Heli Hopper Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• The Flying Tops
• The Idea
• Preparations
• Game Play
• Action Fields
• End of Game

The Flying Tops

Small, delicate umbrellas, which fly high or far, may be started the wrong way around, ascend and descend like parachutes, and can do more flight acrobatics, are only used for homing in Heli Hopper.

For this purpose, one places the umbrella on the table - just like a top - uses the fingers to rotate it clockwise, at the same time pulling it slightly upwards. Just like that, it quietly lifts off and lands softly. You can influence the flight direction by slightly inclining it in the direction in which it is to fly. The flight distance depends on the speed with which the top is turned.

The Idea

If you handle your flying top with skill, you may achieve high scores and therefore reach the goal on the number spiral first with your figure. Be careful though, because the fields with the subtrahends, which reduce the result, are next to the high factors!

Preparations

Each player chooses a figure and takes the top of the same color. All active figures are placed in front of the start field (1) in the beginning. Before the game is started, each player may make some test flights with the Heli Hopper!

Game Play

The youngest player begins.

She rotates her top and tries to let the flying Heli Hopper land in one of the goal fields in the middle of the plan. The Heli Hopper is placed on the table with the rubber tip, about a hand's width from the edge of the game plan, and started from there. It is not allowed to start directly on the game plan during the game, or to let the Heli Hopper start flying in the air.

• If she does not hit the game plan at all, she may try again once.
• If she hits the game plan, but not a field, it is the next player's turn.
• If she hits a field whose number has a multiplication sign, she may multiply the number on which the figure is found (always 1 at the beginning of the game) with the number hit and move her figure forward by the result. Example: 1 x 3 = 3, i.e. 3 fields forward.
• If she hits a field whose number has a plus sign, she may add the number on which the figure is found to the number hit and advance by the result. Example: 1 + 4 = 5, i.e. 5 fields forward.
• If she hits a field showing -1, she must subtract 1 from the number on which the figure is found, and then advance by the result. Examples: 1 - 1 = 0, i.e. she must stay where the figure is. But: 4 - 1 = 3, i.e. 3 fields forward.
• If any move field is accidentally hit, the figure must move one field backward.

If you move forward by the result and come to stand on a field that is already occupied, you go on the next free field. Important: After the end of a turn, remove the top from the board.

It is always good to remember on which field one's own figure is found, because the flying umbrella may overturn a figure.

Action Fields

If a pilot hits one of the colored fields, one of the following actions is triggered:

• Red: Close one eye and start your target flight with your flying top only then!
• Blue: If you are right-handed, turn the top with your left hand - and if you are left-handed, turn the top with your right hand (and don't forget: always rotate the umbrella clockwise!).
• Green: You may let your Heli Hopper fly three times in a row. Only the calculating fields count as target fields. Your figure is moved immediately according to the result (no chain calculation).
• Yellow: Take your top and put it down three hand's widths from the plan, then you may start your flight.
• Magenta: Announce! Announce which field you want to hit before your flight, e.g. "I will hit +4." If you land on a +4 field, you may proceed one step further than your result shows. If you do not hit, you must stay, no matter on which field the flying top land.
• Purple: Hey, everyone starts at the same time. Whoever has the highest (calculation) result may advance.
• White: In addition to a flight, the last one of the players, after you, may start his Heli Hopper. If you are the last one yourself, it is your turn twice in a row.
• Black: Joker! You may simply advance by 4 fields!

End of Game

Whoever reaches the goal field first is the winner of the flying and calculating competition!