Cranium Junior
Cranium Junior Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Object of the Game
Be the first to get four tokens in a row—across, up, down, or diagonally—to win!
Get Ready
- Set out the game board, pad and pencil, tokens, SOLO cards, COMBO cards, timer, Cranium Clay, decoder goggles, and die.
- Each player chooses a token color and takes all the tokens of this color. (If you have more than four players, see the special instructions for team play below.)
- You're ready to play Kid Cranium! The youngest player goes first.
On Your Turn
- Roll the die to see which kind of card you get—SOLO or COMBO.
- Draw your own card and read it out loud so everyone can hear you. Your card tells you what to do and how to place your tokens if you succeed.
- When you're ready, start the timer and do your Kid Cranium challenge.
- Did you beat the timer? Congratulations! Place your tokens.
- Pass the die to the player on your left. Your turn ends after one card.
If You Succeed on a SOLO Card
Way to go! Put one token on any open spot. No one can place a token on top of yours.
If You Succeed on a COMBO Card
Excellent! You put one token on any open spot, and the player who shouted out the right answer puts a token on top of yours. Both of you can use this spot to go for your four-in-a-row win. If nobody guesses correctly, you may not place tokens on the board.
How to Win
If you're first to get four tokens in a row, you win! But you can win only on a SOLO card! If you have three tokens in a row and roll a COMBO, you still get to place tokens if you succeed—just not on the spot that would complete your four in a row. Only a SOLO card gives you a chance to go for the winning spot.
For Example
Blue would have to roll a SOLO to play for this spot and get four tokens in a row to win.
If Orange shouts out Blue's COMBO answer, Blue can't choose this spot, because it would give Orange a four-in-a-row win on a COMBO.
What If Nobody Gets Four in a Row?
This happens sometimes. Keep playing until the board is full. The player with the most tokens on the board wins the game.
Team Play
If you have more than four players, you can play Kid Cranium in teams. A team can be any number of people, from one to four or more.
When it's your team's turn, roll the die and draw your SOLO or COMBO card.
- If your team rolls a SOLO, you and your teammates do the challenge on the card together. The other teams watch and check your answer.
- If your team rolls a COMBO, choose one player on your team to do the challenge while all the other teams try to guess. (The people on your team don't guess.) If another team shouts out the correct answer, both teams place tokens on the board. Your team chooses the spot.
Component Notes
- Cranium Clay: If spilled, remove excess Cranium Clay, allow to dry, then scrape or vacuum deposits away. Always put clay back in container after play.
- Decoder Goggles: Caution: Do not look directly at sun while wearing goggles.
- Notice: Cranium Clay contains wheat.