America's Main Street
America's Main Street Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components and Setup
- 5 Player Mats (double-sided)
- 1 Black Cloth Bag
- 126 Wooden Cubes in 10 Colors: 25 Black, 20 Red, 20 Yellow, 15 Light Blue, 15 Pink, 10 Green, 10 Dark Blue, 5 Orange, and 5 Purple
NOTE: 1 white cube is provided as a spare and can be colored and used for any color if one is lost.
The setup is the same for both games. Give each player a mat (teams of 2 players share one mat). Fill the bag with all the cubes except the white cube. Select one player to start. Players in both games take turns in clockwise order.
Game #1: Get Your Kicks
Try your luck at the Route 66 CASINO! The map on your mat starts with no cubes on it, but as the game goes on, you will accumulate cubes of each color on the U.S. States of that color; and on the Route 66 highway sign (where you place black cubes). The goal of the game is to place at least one cube (of the correct color) in each of the eight U.S. States and on the Route 66 highway sign.
On your turn, draw one cube from the bag and place it on the Casino in the lower right corner of your player mat. After you draw the first cube, you must decide to: 1) conclude your turn; or 2) continue your turn.
If you decide to:
- Conclude your turn – Place the cube drawn on the State of the same color. Once again, black cubes are put on the Route 66 highway sign. Now pass the bag to the player or team on your left who then takes their turn.
- Continue your turn – You may continue to draw another cube (one at a time) from the bag and place it on the Casino, and:
- a. If the new cube matches the color of any of the cubes already in the Casino, then your turn ends immediately. Place all of the cubes you collected in the Casino back into the bag and pass the bag to the next player/team. You gain nothing for this turn.
- b. If the new cube does not match the color of any of the cubes already in the Casino, then you must again decide whether to conclude your turn or continue your turn.
- i. If you conclude your turn, you keep the cubes you collected by placing each of the cubes onto each of the States (or the Route 66 highway sign) of the matching color; and then pass the bag to the next player/team.
- ii. If you continue your turn, you draw one more cube from the bag and if it is a different color than any you have drawn so far, you again have the option to conclude or continue.
JUST REMEMBER: You may conclude your turn by placing on the map, and keeping, all the cubes on any given turn IF they are all of different colors, BUT if you keep drawing and the new cube matches any of the cubes in your Casino, you must stop, place all the cubes back into the bag, and end your turn!
Example: Grant first pulled an Arizona red cube, and continued on, pulling a Missouri blue cube. He decides to risk another pull, but draws a second red cube! He must put all 3 cubes back in the bag and end his turn.
Game End
The game ends for everyone when any one player/team has gathered at least one cube (of the correct color) in each of the eight States and on the Route 66 highway sign. Alternatively, the game also ends when any one player has collected six black cubes on the Route 66 highway sign.
When the game ends, all players/teams count the number of cubes they have on each of the U.S. States and the Route 66 highway sign and then multiply that number times the points shown (the white numbers inside the black circles) on each of the States and the sign.
Highest total points wins the game! In case of a tie, share the victory. We hope all players got their kicks traveling across Route 66.
Example: Jasmine succeeded in getting at least one cube of each color, ending the game. She tallies up her score, which is 43 points! (3x1 + 1x4 + 1x2 + 2x3 + 1x5 + 1x2 + 2x5 + 1x3 + 2x4 = 43)
Game #2: Your Mileage May Vary
The Race Begins
You and your fellow players are racing across the USA on Route 66. Your goal is to be the first to complete the race by filling all the boxes on each of the 8 U.S. States on Route 66 with cubes that match the color of each State; plus 5 black cubes that are placed on the Route 66 highway sign.
First – Fill Up with Fuel
To begin each turn of this game you must first "fuel up" by drawing a total of 3 cubes from the bag and placing them on the white boxes at the base of the gas pumps on your player mat. These cubes could be all different colors; or they might be two alike & one different; or even all three alike. Each State requires a different kind of fuel (color of cubes) and in different quantities (number of cubes).
Some States (like Texas and Kansas) have shorter driving distances across them on Route 66 (only about 13 miles in Kansas) and they only require one cube of the correct color (there are fewer cubes of this color in the game). The longer distance States (like Arizona and Oklahoma) require more fuel (4 cubes) to complete—and there are more of these colored cubes in the game. The Route 66 highway sign requires 5 black cubes before you can finish the race, and there are more black cubes than any other color in the game.
Example: Grant starts his turn by "fueling up" and drawing 3 cubes from the bag and placing them on the gas pumps on his board.
Next – Decide How Far to Try to Travel
Your first "fill-up" – the first three cubes you draw and place on the gas pumps – determines the type(s) of fuel you must continue to use on this particular turn. After you draw the first three cubes, you must decide to EITHER:
- Continue on your journey by filling up again (drawing three more cubes) OR
- Stop for the turn and record your progress on your map by placing them in the appropriate boxes on the States; and passing the bag to the player/team on your left.
The challenge involved in continuing your journey is that you must continue to draw at least one cube (more than one is okay) that matches the color of at least one of your first fill-up of three cubes (only those first three cubes, not the cubes you might have drawn on subsequent fill-ups). Provided you continue to match at least one of your original three cubes, then you may continue to draw cubes – BUT – if you continue to fill up by drawing groups of three cubes, and none match the color of your original three, then your turn is over. ALL cubes drawn on that turn are put back into the bag, and you have made no further progress on your journey.
If you decide to continue your journey and you fill up and draw three cubes successfully (each fill-up must include at least one cube that matches your first fill-up) you may stop at any time (after one, or two, or three, etc. successful fill-ups); and place any of your cubes drawn that are needed to fill up boxes on the correct States and the Route 66 highway sign; then end your turn. If by chance you have drawn extra cubes that are not needed on a State (because you already have the required number) then simply return those excess cubes to the bag.
Example: Grant decides to continue on and draws 3 more cubes. This second fill-up produces a black cube and 2 yellows. Since the black cube matches one of his first 3 fuel cubes, he may continue his journey if he chooses to and risk another fill-up; or he can stop here, ending his turn by placing all six cubes on his map.
Example: Grant wants to fill-up one more time, so he draws 3 new cubes from the bag. Unfortunately none of these 3 new cubes match any of his first fill-up on the gas pumps! Grant must return ALL 9 cubes he drew this turn to the bag and pass it to the next player.
The Race Ends
The Race Ends immediately when one player has filled all of the boxes on all of the 8 States and the five boxes on the Route 66 highway sign. That player has won the race – and the game!
Solo Play
To play either of these games solo just play by all the above rules and count the number of turns it takes you to win. With practice, and some luck as well, you will continue to set personal records for taking fewer and fewer turns to win.