Downspin Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• The First Time You Play
• Get Ready!
• Win!
• Let's Play!
• Variations
  • Advanced Game
  • Quicker Game

Components

• Launcher
• Chute
• DOWNSPIN unit
• 5 "A" gears
• 5 "B" gears
• 20 tokens and plastic token bag
• 2 keys

The First Time You Play

1. Carefully twist the keys to remove them from the unit. If needed, use an emery board or sandpaper to remove any excess plastic.
2. Insert the DOWNSPIN unit into the chute. Slide the unit back until it locks into place.
3. Attach the launcher to the top of the DOWNSPIN unit and push down until it clicks into place.
4. Insert the "A" gears into the "A" side of the DOWNSPIN unit, making sure to match the numbers on the gears with the numbers on the unit. Push the gears in until they click into place.
5. Insert the "B" gears into the "B" side of the unit, making sure to line up the notches on the inside of the gears so the gears slide all the way into the slots. (The "B" gears will not click into place.)
6. Carefully remove the tokens from the plastic frames. If needed, use an emery board or sandpaper to remove excess plastic from the tokens. Discard the frames after removing the tokens.

Get Ready!

Before you start playing, always align the arrows on all five of the gears with the arrows on the DOWNSPIN unit.

Win!

Continue playing until someone gets all 10 of their tokens into their chute (the tokens can be in any order). The first player to do this is the winner!

Let's Play!

1. Place the DOWNSPIN unit between you and your opponent, with each player facing a set of gears. Each player then takes a key and two sets of tokens.

2. Each player places all 10 of their tokens in the launcher on their side of the unit: five tokens in the right launcher, and five tokens in the left launcher. (Disregard the numbers on the tokens; you can place them in the launcher in any order.)

3. The youngest player goes first. Choose any gear and use your key to slowly turn that gear in either direction as far around as you like. Leave your key in the gear when you are done.

   Note:

   • Once you have started turning a gear, you must continue in the same direction. However, you can stop turning at any time.
   • You can continue turning your gear even after a token falls to the next gear or into your chute.
   • Think ahead! The slots on each gear are positioned differently on either side of the unit, so when you turn a gear, you may be unknowingly helping your opponent get their tokens down into their chute!

4. Now it's your opponent's turn! They may choose any gear to turn EXCEPT the gear that contains your key; players cannot turn the gear that their opponent just turned. When your opponent is finished turning, they will leave the key in the gear they turned.

5. After your opponent's turn, remove your key and turn any gear you'd like, except the one your opponent just turned. When you are done, leave your key in the gear. (You may turn the same gear you turned on your previous turn if you wish.)

   Important:

   • Your tokens can take any route to reach the chute. They don't have to go through every gear!
   • The only time you can turn the same gear as your opponent and push their key out is on your winning move; your winning move is when turning a gear will send your last token into the chute.

Variations

Advanced Game

• For a greater challenge, load each token set in numeric order, 1 to 5, in each launcher. Then try to get one token set down before the other, in numeric order!
• Don't worry if the tokens get jumbled along the way. They just need to drop into the chute in the correct order.
• The winner is the first player to get all of their tokens into their chute in color and numeric order. If a token falls into your chute out of order, the other player immediately wins.

Quicker Game

• Give each player only five tokens. The first player to get all five of their tokens into their chute is the winner!