Räuber Raupe
Räuber Raupe Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Preparing to play
Components: 81 playing cards, made up of 73 caterpillar cards, 4 change cards and 4 butterfly cards.
The caterpillar cards are shuffled well. Any caterpillar card is now placed in the middle of the table as the discard pile. The other cards are dealt out equally to the players. Each player is then dealt one butterfly card and one change card. Excess cards are put back into the box.
All the players now pick up their cards and the game can commence!
How to play
Before starting the game, the youngest player decides whether the cards are played depending on shape or colour. This player shouts out "Shape!" or "Colour!" and turns the card to be played over in the middle of the table.
Good to know: There are 3 different shapes (square, straight and round) as well as 3 different colours (green, red and yellow). These shapes and colours are also represented in the leaves and caterpillars.
Example shape
If the cards have to be played according to shape, a jagged caterpillar has to be placed on the card to be played, then a straight caterpillar on the straight leaf and then a round caterpillar on the round leaf, etc.
Note: the source names the three shapes "square, straight and round" in the "Good to know" note, but calls the first shape "jagged" in the example; both terms are kept as printed.
Playing your cards
The top card of the discard pile displays a caterpillar sitting on a leaf. The shape or colour of the leaf determines which caterpillar has to be played next.
Example colour
If the players have to put down their cards according to their colour, a yellow caterpillar has to be depicted on the card to be played with the yellow leaf, then a red caterpillar on the red leaf and then a yellow caterpillar on the yellow leaf, etc.
Note: the source prints this as "yellow caterpilla" at the end of the example; it is corrected here to "caterpillar".
The cards stack up!
Example: Cards are put down according to shape first of all and then according to colour.
Example: The game is played according to colour.
Caution – the change card!
Certain caterpillars have a blue sky in the background: any player who puts such a caterpillar on the discard pile changes the game – from putting down the caterpillar cards according to "Shape" to "Colour" and vice versa. The player who plays the change card has to announce the change by announcing "Shape!" or "Colour!"
Butterfly card
Butterflies can be used as jokers and be put down on any caterpillar card. A player playing a butterfly card can announce a change. As described under Change Card, this player shouts out "Shape!" or "Colour!" and puts down the next card in their hand.
Aphid
If a caterpillar card with an aphid is put down, the player playing the next card has to shout out "Aphid!" when they play their next card.
Important: The own hand cards can be played on the discard pile with the front and back as described under "Playing your cards". The player's hand cards are searched for the next matching card as quickly as possible. There is no order for the hand cards.
Mistake
Should a player make one of the following mistakes, they receive 3 cards as a punishment from the player that notices the mistake and interrupted the game:
- A card was incorrectly played according to shape or colour
- A player forgot to announce a change
- A player forgot to shout out "Aphid!"
Should the game be incorrectly interrupted, the player responsible receives 3 cards from the accused.
Please note: once play is continued following an interruption, the player that made the mistake cuts the cards on the discard pile and turns these cards over. The caterpillar card now visible on the top card is the new starting card. As before the interruption, the game is continued according to "Colour" or "Shape". Should, by chance, the new card be a butterfly card, the player cuts again.
End of the game and winner
The first player to get rid of all the cards in their hand ends and wins the game!
In rare cases, it may happen that no more hand cards can be discarded. Even then, the game ends immediately and the player with the fewest hand cards wins.
If there is a tie, there are several winners.