M is for Mouse
M is for Mouse Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- 5 boards
Each player receives a board, which they lay face up in front of them. The 26 letters of the alphabet are printed on each board. Each letter is also the initial letter of the object pictured beneath it: A for Apple, B for Banana, C for Computer, D for Dolphin, and so on.
Note: there are no pictured objects for the letters Q, X and Y. These three letters are on the boards only for completeness and do not occur in the actual game.
Tip: before the first game, it is advisable to go through all the objects and their initial letters in detail so that everyone knows what is meant.
- 30 chips
- 23 cards
Each card shows two objects and two (non-matching) initial letters.
Game Idea
During play, the players must form pairs. A pair always consists of an object and its corresponding initial letter. When a player forms a pair (exactly two cards are always needed), he calls out loud and clearly the name of the object and the corresponding initial letter.
Three examples:
- Lisa forms a pair and says: "K for Suitcase."
- Fabian forms a pair and says: "O for Ear."
- Sarah forms a pair and says: "D for Dolphin."
Very important: two identical letters or two identical objects do not count as a pair!
- Two jackets are not a pair.
- Two Gs are not a pair.
Game Variant A
The cards are shuffled. Each player takes 3 cards into their hand. Three cards are laid face up side by side in the middle of the table. The remaining cards form a face-down stack beside them. The chips are placed next to the three face-up cards.
The oldest player begins. He must now try to form a pair with one of the cards in his hand and one of the three face-up cards in the middle of the table. He may freely choose which of his three hand cards and which card in the middle he uses. He may also freely choose whether the object is on his hand card and the corresponding letter is in the middle, or the other way round (letter on the hand card and the corresponding object in the middle). He shows the relevant hand card and calls out loud and clearly the object concerned and its initial letter. He then places a chip on the card in the middle with which he formed his pair, exactly on the letter or object used there. Note: the letter or object that has a chip on it may not be used again to form a pair later in the game.
Finally, the player takes back his shown card into his hand.
Example: "S for Saw"
Fabian shows his hand card and names the pair he forms with the S on his hand card and the saw on the middle card in the middle of the table. He then places a chip on the saw; this saw may not be used again to form a pair. Fabian takes his card back into his hand.
Now the next player clockwise has his turn and must likewise try to form a pair, using any of his hand cards and any card in the middle of the table. He then also places a chip on the relevant spot on the card in the middle and takes his shown card back into his hand.
Example: "H for Hammer"
Sarah shows one of her hand cards and names the pair she forms with the hammer on her hand card and the H on the right-hand card in the middle of the table. She then places a chip on the H; this H may not be used again to form a pair. (On the far-left card there is another H; a further pair may be formed with that H later in the game.) Sarah takes her card back into her hand.
Play continues in turn in the way described. More and more chips lie on the cards in the middle, and there is less and less choice for forming a pair. A player who cannot form a pair must pass and drops out for this round. The others continue to play. The player who remains last in the round wins the round.
The winner of the round sets any one of his hand cards aside at the edge of the table and from then on plays with one card fewer. The three cards from the middle of the table are also set aside at the edge of the table. Now three new cards are turned up from the stack and laid face up side by side in the middle of the table. All chips are placed beside them. The winner of the previous round begins the next round.
Rounds continue in this way, round after round. If the face-down stack runs out, all the cards that have been set aside are shuffled and laid down as a new face-down stack.
Rounds are played until a player is allowed to give up his last card. This player is the winner.
Game Variant B
One player is chosen as the game leader (Spielleiter), who also takes part in the game. The game leader shuffles all the cards, places one face up in the middle of the table, and holds the rest as a face-down stack in his hand. The game leader now turns over a second card and lays it face up next to the card in the middle.
Important: turning over and laying down the card must be done as quickly as possible, so that all players can see the card at the same time.
All players now try as quickly as possible to find a pair and call it out loud. If nobody finds a pair, the game leader turns over another card and lays it face up next to the other cards. A further card is laid face up in the middle in this way each time, until someone finds a pair and calls it out loud. The player who calls out a pair first receives all the face-up cards on the table, except one, as his prize. He takes the cards and places them face down beside himself.
The game leader now turns over another card and lays it next to the one card remaining in the middle. The game continues in the described way until the stack is completely used up. The player with the most cards is the winner.
Game Variant C
The chips are distributed completely and evenly among the players. With 4 players, 2 chips remain over; they are not needed and are put back into the box.
The cards are shuffled and 8 cards are distributed face down in the middle of the table. One player gives a start signal, and all players quickly turn the 8 cards face up.
All players now play at the same time (more or less wildly together) and try to form pairs and call them out loud. When someone calls out a pair, he simultaneously points with his fingers at it, and then places one of his chips on the letter of the pair he named. That letter may not be used again.
Each player tries to form as many pairs as possible and to get rid of as many of his chips as possible. When nobody can form a pair any more, the round ends. Rounds are played in this way until someone has got rid of his last chip. This player is the winner.