Ripple
Ripple Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Objective
Collect matches, block sets, and complete combos on your beach to obtain the lowest score. The player with the lowest score after 3 rounds is the winner.
Starting a Round
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Shuffle the deck and deal 10 cards, face-down, to each player. Place the remaining cards face-down in the middle of the table, creating a draw pile. Players should not look at their cards.
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Keeping all cards face-down, each player arranges their 10 cards into 2 horizontal rows of 5 cards, creating their own play area called a "beach". Each player has their own discard pile, so make sure to leave enough room above your beach.
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Each player will choose any 2 cards on their beach and flip them face-up and count the score. The player with the lowest combined score will go first.
On Your Turn
During your turn, take the following actions in order:
Draw (1st)
Draw a card from the draw pile or take the top card from another player's discard pile. You cannot take from your own discard pile.
Play (2nd)
If the card you drew is something you want to keep, choose a spot on your beach and replace the card in that spot, doesn't matter if it is face-up or face-down. Now put the card you are replacing, face-up, into the discard pile.
If you don't want to keep the card you drew, you may discard it and will now choose any face-down card on your beach and flip it over.
2 Player Game: In a 2-player game, each player has 2 discard piles and will alternate between piles each turn. This gives more draw options for the other player.
Types of Cards
In Ripple, there are 2 types of cards, standard cards and combo cards.
Standard Cards
Standard cards make up most of the cards in the game and have point values between 0 - 20.
Each card has a name, point value, and identifying icon. The point value in the top left corner is how many points the card is worth at the end of the round.
Example: A standard Pineapple card is worth 4 points. Standard cards vary in value, but cards with the same icon are worth the same number of points. You will use these cards to create matches, block sets, and combos (Pg 5).
Combo Cards
Combo cards look similar to standard cards but include 2 additional icons and a combo bonus. The additional icons show you which cards you must collect and stack behind the card to complete the combo. If you complete the combo by the end of the round, you get the bonus. If you start but do not finish the combo, the cards are worth face value. You are not required to complete combos, but they give you the ability to get negative points.
The order you stack the cards does not matter. Whenever you stack a card behind a combo, you get another turn, but on your extra turn you may only draw from the draw pile.
Example: The Pineapple combo needs a WAVE and a SUN to complete the combo and be worth -5 points at the end of the round. If you only stacked 1 of the 2 cards by the end of the round, you don't get the bonus and the pineapple as well as the stacked card (sun or wave) is worth face value.
Game Contents: the deck contains 14 different cards (Dolphin, Beach Ball, Boat, Wave, Pineapple, Palm Tree, Turtle, Sun, Fish, Octopus, Castle, Flower, Seashell, Crab). Each of these 14 has 5 standard cards and the following number of combo cards: Dolphin 1, Beach Ball 1, Boat 2, Wave 2, Pineapple 3, Palm Tree 3, Turtle 3, Sun 3, Fish 3, Octopus 3, Castle 2, Flower 2, Seashell 1, Crab 1.
How to Build Your Beach
As you move around cards on your beach, there are a few strategies that will cancel out points or even subtract points from your score. These strategies include matches, block sets, combos, and rippling.
Create a Match
Creating a vertical match with 2 cards that have the same icon will cancel out and is worth 0 points. Standard and combo cards can be mixed to create a match.
If you are in the process of completing a combo and have a card stacked, the combo card on top may still be used to create a vertical match. Cards stacked behind a combo cannot be matched with other cards.
Example: The 2 crabs match and are worth 0 points. Since the combo is not complete, the sun card will be worth its card value of 7 points.
Create a Block Set
A set of four (4) or six (6) matching cards create a block set. A set of 4 is worth -15 points and a set of 6 is worth -20 points.
Example: Block set of 4 = -15. Block set of 6 = -20.
Complete a Combo
Combos are completed by stacking the 2 required cards on the combo card. A complete combo card is worth the combo bonus and the 2 stacked cards are worth 0 points.
Once you stack a card behind a combo card, you can't unstack it. If you don't complete the combo, the combo and the 1 stacked card are each worth face value. You can discard an incomplete or complete combo, along with its stacked cards, just like you would a single card.
Example (Incomplete Combo): the stacked card is worth its face value of 7 and the combo card is worth its face value of 4.
Example (Complete Combo): the two stacked cards are worth 0 each, and the completed combo card is worth the combo bonus of -5.
How to Ripple
At the end of your turn, when the card you are discarding can immediately be used on your beach to create a match or be used in a combo, you can Ripple. That means instead of discarding, you may play the card as if you just drew it and can now create the match or stack it behind a combo. There is no limit to how many times you can Ripple on your turn.
Just like a normal turn, if you Ripple a card and stack it behind a combo, you get to take another turn. A Ripple creating a match does not grant you another turn and you would simply discard the card you replace.
Example: Instead of discarding the sun card, you may "Ripple" the sun card either above the sun card already on your beach to create a match, or you could stack it behind the crab card as part of a combo. This is only possible because you already have a sun card on your beach OR because the combo card requires a sun. If you don't have a spot to place it, you must discard it, even if you want to keep it.
End of the Round
The end of the round is triggered when a player reveals all of the cards on their Beach. Once a player has revealed all of their cards, all other players get one last turn. After your final turn, any remaining face-down cards are flipped face-up and the scoring begins.
Scoring
Scores are tallied at the end of each round. The player to trigger the end of the round must have a score of 0 or less points. If they have a positive score, they must add 10 points to their score. When playing with younger players we recommend omitting the penalty.
To calculate your score, each player totals the points for matches, combos, block sets and then the face value of any remaining cards.
See the Scoring Example below for a detailed example of how to count points.
Scoring Example
- Standard: The Fish is worth 8. The incomplete Dolphin combo is worth 9 as the Dolphin is worth 0 and the Octopus is worth 9. The beach ball is worth 1. Total points for standard cards is 18.
- Combo: The completed Pineapple combo is awarded the combo bonus. This means the entire stack is worth -5 points.
- Match: The 2 Castle cards create a match and cancel out. They are worth 0 points.
- Block Set: The 4 Palm Tree cards create a block set and are worth -15 points.
Total score = -2
End of the Game
The game ends after 3 rounds. The player with the lowest score is the winner. If there is a tie, the player with the lowest score in the final round is the winner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I complete a combo and a block set or match with the same cards?
Yes, you can complete a match or a block set even if you are also completing a combo with the same cards.
If I just rippled a card, but I could also use the card I am replacing, can I Ripple again?
Yes, if at any time you could use the card you are about to discard to create a match or use in a combo, you can Ripple.
Can I replace a face-up card on my beach and then Ripple it?
Yes! If you are about to discard, but could use the card on your beach for a match or combo, you can Ripple!
Can I discard an incomplete combo if I don't want to try and finish it?
Yes, any combo card, along with its stacked cards, can be replaced and discarded like a single card. When placing on your discard pile, the top card is placed on top with any stacked cards underneath.