Centrix
Centrix Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- 1 Plastic Base
- 6 Multi-colored Rotatable Rings (carefully punch these out before playing the first time)
- 18 Player Pawns, 3 of each in 6 different colors
- Deck of 42 Playing Cards:
- 36 cards in 6 differnet colors, numbered 1, 2 or 3
- 3 'any-color no-spin' wild cards
- 3 'unlimited-spin any-color' wild cards
Set Up
- Arrange the game board rings on the plastic base, so that the colors line up, as shown on the right. Choose either side of the rings. There is no difference in game play.
- Each player takes three pawns of the same color.
- Shuffle the cards and deal 3 to each player.
How to Play
The youngest player goes first.
Each player begins with all three pawns on the table (not on the game board).
During the game, cards are used to rotate the game board rings and move pawns onto the board and up the levels until reaching the top.
On your turn, you will play a card, using it to rotate a ring, move a pawn, or both. Then, you may play a second card and even a third.
Numbers on the cards tell you how many spaces you may (optionally) rotate the ring your pawn is currently standing on, after which you may 'climb' your pawn up a level (possibly jumping over other players or bumping them down to lower levels).
The color of the space on which you place your pawn must match the color of the card you just played. Wild-cards are considered to be any color.
Other players cannot be bumped off the bottom first level, or from the top central level (pawns here are considered 'safe').
After you have played as many of your three cards as you can play, your turn ends and you draw new cards for a total of three cards in your hand. Then the next player takes a turn.
Play continues in this manner until one player is the first to move all three of their pawns to the topmost central level. The remaining players may continue playing to see who gets 2nd, 3rd and 4th place.
Card Play
There are 3 types of cards in the deck:
Numbered Color Cards are the main cards used in the game. They have two functions: rotating the rings of the game board and moving pawns.
Rotating Rings: The number on each card indicates how many spaces you may rotate the ring your pawn is currently standing on. You may rotate the ring in either direction, and you must rotate the exact number of spaces shown on the card that was played. Rotating is optional, but if you choose to rotate, you must do so before moving your pawn.
Moving Pawns: After you have rotated a ring (or decided not to do so), you may move your pawn (see Pawn Movement below). The space to which your pawn moves must match the color of the card played.
Any Color Wild Cards allow you to move a single pawn up, down or to an adjacent space, regardless of the color of the space.
Just like the Number Cards, this card allows you to climb, jump and bump (see Pawn Movement, below), as well as allowing you to reach the final 7th level.
You may not rotate a ring when playing this card.
Unlimited Spin, Any Color Wild Cards allow you to rotate one ring (optionally) any number of spaces in either direction, provided that you have a pawn on that ring. You may then move your pawn (see Pawn Movement below).
If you do not wish to rotate a ring, you may still play this card as if it were an any color wild card, as described previously.
Pawn Movement
Pawns always move by one space: up, down or sideways, and two pawns may never occupy the same space.
Jumping: A pawn can jump over one or more pawns, as long as the color of the card played is the same color as the space that the pawn lands on.
Jumping can begin with the first move onto the board and even onto the top level.
Bumping: If the space above, below or adjacent to a pawn you are about to move is occupied by another player's pawn, you may bump that pawn down two levels by playing a card whose color matches the space and then moving your own pawn onto that space.
If another pawn occupies the space that you just bumped your opponent's pawn down to, then that pawn will also be bumped down two levels (even if it is your own pawn). Pawns may be bumped completely off the board.
You cannot jump over a pawn to bump another (you may never jump and bump in the same move).
When first placing a pawn onto the board, you may place it on an empty space or jump other pawns, but you may not bump pawns sitting on the first level.
Game Play Examples
You are dealt the following 3 cards:
You can play the yellow card, placing your pawn on a first level yellow space, if it is unoccupied and likewise, play the red card to place a pawn on a red space and the green card to occupy a green space with the third pawn.
Alternatively, starting from game board set-up:
- Play the yellow card, placing your pawn on one of the bottom yellow spaces;
- Play the red card and rotate the bottom level ring two spaces counter-clockwise to move that same pawn up to the red space; and
- Then play the green card, rotate the second level ring three spaces clockwise, giving that pawn a third move and landing on a third level green space.
At this point your turn is done, you have one pawn on the third level and two pawns not yet in play.
End of Game
- From the 6th ring level, play any numbered color card that matches the color of your pawns or any of the wild cards to move up to the 7th safe level at the center of the game board.
- As you approach the sixth level, think about holding back your key color cards and wild cards to enable you to enter the top level quickly, so you're not left waiting for the right card, especially as you climb your last pawn up.
- If you cannot play a card at the sixth level, discard your hand and draw a new set of three cards for your next turn.
- You can jump over other pawns and up to the 7th safe level.
- Your pawns cannot be removed, once they reach the top level.
- When all three pawns are at the top, you're done, and if you're the first to accomplish this, you win the game.
House Rules
- Instead of playing your color card to reach the 7th level, end play on the 6th ring and occupy that space permanently, making it increasingly difficult for other pawns to climb up to a 6th level space – the first with 3 pawns on level 6 wins.
- Deal three cards, but play only one card per turn, replenishing up to three each time, for a faster game.