Cats vs Cucumbers
Cats vs Cucumbers Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Setup: Get Ready to Rumble!
- Place the 5 numbered boxes (1 to 5) in a row in the center of the table. These are your scoring zones!
- Each player grabs 3 cat tokens of the same color.
- Create separate piles of Cucumber, Treat, and Toy tokens within easy reach. Make sure the Toy tokens are face down and mixed up.
- Set out the 9-Lives cards in a visible spot. These track how many times players collectively "BUST."
- Select a first player! Give them the cat tree. Let the games begin!
Blue Dice
These dice have an extra cucumber on them, and no white cats. Keep this in mind when re-rolling!
On Your Turn
- Roll all six dice: up to 3 rolls. Each roll, you may keep any dice icons that you want, trying to create the best combinations.
- IMPORTANT! If you roll any Cucumbers, you must keep them!
- If you ever have 3 or more Cucumbers, YOU BUST! Your turn ends immediately... unless you have a spare cucumber token! When you bust, collect a shiny new Cucumber token as a consolation prize that may be used on a future turn!
- When you are finished rolling, if you rolled 3 of the same icon (and didn't bust!), you gain that reward! (Note: if you roll 2 different sets of 3, gain both rewards!)
- Super Score! For every matching icon beyond 3, you gain that reward one extra time! (Example: 4 of a kind = 2 of that reward, 5 of a kind = 3 of that reward, etc.) For example: 3 dice = 1 toy; +1 die adds a second toy!
Example Turn without a BUST
- Roll 1: You roll six dice, including a Cucumber and two cats. You must keep the Cucumber. You decide to also keep the two cats.
- Roll 2: You re-roll the remaining 3 dice, because you don't have 3 of anything, and get a result that includes a black cat. You keep the black cat, giving you a total of three cats! But you also now have 2 cucumbers.
- Roll 3: You could roll the remaining die, but you're happy with your three cats and don't want to risk rolling another cucumber causing a BUST! You choose to stop.
- Reward Time! Since you rolled three cats, you get to place one of your Cat tokens into Box 1! Meow-velous!
Busting & the Cucumber Comeback!
If you bust by rolling 3 or more cucumbers, your turn ends, and you flip over a 9-Lives card.
If you bust by rolling 3 or more cucumbers, AND you have a cucumber token from a previous turn, you may spend the Cucumber token to immediately gain up to 3 new rolls of the dice!
- If you use a Cucumber token to avoid a bust, do NOT flip over a 9-Lives card.
- You may keep any dice from the previous rolls, and/or re-roll any of the dice from your previous (busted) roll, including the cucumbers!
- If you roll new cucumbers you must keep them like normal, and yes, you can still bust again! Use this power wisely!
- NOTE: YOU MAY NOT SPEND A CUCUMBER TOKEN THE SAME TURN YOU RECEIVED IT.
Dice Icons
There are three kinds of dice. Blue dice: watch out! These have two sides with Cucumbers, adding extra risk to your rolls! White dice have a higher chance of rolling cats, with two Cat symbols (one black and one white).
Cats (black or white)
Count all your Cat symbols together! The only exception to this rule is if you roll a Purr-fect or a Meow-za!
REWARD: Place one of your Cat tokens into the first box OR move one of your Cats from a box to the next higher-numbered box. You cannot do both in the same turn. If you roll 4 cats, place a cat into box 2, or move a cat up 2 boxes, or move 2 cats up 1 box each.
Cucumbers
You must keep any Cucumbers rolled. Get three and you BUST! When you bust, flip over a 9-Lives card and collect a Cucumber token.
Cucumber tokens are worth 1 point at the end of the game. They also allow you to "un-BUST" and re-roll your dice as if it is a new turn. You cannot use a Cucumber token unless you busted.
Swipes
Uh oh, trouble for your opponents!
REWARD: Choose one Cat belonging to another player and move it to the next lowest box or remove a cat from Box 1.
Treats
Sweet rewards that get sweeter in groups!
REWARD: Take the indicated number of Treat tokens. At the end of the game, gain points for sets as shown on card.
Toys
Mystery actions are on the back of these tokens!
REWARD: Take one random face-down Toy token. You can use its effect immediately or keep it secret to use later! (Toy effects will be explained on the tokens themselves).
Rare Dice Combos
Keep your eyes peeled for these lucky combos:
The "Purr-fect!"
What it is: Rolling all 6 unique icons across all six dice! You may build into this with multiple rolls.
REWARD: You get to choose any one of the visible dice rewards! Also, collect one Cucumber token. And as if that wasn't enough, you immediately get an extra turn (3 rolls)! Pick up the dice and roll again!
"Meow-za!" - Triple the Trouble (in Pairs)!
What it is: Rolling three unique pairs of icons (e.g., two toys, two black cats, and two treats)! Cats must match colors for them to be considered a pair. A pair of cucumbers also counts!
REWARD: You get to choose any one of the three visible rewards from the pairs you rolled! And just like the "Purr-fect," this dice combo earns you an entire extra turn (3 rolls)!
Player Aids
There are two easy-to-follow player aids for you to reference rewards and combos!
9-Lives Cards
These cards collectively track how many times all players have busted.
Bust Counter: Whenever a player busts (rolls 3 or more Cucumbers), flip over the highest-valued face-up 9-Lives card. This shows that a "life" has been used up. If a player uses a Cucumber token to re-roll, do not flip over a 9-Lives card.
Game End Triggers
When the 9th bust occurs (the last 9-Lives card is flipped) or both treat and toy piles are depleted, the game end is triggered. Finish the current round so everyone has had an equal number of turns.
Scoring
Once the game ends, it's time to tally your points:
- Boxes: Add up the point values of all boxes where you have a Cat token.
- Treats: Add the point value of all Treat tokens you've collected. 1 = 1 point, 2 = 3 points, and 3 = 6 points!
- Toys: Add any points shown on your Toy tokens.
- Cucumbers: Add 1 point for each Cucumber token you have at the end of the game.
The player with the highest score wins! If there is a tie, the player with the most Treats wins!