Robo Run Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• 1. Components
• 2. Game Description
• 3. Game Setup
  • Player Board and Abilities
  • Board Preparation
• 4. Scenario Gameplay
  • 4.1. Action Phase
    • Action Card
    • Equipment Card
  • Gates
  • Movement Rules
  • 4.2. Cleanup Phase
  • 4.3. Event Phase
  • 4.4. New Robot Phase
• 5. End of Game
• 6. Tokens and Special Spaces
  • Tokens
  • Special Spaces
• 7. Special Abilities
• 8. Single Scenario Mode
• Player Aid
• Map Creator
• Accomplishments

1. Components

• 6 Action cards, double-sided
• 4 Event cards
• 10 Equipment cards
• 5 campaign books
• 20 wooden pawns
  • 4 good robots
    • 2 Green robots
    • 2 Red robots
  • 16 bad robots
    • 4 White robots
    • 4 Purple robots
    • 8 Blue robots
• 2 player boards, double-sided, dry-erase
• 2 card stands
• 1 erasable marker
• 42 tokens
  • 1 BEEP & 1 PASS
  • 1 Equipment
  • 1 Experience
  • 2 Key
  • 4 Wall
  • 1 Laser
  • 4 sets of 6 Number tokens
  • 5 Energy
  • 2 Production Lines
• 1 rulebook

2. Game Description

ROBO RUN is a two-player cooperative game, where players take on the role of good robots in a factory full of hostile bad robots that want to destroy them. Players, by alternately playing cards, move all robots on the board so that the good robots reach the exit.

Due to total conspiracy, communication between players is very limited. Players cannot talk about their plans during the game.

ROBO RUN consists of independent Campaigns. Each Campaign has 5 consecutive scenarios, between which players keep track of their progress. Each scenario introduces some variety to the gameplay through special rules and additional elements. Additionally, at the end of each Campaign, there is a special sixth scenario, much more difficult than the rest. Playing it is optional.

Estimated time to play one Campaign: 2 – 2.5 hours.

3. Game Setup

1. Place the chosen Campaign book in the middle of the table. (You should sit opposite the other player.) Open it to the first scenario.
2. Choose your robot's color between yourselves and take the dedicated Player board and card stand in the corresponding color. Place the stand and Player board (on the chosen side) in front of you.
3. Shuffle the Event cards and place them face down next to the Campaign, forming the Event deck.
4. Shuffle the Equipment cards and place them face down next to the Campaign, forming the Equipment deck.
5. Shuffle the Action cards (mix fronts and backs as well) and deal 3 to each player, then place them in the stands so that each of you sees one side of your cards and the other side of the other player's cards.
6. Create a general supply next to the Campaign with all the tokens, robot pawns, and the erasable marker.
7. Unlock one of your skills on your Player boards. You have two options (each player makes an independent choice):
   • 7.1 Unlock one of the special abilities. Use the marker to make a checkmark next to the chosen ability. Then place an Energy token on space "1" of the Energy track 7.3.
   • 7.2 Unlock the highest locked level of the CHIP ability. Use the marker to make a checkmark next to the ability. Then place an Energy token on space "1" of the Energy track 7.3.

Player Board and Abilities

The Player board consists of two sides representing a unique robot with special abilities. It is up to the player to choose which robot to play during the Campaign.

Once chosen, the side cannot be changed during the Campaign!

All special abilities are described in chapter 7.

Each robot has:

• Four unique special abilities that can be unlocked during gameplay.
• A CHIP that can be developed during gameplay by unlocking its subsequent levels.

Each special ability:

• Unlocks by collecting the Experience token and marking it with a checkmark. The ability is unlocked for the entire Campaign.
• Needs energy to be activated, collected on the Energy track. After using one ability, move the marker one space left on the Energy track.

A special ability of a robot can only be activated during the turn of the player controlling this robot. An ability may be used only if it is unlocked and the player has at least one Energy—an ability that does not meet both of these conditions is unavailable. To use an ability, move one space left on the Energy track.

The CHIP has levels, one of which is available from the start of the game. It is activated via Action cards—therefore it only has a place to mark the unlocking of a given level. When a player decides to develop the CHIP, they mark a checkmark on the first locked level from the top. Once marked, they have an additional option available when performing an action.

And equally important—don't forget to name your robots!

Board Preparation

Each scenario has its own flavor intro and special rules, which may affect the setup and course of the game. Read them before setting up the map!

1. Place the BEEP and PASS tokens on their dedicated spaces with the available (green) side up.
2. Place the indicated robots on the Support space.
3. Place robot pawns (good and bad) on their starting spaces of the map according to the printed symbols.
4. Place other tokens on the map according to the printed symbols and as indicated by special rules.
5. Robots will appear later on the spaces marked with the round-1, round-2, and round-3 symbols on the map!

4. Scenario Gameplay

The goal of each scenario is to lead all good robots to the exit before time runs out, avoiding contact with bad robots along the way. Each scenario consists of a maximum of 4 rounds. Players automatically fail the scenario if:

• One of the good robots is destroyed.
• Any good robots have failed to exit the factory after 4 rounds.

If the last good robot manages to leave, the scenario ends automatically, and players pass the scenario.

Round Breakdown:

1. Action Phase
2. Cleanup Phase
3. Event Phase
4. New Robot Phase

In round 4, only the first phase is performed.

During the scenario, players may not speak to each other. Throughout the entire game, the only possibility of communication is by using the BEEP token and a specific Equipment card.

4.1. Action Phase

In this phase, players alternately play action cards to move robots on the map. Players continue until there are no cards left on their stands, or one of the pass/fail conditions described above is met. The player playing the Action card is the active player, the other is the teammate. The person who sees a better move becomes the first active player.

On their turn, the active player must:

• Choose one of the visible cards (on their own stand or their teammate's) and place it in front of them with the previously visible side face up (do not change its orientation!). If this is a subsequent card, cover the previously played card with it, and then resolve the newly selected card.
• OR – Use the PASS token by flipping it to its exhausted (red) side, and then the teammate continues the game—this action is possible to perform only once per round. If the PASS token on the scenario is already exhausted (red) side up, this option is unavailable.

On their turn, at any moment, including while resolving an Action card, the active player may:

• Use a special ability.
• Use a possessed Equipment card.

You may do it several times in any combination.

Action Card

Action cards are used to move robots on the map. They are resolved from top to bottom, left to right. All decisions are made by the active player. Action cards consist of a maximum of three parts (not all appear on all cards):

• Top part: always refers to the active player's robots.
• Middle part: always refers to the teammate's robots.
• Bottom part: always refers to bad robots.

Each part consists of a maximum of two movement actions.

The orientation of symbols is always considered from the perspective of the active player, not the owner of the robot. The yellow side of the cards always has a move for the active player's robot, and the blue side has one for the teammate.

All robots that are the same color must perform the same move during a single movement action.

Action Card Symbols:

• My robot: one space up / down / left / right following the arrow.
• My robot: one space up, down, left, or right.
• Teammate's robot: one space left or right.
• Teammate's robot: until the next obstacle — up / down / left / right, following the arrow. Each reached space is resolved separately. It is possible to use a special ability, collect a token on the map, and/or play an Equipment card.
• Blue / White / Purple robots: one space up or down.
• Blue / White / Purple robots: CHIP ability — perform a move action from a chosen, unlocked level on your Player board.
• One space diagonally - available on CHIP.

Example: Nika plays card 1 from Michał's stand.

• She performs a diagonal move and enters the Map Exit; she removes her pawn from the map, and from now on her robot is considered to have escaped.
• She moves Michał's robot. His robot enters a space, so Michał, as the player controlling this robot, removes the Equipment token from the map and moves their marker one space right on their Energy track.
• Nika moves all Blue and Purple robots simultaneously:
  • Blue robot R1 moves up, through the gate of its color, and then right.
  • Purple robot R2 cannot move up due to the presence of the White robot R4, so she moves it right according to the next action.
  • Purple robot R3 moves up, entering the Tunnel, transfers the robot to the Tunnel Exit, and then moves right. It may perform this move because Blue robot R1 performs its move at the same time (thus freeing the space for Purple robot R3).

Equipment Card

Equipment cards allow the active player to resolve an additional effect during their turn. They are acquired by the owner of the robot that enters a space with an Equipment token and are placed face up on the right side of the Player board. Equipment cards may be used by their owner at any moment during the active player's turn, even while resolving an Action card. You may play more than one card on your turn. After use, the Equipment card is placed face down at the bottom of the Equipment deck. A player may have any number of Equipment cards.

Example card — SUPER CHARGE: Gain 1 Energy for each unlocked special ability.

Gates

The maps have gates that match the robot colors. Robots may only move through gates matching their own colors!

Example:

• The Red robot may move right because the gate matches their color.
• The Green robot cannot move left because there is a blue gate. It may, however, move down because it would pass through a red / green gate.
• The Blue robot may move down because there is a gate matching their color. If the Red robot was still on that space then the players fail the scenario.

Movement Rules

• There may be a maximum of one robot on a single space.
• A group of indicated robots (good/bad) move SIMULTANEOUSLY, regardless of color.
• If a movement action cannot be performed due to an obstacle (gate of the wrong color, map edge, another robot of the same group, wall), it is skipped. If you have a choice during the game, and one of the options is to skip an action due to an obstacle, you may do so.
• If at any moment a good robot were to meet a bad robot on the same space, the good robot is immediately destroyed and the scenario ends in failure.
• If at any moment a good robot enters a Map Exit of a matching color and the other conditions are met (special rules of the scenario), it is removed from the map. If it was a player's last robot, from then on, the active player ignores the part of the card that would refer to the removed robot:
  • If the active player no longer has their robot, skip the top part of the card.
  • If the teammate no longer has their robot, the active player skips the middle part of the card.
• Using the BEEP token: During the active player's turn, the teammate may use the BEEP. The teammate takes the token from the scenario page and places it in front of one of the available cards on the stands that they want to play in this round—this is information for the active player not to play it on the current or future turns. This is only a suggestion—the active player does not have to take it into account. After playing a card in front of which the BEEP is, it must be placed back on the scenario page, but with the exhausted (red) side up. If the BEEP on the scenario page is already turned exhausted (red) side up, this option is unavailable.

4.2. Cleanup Phase

During the Cleanup phase, players prepare the game area for the next round. First, they place the BEEP and PASS tokens available (green) side up on their spaces of the scenario page. Next, each player flips the stack of played cards to the other side and puts them into their stands.

It may happen that one player has more cards than the other. Do not worry about this, each player still has access to the same amount of cards during their turn.

4.3. Event Phase

In this phase, players reveal the top card of the Event deck and resolve its effect. The Event card moves the indicated group of bad robots in the direction of the indicated target. The target is chosen according to the shortest possible path for each indicated robot separately—Tunnels and Lifts also count. If the paths are equal, the player who last played an Action card chooses. If the robots indicated on the Event card are not on the map, nothing happens. If the indicated robot occupies an active Map Exit and would move to the closest active Map Exit, it doesn't move. After resolving the card, set it aside—you can review past Events during the round. Active Map Exits are the ones that are targeted by good robots remaining on the map.

4.4. New Robot Phase

In this phase, players add a new robot from the Support space. The new robot appears in the space indicated on the map:

• After round 1
• After round 2
• After round 3

If the indicated space is empty, the robot is placed on it. If the indicated space is currently occupied by another bad robot, the robot from the Support space lands in the general supply. If a good robot is on the indicated space, the good robot is destroyed and players fail the scenario.

After this step, start the next round. The first player is again the one who sees the better move. If both players have good moves, they must fight with their eyes to see who should play—someone will eventually give in!

5. End of Game

Maps X.1 to X.4:

• Success – if all robots of both players escaped the factory before the end of the 4th round, the scenario is completed successfully. As a reward, players unlock a chosen special ability on their Player boards, or develop the next level of the CHIP. Time for the next challenge. To do this, remove all elements from the scenario page and the map, then turn the Campaign to the next page. Then prepare the game as normal from the beginning, keeping the progress achieved on Player boards (unlocked abilities, preserved level, Equipment cards) and skipping step 7 in the Game setup. Do not shuffle the Equipment deck. Redeal Action cards. If one player had 4 cards after the last turn, at the start of the next scenario they still start with 3 cards.
• Failure – replay the given scenario, deleting progress gained during the current one (Energy track, Equipment cards (place them on the bottom of the Equipment deck), gained ability). Redeal Action cards. If one player had 4 cards after the last turn, after the scenario reset they still start with 3 cards.

Last Map:

• Success – if all robots of both players escaped the factory before the end of the 4th round, players successfully complete the Campaign!
• Failure – replay the last scenario, deleting progress gained during the current one.

6. Tokens and Special Spaces

Tokens

Energy token

• When any good robot enters a space with an Energy token, the robot owner moves the marker one space to the right on the Energy track. The Energy token from the map is returned to the general supply.
• A player may hold a maximum of 5 Energy on their Energy track. If a player were to gain a sixth, the extra token is lost—the Energy token from the map is returned to the general supply.
• When a bad robot enters a space with an Energy token, it is returned to the general supply. If it was a White or Purple robot, it is upgraded to Blue (swap the pawn from the general supply).

Experience token

• When a good robot enters a space with an Experience token, the token is returned to the general supply, and the robot owner unlocks a chosen ability on their Player board or develops the next level of their CHIP (as described in section 3).
• When a bad robot enters a space with an Experience token, the token is returned to the general supply. If it was a White or Purple robot, it is upgraded to Blue (swap the pawn).

Equipment token

• When a good robot enters a space with an Equipment token, the token is returned to the general supply and the robot owner draws the top Equipment card and places it face up on the right side of their Player board.
• When a bad robot enters a space with an Equipment token, it is returned to the general supply. If it was a White or Purple robot, it is upgraded to Blue (swap the pawn).

The tokens listed above appear in every scenario. You can skip the rest of this section and move on to the next chapter to learn about the robots' special abilities, or simply start the first scenario of the Toy Story Campaign. You can always return here if the scenario directs you to specific spaces/special tokens, which are described below.

Key token

• When any robot enters a space with the Key, the active player moves the Key to any adjacent space (not diagonal), including the one the robot moved from.
• If a bad robot enters a space with a Key while resolving an Event card, the player who last played the Action card in the round chooses how to move the Key.
• Keys cannot enter spaces if they are already occupied by a key or robot.

Laser token

• Any element that enters the Laser token is immediately destroyed and put in the general supply. In the case of good robots, this results in failing the scenario.

Wall token

• A special type of obstacle.

Number token

• When a good robot enters a space with a Number token, the robot owner picks up the token and places it next to their Player board in a visible place.
• A player may give the other player any number of Number tokens if their robots are adjacent to each other.
• When another element is placed on the space with the token, nothing happens.

Production Line token

• A token showing the direction of movement of elements on the Production Line.

Special Spaces

Map Exit

• When a robot of the Map Exit's color enters this space, it is immediately removed from the map and considered to have escaped. In other cases, nothing happens.

Toy Shredder / Crusher / Lava Furnace / Acid River

• Any element that enters one of these types of spaces is immediately destroyed and put in the general supply. In the case of good robots, this results in failing the scenario.

Tunnel

• When a robot enters a Tunnel, it is moved to the Tunnel Exit space. If the Tunnel Exit is occupied by another robot, the following applies:
  • If a good robot lands on a bad robot, or vice versa, the good robot is destroyed—this causes the scenario to fail.
  • Otherwise, the active player first moves the robot from the Tunnel Exit to an adjacent space (not diagonally) and then moves the robot from the Tunnel to the Tunnel Exit.
• When a Key enters a Tunnel, it is moved to the Tunnel Exit space. If the Tunnel Exit is occupied by any other robot, the active player first moves it to a space adjacent to the Tunnel Exit (not diagonal), and then places the Key at the Tunnel Exit space.
• Entering a Tunnel space ends the currently resolved movement action. If the Action card has another symbol, it is resolved after moving the element.

Tunnel Exit

• Entering this space triggers no effect.

Lift

• The Lift activates after resolving the entire Action card, provided any robot/Key is on it.
• After resolving the entire Action card, if there is any element on the Lift space, move it to the other Lift space.
• If at the end of resolving an Action card both Lift spaces are occupied by any elements, they swap places.
• The Lift is not activated on a turn in which the ability that changes it was used.

Lever

• When any robot enters the Lever space, a special scenario rule is activated—check the special rules on the scenario page.

Pusher

• Whenever any robot/Key enters a Pusher space, it moves in the indicated direction until stopped by an obstacle. The movement action that caused the move to this space is considered resolved; continue resolving the Action card.

Number Changer

• When a good robot enters the space, the robot owner adds/subtracts the indicated value to/from their Number token, then replaces the token with one from the general supply with the new value.
• If the value would be lower than 1 or higher than 6, the remaining value is lost.

Number Exchanger

• When a good robot enters the space, they exchange their Number token for the one indicated next to it.

Hidden Exit Point

• A special type of Map Exit. When a good robot enters its designated Hidden Exit Point, the teammate with a Number token of the indicated value removes that robot from the board.

Monostable Button

• All good robots must be on Monostable Buttons simultaneously (and sometimes meet any additional special rules of the scenario) in order to meet the exit condition (removing them from the factory).

Production Line

• After resolving the entire Action card, all elements on the entire Production Line move simultaneously one space according to the direction shown on the Production Line token.
• If a special ability was used to block movement, elements do not move.

Some special spaces have a distinct outline. This serves as a reminder that entering such a space immediately interrupts your movement action to activate the effect of the special space. Afterward, continue your current movement action.

7. Special Abilities

Quick One

• Reverse Move: The active player moves the robot in the opposite direction of the movement action. Applies only to one, selected movement action of the selected robot.
  • Example: Nika chooses Action card 001. She resolves the top part normally. Before moving Michał's robot, she decides to use Reverse Move—thanks to this, instead of moving left, his robot moves right.
• 5th Gear: The active player moves their robot one additional space in the direction indicated by the last performed movement action.
• Fuel Boost: After fully resolving the Action card and potential effects on the map, the active player plays another Action card.
• Nitro: After performing all movement actions on the active player's robot, perform all (if possible) movement actions for this robot from the card just played again (perform the top part of the Action card twice).

Smart Three

• Back Up Plan: The active player flips one of the cards on any stand to the other side.
• Secret Pocket: The active player draws the top card from the Equipment deck and places it face up on the right side of their Player board.
• Short Deactivation: If a good robot enters a Laser / Shredder / Tunnel / Lift / Lever / Pusher / Number Changer / Number Exchanger, the active player may ignore the effect of this space and the robot remains on it as if it were an empty space. While standing on it, the space cannot be activated. This ability does not affect tokens—they are resolved normally.
• Signal Detector: The active player moves every bad robot one space in any direction (not diagonal).

Strong Two

• ABS: If, during movement resolution, a good robot would enter a space with a bad robot, end this movement action on the space before entering the bad robot space. If there are other movement actions on the played card, the active player resolves them normally.
• Distraction Signal: During this turn, the active player skips the bottom part of the Action card.
• RAM: If the active player moves a good robot to a space with a bad robot, first the bad robot is moved to its closest starting space on the map. If that space is occupied or does not exist, the bad robot returns to the general supply. Map Exit, Hidden Exit Point, and similar special spaces do not count as starting spaces.
• Hacking Probe: The active player replaces one Blue robot on the map with a Purple one from the general supply.

Weird Four

• Twist Movement: The active player moves their robot according to the middle part of the Action card, and the teammate's robot according to the top part. The active player's robot is moved first. This ability may be used even if the card doesn't have all parts, or if any robot has already escaped. This ability may be used until the Action card resolution begins.
• Double Metal: If a good robot would be destroyed, it is instead moved to its closest starting space. If this space is occupied by a good robot or a Key, the active player first moves it to a space adjacent to the starting space (not diagonal), and then moves the mentioned robot there.
• 404: The active player does not resolve the movement action of their robot after playing the Action card (skips the top part of the card). They may still use other special abilities and/or Equipment cards.
• Cameo: The robot moved by the active player may move through any number of gates of another color instead of stopping before them.

8. Single Scenario Mode

Single scenario mode is an additional way to play ROBO RUN when players do not have enough time for a full Campaign, or simply want to play a specific scenario without playing the whole Campaign.

Estimated time to play one scenario: 20 - 25 minutes.

Players choose one of the scenarios and set up the map as in the Campaign game. Due to the increasing difficulty level of subsequent scenarios in the Campaign, the table below contains a proposal for the initial preparation of Player boards.

Scenario	Each Player (point 7 of Setup)	Additionally
X.1	1 unlocked special ability / CHIP level + 1
X.2	2 unlocked special abilities / CHIP levels + 1
X.3	3 unlocked special abilities / CHIP levels + 2
X.4	4 unlocked special abilities / CHIP levels + 2	1 unlocked special ability / CHIP level for one of the players
X.5	5 unlocked special abilities / CHIP levels + 3
X.6 (expert)	6 unlocked special abilities / CHIP levels + 3

Possible Scenario Endings:

• Victory – if all good robots leave by the first phase of round 4, players win! They can choose the next scenario to face the bad robots again!
• Defeat – if even one good robot remains in the factory after 4 rounds pass, or is destroyed during play, the game ends in defeat. This is time to discuss the played game and try again, perhaps in a different scenario.

Player Aid

1. Action Phase

Choose one of these options (alternating):

• Card from your stand.
• Card from teammate's stand.
• PASS token if available (once per round).
• Freely, any number of times, at any time:
  • Use special ability.
  • Play Equipment card.
• Teammate may play BEEP token (once per round).

2. Cleanup Phase

• Put PASS and BEEP tokens back, available (green) side up.
• Flip your played Action cards to the other side and place them in your stand.

3. Event Phase

• Resolve the new Event card.

4. New Robot Phase

• Add a new bad robot from the Support space to an indicated space on the map.

In round 4, phases 2, 3, and 4 are skipped. Players pass the scenario if all good robots leave the factory before round 4 ends. Players fail if:

• One good robot is destroyed.
• At least one good robot hasn't left the factory by the end of round 4.

Scenario re-setup:

• Place PASS and BEEP tokens, available (green) side up.
• Place bad robots on the Support spaces on the scenario page.
• Prepare tokens and pawns on map according to the layout.
• Discard Equipment cards and reset Energy track and abilities to their state at the start of the scenario.

Map Creator

Every copy of the game has additional components (not listed in the Components section) to create your own map. To create a new map, choose a Campaign that you like and open it to the last page to find space for your creativity! Use any components you wish to create your own map!

Some principles to remember:

1. Each good robot needs: a starting point and an exit.
2. Provide: an Experience token and Equipment, but also 3 Energy tokens on the map at the start of the game.
3. Remember to give your players a challenge: spawn some bad robots at the start of the game!
4. After each round, a bad robot (or even multiple) may be spawned from the Support space.
5. Look for at least 2 possible paths for each good robot to the Map Exit.
6. You may use any tokens that were used during any Campaign, but remember to give your players information about how they interact with each other.

Don't forget the most important rule—have fun and provide fun to your players!

Accomplishments

• Win a scenario.
• Win a scenario before Round 4.
• Win a scenario before Round 4 with all bad robots and Keys removed from the map.

Campaign 1 — Toy Story 1.1 Colorful Start 1.2 Into the Plush 1.3 The High Ground 1.4 Split in Two 1.5 Clean-Up Time 1.6 Not So Fast Kids

Campaign 2 — Cold Steel 2.1 Slippery Beginnings 2.2 Nowhere to Hide 2.3 Control Room 2.4 Against the Floor 2.5 No Time to Rest 2.6 Thrash'em All

Campaign 3 — Heat of the Furnace 3.1 Double Trouble 3.2 Through the Cracks 3.3 Into the Fire 3.4 Hot Maze 3.5 Meltdown 3.6 Heart of Forge

Campaign 4 — Thousand of Cogs 4.1 The Brass Paradox 4.2 Trust Your Clock 4.3 The Law of Numbers 4.4 Golden Combination 4.5 Tick-Tock 4.6 Clockmaster

Campaign 5 — The Acid Flow 5.1 Spin Me Right Round 5.2 Against the Current 5.3 Feed the Line 5.4 Into the Acid 5.5 Pressure Point 5.6 Moving Cage