Crash Octopus
Crash Octopus Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Objective
You are a valiant sailor determined to collect the treasures scattered across the ocean by skillfully flicking them using flags. Race to collect 5 types of treasure (including the Captain!) while hindering rival sailors by making use of attacks from the giant octopus.
Treasure types: Captain, Goblet, Gold, Gem, Chest.
Preparation
Components
Octopus Head 1 / Tentacles 8 / Ink Die 1 / Crab 1 / Octo-Counter (String, Black Beads, Blue Beads 10) / Flags 8 (2 per color + spare) / Ships 4 (1 per color) / Anchor 4 (1 per color) / Captain 4 / Goblet 4 / Gold 4 / Gem 4 / Chest 4
- Spread out the string in a circle and set up the "ocean area."
- Set up the Octo-Counter by lining up the beads and standing the crab at the blue end as shown in the illustration. The beads may not be in the correct order during setup. Move them around the string so as to arrange them in the order shown: Start (blue beads) → Finish (black beads).
- Place the octopus head in the middle of the ocean area and surround it with eight tentacles, keeping equal distances between them. Place the tentacles about 2 head distances away from the octopus head. Tentacles should be spaced evenly from each other.
- Place sets of (ship + anchor) surrounding the tentacles, one for each player. Anchors should be placed adjacently to their ships. Then, stand the flags of the corresponding color on each anchor.
- Treasure pieces and Ink Die should all be placed outside of the ocean area.
For 2 players, use 3 sets of treasure (15 pieces); for 3 to 4 players, use 4 sets (all 20 pieces).
- The player who has encountered an octopus most recently is the starting player (and turn order proceeds clockwise from there. Players may freely move to any position around the table to take their turn). The first player holds all the treasure pieces in her hands, and drops them all together over the octopus head, scattering them across the ocean. Any pieces that went out of the ocean area should be gathered and dropped together over the octopus head again.
- From the last in playing order to the first (in reverse turn order), players choose one ship and take the flag from the chosen ship. Once everybody has chosen a flag, you're set to begin.
How to Use the Flags
In this game, players use the flags to flick pieces. Before you begin, take a moment to practice flicking with the flags. Spin the flag pole and flick the pieces!
Order of Play
Each turn, players choose either to "Flick a Treasure" or "Navigate." Once the turn ends, "Octo-Attack" takes place depending on the Octo-Counter status.
What a player can do during a turn:
- Flick a Treasure, or Navigate
- Flick a Treasure → Missed the Ship → End of Turn
- Flick a Treasure → Hit the Ship → Load the Treasure → Move the Octo-Counter
- Blue → End of Turn
- Black → Octopus Attack (all players drop the Ink Die once) → End of Turn
- Navigate → End of Turn
Turns continue until game end conditions are met.
The game ends if either of the following conditions have been met at the end of any player's turn:
- The player has collected 5 types of treasure! The player who's collected all 5 treasure types wins.
- Octo-Counter has reached the end. The player with the most treasures wins.
Flick a Treasure
On your turn, you may flick one treasure in the ocean area using your flag. If you can hit your ship with the treasure, you may load it onto your ship. The anchor does not count as part of the ship. When loading a treasure, use your hands. If the treasure doesn't hit your ship, your turn ends immediately.
- Misses the ship → End of Turn.
- Hits the ship! → Load the Treasure. (Placing of treasures onto your ship is called "loading.")
If you accidentally hit an opponent's ship with a treasure and knock off any loaded treasures, the opponent puts the fallen pieces back onto their ship (not including the piece that hit their ship).
Wait a Sec! There are certain treasures you can't flick
Not all treasures can be flicked. The giant octopus is keeping a watchful eye on you, not letting anyone collect the treasures so easily.
BAD No.1 — You can't flick the treasure that is closest to your ship
You may only flick a treasure that is 2nd closest or further from your ship. However, you may hit the closest treasure indirectly by hitting it with another treasure that is further away.
BAD No.2 — You can't flick a treasure type that you've already loaded onto your ship
Even if an already-loaded treasure type hits your ship indirectly, you may not load it onto your ship. (The anchor is irrelevant when measuring the distance to your ship.)
If your flick causes loaded treasures to topple
When a treasure hits your ship, it may topple previously-loaded treasure on your ship. When this happens, you may load the treasure that you've just hit the ship with, but all of the toppled treasures must remain wherever they are in the ocean. The toppled treasures belong to no one again, and can be collected by any player (all basic rules still apply).
Point! When loading, restack & stabilize treasures!
When loading a treasure, you may also adjust previously-loaded treasure to make room for the new piece or stabilize the pieces.
After Loading a Treasure, Move the Octo-Counter
If a treasure successfully hits your ship, load it and move the Octo-Counter. The crab is the indicator and Counter. Move it forward by one, regardless of the color of the bead the crab is stepping over.
You should never move the crab backward, even if you topple previously-loaded treasure.
If the crab steps over a blue bead, the turn ends. If it steps over a black bead, "Octopus Attack" begins.
Other Rules on Flicking
- If you can't tell which treasure is closest to your ship, you may choose which one to flick (with the consent of other players).
- You can flick a treasure that is closest to an opponent's ship (if it's not the closest to yours).
- If multiple treasures hit your ship at once, choose one of them to load onto your ship.
- Even if you hit an opponent's ship with a treasure, it won't be loaded onto the ship. If any treasures fall off of an opponent's ship as a result of your flicking, the opponent puts them all back on their ship.
- If any treasure goes out of the ocean area as a result of your flicking, or if you mistakenly flick a treasure you were not allowed to under the rules, the previous player (in playing order) takes that treasure and drops it over the octopus head to return it to the ocean immediately.
- If you hit a loaded treasure on your ship with a treasure you flicked, it counts as hitting your ship, and you may load it onto your ship.
- Even if a treasure that hits your ship goes out of the ocean area, you may still load it onto your ship.
- Any tentacle that was knocked over by a flicked treasure will be left as it is until a player chooses to move it to a new location during "Octopus Attack". When moved, it should be stood upright in the new location.
- If you accidentally topple treasures from any ship by touching them with your hand or flag, put them back on that ship.
Octopus Attack
If the crab steps over a black bead after treasure has been loaded, Octopus Attack takes place. Starting from the player after the one who has loaded a treasure and moved the crab, each player gets to drop the Ink Die onto the octopus head once. The Octopus Attack ends when the last player (who moved the crab and triggered the attack) has finished dropping the die. Once every player has done it, turns go back to normal and it's the next player's turn.
In a 2 player-game, players alternate dropping one die on their turn, until they have each dropped the die twice.
Once all players from A→D finish dropping the Ink Die, A resumes the game with a normal turn.
3 Actions You Can Attempt during an "Octopus Attack"
Drop the Ink Die from above so that it hits the octopus head. The player dropping the die can aim for one of the following resulting actions. But you won't know the outcome until it drops!
Attack the Ship!
If you can hit an opponent's ship with the die, the Octopus Attack is successful. Any treasures that fell in the ocean must stay where they are, and the game continues (these can be flicked again by players later on). You cannot move the octopus head or tentacles when the attack is successful.
Move a Tentacle!
If the attack isn't successful and the top of the die shows black, choose one tentacle and move it adjacently to the die. You may choose any tentacle (even the last one that was moved) and move it anywhere adjacent to the die. Place the tentacle upright. After moving, make sure to take away the die. Don't let the octopus touch any ship or treasure.
Move the Octopus Head!
If the attack isn't successful and the top of the die shows red, move the octopus head adjacent to the die. You can move it to any location as long as it is adjacent to the die.
Point! Can you control the Ink Die?
You may drop the Ink Die anywhere on the octopus head. If you drop it on the side, it will likely roll in that direction. Depending on the height where you release it, the distance and speed of the roll will change. Do your best in rolling the die towards where you want.
Not all interactions are friendly on the high seas! Players are free to conspire with one another, form alliances against others, etc. — but only one winner will emerge!
Other Rules of Octopus Attack
- If the Ink Die rolls out of the ocean area, you may not move the octopus head nor a tentacle, and you may not drop the die again. However, if Attacking a Ship was successful, it will be valid regardless.
- If the die hits your own ship and topples loaded treasure, it still counts as a successful Attack on a Ship (you may not move the octopus in this case).
- If anyone knocks over a tentacle, leave it as it is and continue the game.
- If you chose to move a knocked-over tentacle, stand it upright in its new location.
- If the die you dropped didn't hit the octopus head, the Octopus Attack is considered failed. It will be the next player's turn to drop, and you may not redo a drop.
- If you can't find any space to move the octopus head or a tentacle because of the ships or treasures surrounding the die, you may not move it to a new location. Put the octopus piece back in its current location and end your turn.
- If you cause any treasure to roll out of the ocean area during your Octopus Attack, the previous player (in turn order) collects it and drops it over the octopus head, putting it back into the ocean (if there are multiple, drop them all at once).
- If the Ink Die knocks over a ship, stand it back up.
- If the Ink Die lands tilted on the string or a treasure and the players cannot tell what the roll is, the roll is invalid. You may not reroll.
Navigate
Instead of flicking a treasure, you may navigate your ship. When you navigate, flick the anchor with your flag. Then, move your ship to any location adjacent to your anchor. You may adjust the location of your loaded treasures when you do this. You may place the ship anywhere adjacent to the anchor.
Even if your anchor moves away from your ship during play, continue the game without adjusting either piece. When you choose to "Navigate," flick your anchor from wherever it is in the ocean.
"Navigate" can be effective in these circumstances
- Better Position! Move your ship to a better position when you can't load a treasure — because your opponent's ship is in your way, or because the treasure you want is closest to your ship.
- Escape from the Octopus! When the octopus head is close to your ship and you're sensing danger, move away from that location to avoid a potential attack.
- Block the Opponent! If there is a treasure you don't want your opponent to collect, move your ship between the treasure and the opponent's ship to block their way.
Other Rules on "Navigation"
- If the anchor hits your or an opponent's ship and topples loaded treasures, put them all back on the ship. Then move your ship to the new anchor location.
- If the anchor gets knocked out of the ocean area, the navigation has failed. Put the anchor back in its original location and end your turn.
- Even if the anchor indirectly causes a treasure to hit your ship, it may not be loaded onto your ship.
End of the Game & Winning Conditions
If any player collects all 5 treasure types, or if the Octo-Counter reaches the end, the game is over (please see Important Note below). The winning order is determined by how many treasures have been collected by each player.
- All 5 treasure types loaded! Congratulations!
- Octo-Counter Reaches the End! Game Over!
If the number of treasure types is tied
If the number of loaded treasure types is tied between players, the following hierarchy determines the winning order: Captain > Goblet > Gold > Gem > Chest (if the first type is tied, move to the second, etc.)
Important Note
If the Octo-Counter indicates black after you load your fifth treasure type, "Octopus Attack" still takes place. If your ship still has five loaded treasure types after this final round of "Octopus Attack," you are the winner. However if any of your treasures are toppled and lost during this attack, the game will continue. If the game ends by the Octo-Counter reaching its end, the final Octopus Attack is still played, after which the winning order is determined based on the number of collected types of treasure.
Miscellaneous Rules
- When flicking a treasure or anchor near the edge of the ocean area, you may adjust the string slightly to allow space for flicking.
- The only occasion you are allowed to topple an opponents' loaded treasures is during Octopus Attack. If you accidentally topple any of an opponent's treasure by flicking a treasure/anchor, or when returning treasures back to the ocean, all toppled pieces will be placed back onto their ship by the opponent.
- When returning treasures back to the ocean, if anything drops without hitting the octopus head, it should be dropped again by the player before the one who dropped the treasure (and so on, if multiple players miss).
- If a tentacle or a ship goes out of the ocean area, immediately put it back inside in a location that is closest to the place it went out.