Ocean Labyrinth Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents
• 1. The Basic Game
  • Aim of the Game
  • Game Set-up
  • Game Procedure
  • Shifting the Pathways
  • Moving a Playing Piece
  • End of the Game
• 2. Variation
• The Game for Younger Children

Contents

• 1 game board
• 34 slider maze tiles
• 24 picture cards
• 4 divers (playing pieces)

There are two variations of the game:

• The basic game: play labyrinth in its well-known original form.
• Variation: extend the game with actions shown on the reverse of some of the maze tiles.

1. The Basic Game

Aim of the Game

In the Ocean Labyrinth, players search for the secrets of the sea. By skilfully moving maze tiles, players try to clear the way to animals, plants or objects and reach them with their diver.

The first player to reach all their targets and to move their diver back to their start square wins the expedition.

Game Set-up

Before the first game, the maze tiles and the picture cards are carefully punched out of the perforated boards.

The maze tiles are mixed, face down, and then placed face up on the empty spaces on the game board, so that a random underwater labyrinth is created. One maze tile will be left over. It is placed next to the game board. This surplus maze tile is used to shift the paths in the labyrinth.

The 24 picture cards are also mixed, face down, and then an equal number is dealt to each player. The players place their picture cards face down in a stack in front of them on the table, without looking at them.

Finally, each player chooses a diver as playing piece and places it on the start/finish square of the same colour.

Game Procedure

Each player looks at their topmost picture card without showing it to the other players.

The game then begins with the youngest player and continues in turns in a clockwise direction.

One turn consists of two steps:

1. inserting the surplus maze tile.
2. moving your own diver.

On your turn, try to reach the square in the labyrinth that depicts the same image as your top picture card. To do this, you always shift one pathway in the labyrinth by inserting the surplus maze tile into the labyrinth, and then move your diver.

Shifting the Pathways

There are 12 arrows around the edge of the game board. They mark the pathways that can be shifted with the help of the surplus maze tile to alter the connections in the labyrinth.

The player whose turn it is decides on a marked pathway and inserts the surplus tile into the labyrinth, so that another tile on the opposite side is pushed out of the labyrinth. The maze tile just pushed out is left at the edge of the game board, until it is the next player's turn to insert it back into the labyrinth.

A maze tile cannot be inserted back in at the same place where the previous player pushed it out!

The surplus maze tile must be inserted into the labyrinth even if you could reach an image without shifting the pathways!

If your playing piece or one of the other players' pieces is pushed off the game board while shifting the pathways, the playing piece must be immediately placed onto the maze tile that has just been inserted at the opposite end. Displacing the playing piece in this way does not count as a turn.

Moving a Playing Piece

After shifting a pathway, move your diver onto any square in the labyrinth you can reach without hindrance. Move as far as you like, including a square already occupied by another player. Both playing pieces may occupy the same square.

If you cannot reach your target (= image on your top picture card) in one turn, then move your diver as far as possible to get the best position for your next turn.

If you reach your picture card image in one turn, then place it face up next to your stack of remaining picture cards. Now take a look at the next picture card of your face-down stack. This is your next target.

Now it is the next player's turn to play in the same order:

• insert the surplus maze tile and then
• move your own diver to try and reach your next target.

End of the Game

The game ends when the first player has reached all their picture cards and has moved their diver back to the start square. This player navigated the underwater world the best and wins the game!

Tip: Some players have difficulty seeing the underwater pathways clearly. If so, it helps to squint a bit.

2. Variation

All rules of the basic game apply in this variation of the game. The following rules are also valid:

Some of the maze tiles have pictures on the reverse that demand an action. These pictures can only be found on those tiles that show a straight path (3x) or a right turn path (3x).

If you push one of these tiles out of the labyrinth, check to see whether the tile has a picture on the reverse. If so, include this action when moving your diver.

The pictures have the following meanings:

• Pufferfish (inflated): You are frightened of the poisonous fish and remain rooted to the spot in this round. In the next round, your turn continues as usual.
• Diving scooter: The diving scooter helps you to move along more quickly! You may take an additional turn! (Insert a maze tile again, move diver.) If a tile with a picture on the reverse is pushed out again in the next turn, this tile is turned over and ignored, in order to avoid a chain reaction!
• Oxygen tank: The air is getting scarce! To take in air you must move to any start square. Your current turn ends there. Next turn, start from there!

The rule for all three actions: if it's your turn, you must carry out the actions!

When playing the variation of the game, players must also return to their start square after reaching all their targets in order to win the game. The first one to do so wins the game.

The Game for Younger Children

When playing the game with younger children, returning the playing piece to the start square can be omitted in both versions. In this case, the game ends as soon as a player (the winner) has reached all their targets.