos of the game, as you might find yourself making detours or even straying from your intended path. Strategy and adaptability are key to emerging victorious!

Conclusion

So, there you have it! A comprehensive guide to the rules of Robo Rally. Now that you understand the basics, it’s time to dive into the world of robot racing and put your programming skills to the test. Get ready for a thrilling game filled with twists, turns, and unexpected challenges. Good luck, and may the best robot win!

• There are 6 gameboards that are double-sided
• There is a double-sided start board
• There are 6 robot figures
• There are 6 reboot tokens
• There are 36 checkpoint tokens
• There is a plastic priority antenna
• There are 6 checkpoints
• There are 48 plastic energy cubes
• There is a 30-second sand timer
• There are 6 robot player mats
• There are 40 upgrade cards
• There are six 20-card programming card decks
• There are 6 special programming cards
• There are 74 damage cards
• There is a vac tray
• There is a label sheet

The Aim of the Game

All week long, us robots at ROBO RALLY are hard at work. We can’t leave our factory home, so we find joy in one thing: winning the weekly challenge of survival and sabotage.

So, here’s the deal: you get to pick a robot, right? And then you program it to move, turn, and pick up energy. Sounds pretty cool, huh? But hold on tight, ’cause things are about to get wild. You see, there are other robots in the game, all with big dreams just like yours. And guess what? They’re not about to hold back. Nope, they’ll push and blast their way through the factory, just like you will. It’s gonna be one crazy race, where it’s every robot for itself.

Okay, so here’s how it goes. You’ll need to play cards to program your robot’s moves. It’s like giving it a set of instructions, ya know? And together, you and your robot will navigate the treacherous factory, facing all kinds of dangers along the way. But hey, don’t worry! I know it sounds tough, but it’s also gonna be a lot of fun. Trust me on that.

Your goal is to reach all the checkpoints in your chosen course, one by one, in the right order. It’s kinda like a mission, ya feel? And the best part is, the first player to reach all the checkpoints wins. Yeah, that’s right! You gotta stay focused and be strategic if you wanna come out on top.

So, are you up for the challenge? I bet you are! Get ready to unleash your inner engineer and show those rival robots who’s boss. It’s time to race through the factory and make your dreams come true. Let’s do this!

Getting Ready

Let’s prepare for what lies ahead!

First Steps

The first thing we need to do is make sure we are properly set up. Here are a few key steps to get you started:

1. Assemble your materials: Gather all the necessary tools and supplies. Make a checklist to ensure you have everything you need.

2. Find a comfortable space: Set up a clean and organized workspace. It’s important to have enough room to work and keep everything organized.

3. Read the instructions: Familiarize yourself with the task at hand. Take the time to carefully read and understand any instructions or guidelines provided.

Double-Check

Before diving in, let’s double-check a few things:

1. Safety first: If there are any safety precautions to follow, make sure you’re aware of them. Wear any necessary protective gear to keep yourself safe.

2. Check your resources: Make sure you have all the resources you need for the project. This includes any references, guides, or manuals that may be helpful.

3. Take a deep breath: Stay calm and collected. Be confident in your abilities and take your time to do things right.

Let’s Begin

Now that we’re set up and ready to go, it’s time to get started. Keep in mind that this might be a new experience for you, so don’t be too hard on yourself if things don’t go perfectly. Remember, you’re learning and growing with each step.

A Note of Encouragement

It’s natural to feel a bit overwhelmed at first, but trust me, you’ve got this. Take it one step at a time, ask for help if you need it, and enjoy the process. You’re embarking on a journey of creativity and discovery, so embrace it and let your unique voice shine through. Happy creating!

1. First, pick a racing course you want to play. On page 16, you’ll see a list of all the courses available. If you’re a beginner, I recommend starting with “Dizzy Highway”. Page 16 will show you how to set up the gameboards, priority antenna, checkpoints, reboot tokens, and energy cubes for that course.
2. Now it’s time to choose your robot! Each player picks a robot and gets the matching figure, player mat, and programming deck for that robot. Make sure to shuffle your programming deck and place it facedown on your player mat, just like the picture below.
3. There are six special programming cards that don’t belong to any specific robot. Keep them faceup near the board so that all players can easily reach them.

First things first, let’s get the game set up:

1. Separate the four types of damage cards – SPAM, Worm, Virus, and Trojan Horse cards. Put them in separate piles face up near the game board, where everyone can reach them.

2. Shuffle the upgrade cards and put the deck face down where everyone can reach it. Take the same number of cards from the top of the deck as you have players, and place them face up next to the draw pile. This will be the upgrade shop. For example, if you have three players, flip over three cards. If you have five players, flip over five cards.

3. Put the timer and checkpoint tokens within reach of all players.

4. Put the energy cubes within reach of all players. This will be the energy bank.

5. Each player gets five energy cubes. Put yours on your player mat as shown below.

First, I need to tell you about the start board. It’s a special game board that has black and white gears on it. Each player will put their robot on one of these gears. Make sure the arrow on your base is pointing towards the racing course.

Put your robot on one of the gears on the start board. Make sure the arrow on your base is pointing towards the racing course.

For a two-player game, set up your game like this:

How to Play Robo Rally

When it comes to playing Robo Rally, there are three important phases that make up each round: the upgrade phase, the programming phase, and the activation phase.

Let me give you a quick rundown of what happens in each round. For more detailed instructions on how to play a full round, you can refer to the next page.

1. The Upgrade Phase: In this phase, you’ll use energy cubes to buy upgrades for your robot. These upgrades will help your robot perform better in the game.
2. The Programming Phase: Next, in the programming phase, you’ll draw cards from your programming deck. Then, you’ll arrange these cards on your player mat to plan out the moves you want your robot to make. This is where you’ll strategize and try to outsmart your opponents.

Getting Started: Activating Your Robot

To begin, you need to activate your robot and follow its programming. This is called the Activation Phase. But you’re not the only one in action – board elements also come alive during this phase. It’s a busy time!

As with any game, there needs to be some order. That’s where determining priority comes in. Before the activation phase, players must figure out who goes first. It’s a fair and square way to give everyone a chance.

When it’s time for the programming phase, things get really interesting. All players will be performing their actions at the same time. It’s like a symphony of movement and strategy, each person working to outsmart the others.

Remember, during the upgrade and activation phases, it’s crucial to have a clear plan and remain focused. Stay sharp and adapt to any surprises that may arise. This is your chance to showcase your skills!

So, get ready to activate your robot and dive into the thrilling world of board elements. It’s a game of strategy, cunning, and quick thinking. May the best player win!

In ROBO RALLY, it’s your turn when you have priority. Instead of taking turns according to seat order, we take turns based on where our robots are on the board.

At any moment, the player with the robot closest to the priority antenna has priority. Once they take their turn, the player with the robot next closest to the antenna has priority and takes their turn, and so on.

Let me show you two simple examples of how we figure out who has priority.

When figuring out who is closest to the priority antenna, let’s start at the antenna and count the spaces to each robot in a specific way.

First, we’ll count by row, and then we’ll count by column. The robot called Zoom Bot (who is shown in green) is the closest one to the antenna, so it gets priority.

Imagine a scenario where we have two robots, Zoom Bot and Smash Bot, both vying for priority to reach the antenna. The interesting part is that they are at the exact same distance from the antenna.

So, what happens when there is a tie like this? Well, let’s visualize it. Picture an invisible line extending from the antenna’s dish and pointing straight out.

As this line reaches the tied robots, it starts moving clockwise. The order in which the line reaches the robots determines their priority. In this case, Zoom Bot is the first to be reached, so it gets the top spot. Next comes Smash Bot, and finally, Hulk x90.

1. The Upgrade Phase

At the beginning of every round, you have the opportunity to buy upgrade cards for your robots using energy cubes that you can gather during the game.

These upgrades bring new functionalities to your robot, giving it an edge. You can choose when to use these upgrades during the programming and activation phases.

When it comes to upgrades in the game, there are two main types: permanent and temporary. You can tell them apart by their colors – permanent upgrades are yellow, while temporary upgrades are red. Let me explain how they work.

The Upgrade Shop

Before we dive into the details, let’s talk about the upgrade shop. At the start of the upgrade phase, it’s important to make sure that the shop is both refreshed and full. By that, I mean it should have the same number of upgrade cards as there are players in the game.

• If the upgrade shop is already full, it means that no players bought any upgrades during the last upgrade phase (unless it’s the first round of the game). In this case, we need to remove all the cards from the shop and refresh it. To do that, we draw the same number of cards from the top of the deck as there are players, and place them face-up in the shop.
• If there are any missing cards in the shop, I will draw cards from the top of the upgrade deck. I will put these cards in the empty slots until there is the same number of cards as there are players.

Buying Upgrades

When the upgrade phase begins, we need to figure out which player has priority. The player with the robot closest to the priority antenna gets to go first.

That player gets to choose the upgrades that are available in the upgrade shop. But remember, they can only buy one upgrade.

Let’s talk about how to determine who gets to purchase upgrades first. This is an important decision to make in the game.

When you want to purchase an upgrade, you need to look at the number in the top left-hand corner of the card. That number tells you how many energy cubes you need to pay to buy the card.

To buy the card, you must take that many energy cubes from your player mat and put them in the pile near the board.

If you buy a permanent upgrade, you can place it on one of the slots on your player mat. You are allowed to have a maximum of three permanent upgrades.

If you buy a temporary upgrade, you need to place it in front of your player mat. You can use it at any time during the programming or activation phases of the game.

It’s important to note that you can have a maximum of three permanent upgrades and three temporary upgrades for your robot.

When you’re fully upgraded in the upgrade shop and you want to buy a new upgrade, you can get rid of one of your existing upgrades of the same type and buy the one you want.

Once everyone has finished buying upgrades, it’s time for the programming phase.

2. Planning Your Robot’s Actions

During the programming phase, you’ll decide what your robot is going to do in the upcoming round. You do this by placing programming cards in the five registers on your player mat. These cards tell your robot to move, turn, or collect energy.

How to Program Your Robots

When it’s time to program your robots, all players do the following at the same time.

1. When it’s time to play, I start by drawing nine cards from my programming deck. If I don’t have enough cards, I just take what I can. Then, I shuffle my programming discard pile to replenish my deck and keep drawing cards until I have nine.
2. These nine cards in my hand represent the moves I can make in this round. I look at the gameboard and try to figure out which cards will help me reach the next checkpoint safely. Should I move 3 spaces? Should I recharge to collect energy? Do I need to turn left or right? I have to be careful of things on the board that might impact my robot during the activation phase, like other robots or obstacles.

Once you have an idea of what you want your robot to do, pick five cards to play. Put one card face down on each of the five slots on your player mat. During the activation phase, your robot will do the action on the first card in slot one, then the action on the second card in slot two, and so on.

Remember that during the activation phase, players take turns activating their robots. This means all players will activate their robots for slot one based on priority. After slot one programming is done and any board elements have been activated, players move to slot two, and so on. You’ll learn more about this on the next page in Step 3: The Activation Phase.

Don’t spend too much time programming!

Hey there! Let’s talk about ROBO RALLY, a super exciting race where you get to program robots! Your goal is to program your robots as fast as you can. Once the first player finishes placing their programming cards, they’ll start the timer. If you’re still placing cards, you’ve got until the timer runs out to finish programming without any consequences.

But what if time runs out?

Well, things get chaotic! If you’re not done programming when the timer runs out, you have to discard the cards in your hand. Don’t worry, though! You can just grab some new cards from the top of your deck. Shuffle your discarded cards if you need to, and randomly place them on the unfinished registers.

Once everyone has finished programming, it’s time for the activation phase! Get ready!

3. The Activation Phase

Hey there! Let me break down how the activation phase works in this game. It’s pretty cool, so pay attention!

First things first, during the activation phase, we activate the programming cards that we placed in our registers earlier. Each register gets activated one at a time, and we take turns based on priority. Keep that in mind!

Now, here’s where things get interesting. After all players have activated their programming, we have some other stuff that needs to happen before the next register begins. Yeah, it’s like a little intermission!

So, how do we activate our robots?

1. Alright, this is how it goes. All of us flip over our cards in register one on our player mats. That’s when we reveal what programming choice we made.
2. Now, pay attention to this part. The player with priority, you know, the one closest to the priority antenna, gets to carry out the action on their first register card. Let’s say they played a Move 3 card. Well, guess what? They get to move forward three spaces! But hold your horses, we’re not worrying about where our robots end up just yet.

Once it’s my turn, I choose five cards and place them face-down in my Robot Dashboard. Then, one by one, I reveal and execute the actions on the cards in my first register. After I’m done, the next player in line activates their first register, and so on, until all players have taken their turns.

When it comes to the board, different elements get activated in a specific order. This order is important because it determines how things unfold. For example, blue conveyor belts move robots two spaces in the direction of the arrows. This affects all robots on them simultaneously.

Remember, the activation order of board elements and robot lasers matters. Check out the next page for the complete order and more detailed information on how board elements and robot interactions work.

Let me tell you about some important elements in the game of Robo Rally. When you’re playing, you’ll come across green conveyor belts. These belts will move your robot one space in the direction of the arrows. It’s like a little moving walkway for your robot friend.

Another important element is the push panels. These panels will push your robot into the next space in the direction that the panel is facing. The panels are activated in the register that corresponds to the number on them. This means that you need to pay attention to the numbers if you want to use the push panels to your advantage.

Lastly, we have gears. When your robot is resting on a gear, it will rotate 90 degrees in the direction of the arrows. It’s like the robot is getting a little spin to change its facing. These gears can really come in handy when you’re trying to navigate through the game.

So there you have it! These are some important elements that you’ll encounter in Robo Rally. The green conveyor belts, push panels, and gears all add an extra level of strategy to the game. Now you’re ready to dive into the world of Robo Rally! Enjoy your adventure!

Board Lasers: They shoot lasers that hit any robots they can see. These lasers can’t go through walls, the priority antenna, or hit more than one robot. The lasers come from the red and white pointer. When you get hit by one of these lasers, take a SPAM damage card.

Robot Lasers: They shoot lasers in the direction they’re facing. There’s no limit to their range. If a robot is in the line of sight, they get shot. Robot lasers also can’t go through walls or hit more than one robot. If you get hit by a robot laser, take a SPAM damage card.

When I finish a register on an energy space, I need to check if there is an energy cube there. If there is, I can take it. If it’s my fifth register and I end on an energy space, I can take an energy cube from the energy bank.

To progress in the race, I must reach the checkpoints in numerical order. To reach a checkpoint, I need to be on it at the end of a register, and I can approach it from any side. Once I reach a checkpoint, I get a checkpoint token and place it on my player mat to keep track of my progress.

Now, let’s talk about the elements on the game board and how they work.

• When you land on a board element, it only affects you if you end your movement there. For example, if you cross the path of a laser on a register but don’t stop there, you won’t get hit.
• You can push other robots, and sometimes robots will bump into each other. To learn more about pushing robots, check out the section on page 12 about racing through the factory.
• There are different kinds of board spaces you should be aware of. For more information on racing through the factory, see page 12.

Remember!

You can use permanent and temporary upgrades during the programming and activation phases. Each upgrade card will have specific details about how it works.

Repeat steps 1-3 of “Activating your robots” for the remaining registers. Just remember, after every player has activated their programming cards, the board elements will activate and the robot lasers will fire.

Once I finish my fifth register, I take the programming cards from it and put them in my discard pile. Then we move on to the upgrade phase.

Getting Damaged and Rebooting

Robots aren’t invincible, they can get damaged. If I fall into a pit, get shot, or get knocked off the board, I have to take damage cards. These cards are played just like programming cards.

When I get a damage card, I put it in my discard pile. When I shuffle my programming deck, the damage card will be in there, mixing with the rest of my cards.

If I play a damage card from my hand, I have to follow these steps:

1. Do whatever the card tells me to do.

When it comes to programming damage cards in the game, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First, if you draw a damage card, you should immediately get rid of it by returning it to the damage card pile. This way, it won’t be able to cause any trouble for you later.

On the other hand, when you program a damage card, you’ll need to pick a card from the top of your deck and place it in your current register. The card you get will be random, so it might not fit with your plans at all. This is the downside of programming a damage card – it can really mess up your strategy!

It’s worth noting that if there are no more damage cards of a certain type left in the pile, any player who would have drawn that type of card will have to choose a damage card of another type instead.

There are four different types of damage cards in the game, and some are scarier than others. Let me give you a more detailed description of each type:

1. Spam:

–

– Spam is a type of damage card that can really bog you down. When you take a Spam card, it will make your robot move in a random direction, which can throw off your carefully planned moves. Watch out for these!

Remember, understanding how damage cards work and making smart choices when programming them is crucial to your success in the game. Good luck!

This is the simplest form of damage. When a robot is hit by either a board laser or a robot laser, they have to take a SPAM damage card.

Now let’s talk about the Trojan Horse.

So, when you create a malicious Trojan horse card, you’re going to get hit with two SPAM damage cards right away. And let me tell you, it’s not a fun time.

The Sneaky Worm

As soon as you program a worm damage card, it’s crucial to reboot your robot right away.

Bug

Restarting

If you ever find yourself falling off the board or into a pit, or if you activate a worm card, it’s time to reboot your robot. Don’t worry, it’s part of the game! When you reboot, follow these steps:

1. Grab two SPAM damage cards and put them in your discard pile.
2. Forget about your current actions for now. You can’t finish any moves you had planned. Get rid of any actions you had in your registers or in your hand. You’ll have to wait until the next round to program your robot again.
3. Put your robot on the reboot token on the same board where it rebooted. You can choose which direction your robot is facing. If you rebooted from the starting board, put your robot back where you began the game.

Attention: If more than one robot reboots on the same board in a round or if a robot sits on the reboot token while others are rebooting, the robots will leave the reboot space in the order they rebooted, with the next robot pushing the one before it in the direction indicated by the arrow on the reboot token.

Something else to keep in mind: While on a reboot token, you can be shot or pushed by an active robot, but you cannot shoot any robots. Upgrades are also off-limits.

The Game’s Conclusion

The game ends immediately when one robot reaches a register on the final checkpoint, as outlined in the course you selected. The player who accomplishes this is the winner!

A Lighter Option

If you’re a beginner, a younger player, or simply looking to play a more relaxed game, you can choose to not use the upgrade system.

If you want to simplify the game, you can skip the upgrade phase. This means no upgrade cards or energy cubes. You can also decide not to use the timer during the programming phase.

A More Advanced Game

Once you’ve mastered the basics of ROBO RALLY, you can try this modification to make the game more challenging.

Instead of getting rid of your unused programming cards at the end of each round, keep them and draw enough cards to have a total of 9 for the next round.

This will make it necessary to include more damage cards in your programming, instead of just discarding them.