Room 25: Double Rush
Room 25: Double Rush Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 20 room cards (salles)
- 4 character cards (personnages)
- 2 pass cards (passe)
- This rulebook
For simplicity, these rules call the card for a given room a "room" (1), the character card a "character" (2), and the pass card a "pass" (3).
Game Overview
ROOM 25 THE BEGINNING takes up the universe of the futuristic television game show familiar to ROOM 25 players. It retraces the candidate selection trial in which two rivals clash inside the complex, but this time only one of them can leave.
Victory Conditions
Win 2 rounds (manches) to win the game.
To win a round, activate your pass and reach ROOM 25 before your opponent, OR remain the last player alive.
Illustration: pass activated + ROOM 25 = 1 round won.
Setup and Start of Game
Each player draws 1 character card at random and chooses its front side or its back side to determine which character they play in the first round.
Each player places their pass in front of them, face inactive, as shown.
Choose the first player and give them 1 SALLE MORTELLE (deadly room), 1 SALLE EXPLOSIVE (explosive room) and ROOM 25. Their opponent takes 1 SALLE MORTELLE, 1 SALLE EXPLOSIVE and the SALLE CLÉ (key room).
Deal 6 additional rooms to each player to make a face-down deck of 9 cards. The 2 rooms not dealt are set aside. Each player then shuffles their opponent's deck and returns it to them.
- 1st player: ROOM 25, 1 SALLE MORTELLE, 1 SALLE EXPLOSIVE, and 6 additional rooms.
- 2nd player: SALLE CLÉ, 1 SALLE MORTELLE, 1 SALLE EXPLOSIVE, and 6 additional rooms.
The setup illustrations also carry card-count badges (x6, x9, x2) that repeat the counts above.
For each subsequent round, swap the first and second player.
You are ready to play, starting with the player who has ROOM 25 hidden in their deck.
Turn Structure
On each turn, choose 1 action from the following 3: look (regarder), enter (entrer) or control (contrôler).
Look (Regarder)
Secretly look at the top 2 rooms of your deck, then choose A or B:
- A: Put them back on top of your deck in the same order.
- B: Swap these two rooms, so that the second room is now on top of your deck.
Enter (Entrer)
Choose one: reveal the room on top of your deck OR the room on top of your opponent's deck.
In both cases, place that room on top of your discard pile and apply the effects of that room.
The room on top of your discard pile is the room your character occupies.
When a room is entered, check its type:
- If it is a SALLE MORTELLE (deadly room), you are eliminated and your opponent wins this round.
- If it is the SALLE CLÉ (key room), turn your pass over to the PASSE ACTIVÉ (activated pass) side.
- If it is ROOM 25 and your pass is activated, you win the round.
Control (Contrôler)
Choose either a major control or a minor control:
- Major control: place the next room of your deck under your opponent's deck. Then place the next room of your opponent's deck under your deck.
- Minor control: place the next room of your deck under your own deck.
In both cases the rooms stay face down, and no player may look at them.
Two face-up example rooms are shown beside the control illustration. One reads: "Regardez secrètement votre prochaine salle." (Secretly look at your next room.) The other reads: "Vous êtes ralenti. Passez votre prochain tour." (You are slowed. Skip your next turn.)
Special Talent (Talent Spécial)
This bonus action can be played only once per round, after performing a standard action.
Then hide your character's talent with the back of one of the 2 rooms set aside in this round. This threat will no longer weigh on your opponent.
For the first game, this can be ignored in order to discover the game in its simplest form.
Activating the Pass (Passe)
To activate your pass, enter the SALLE CLÉ or have at least 6 rooms in your discard pile.
Illustration: SALLE CLÉ OR 6 or more rooms = PASSE ACTIVÉ.
When a key room is used, activate your key (turn it to its activated-code side) and then place that room under your opponent's deck.
Winning a Round (Manche)
You also win the round as soon as your opponent is eliminated, or if your opponent's deck is empty at the start of their turn.
The player who wins a round keeps the same character. The player who loses a round uses their other character for the next round.
Attention: if you would enter ROOM 25 without your pass activated, the room is placed face down under your opponent's deck and does not join your discard pile.
Character Cards (Personnages)
The leaflet shows the two faces of one character card: SARAH (front) and BRUCE (back). Each player's character card is drawn at random during setup, and the player chooses which face to use for the first round. Each side lists four actions.
SARAH (front)
- REGARDER: Secretly look at your next 2 rooms. Swap their positions or put them back as they were.
- ENTRER: Reveal your next room or your opponent's next room, place it on top of your discard pile, and apply its effect.
- CONTRÔLER: Each player places the next room of their opponent under their own deck. Or place your next room under your deck.
- DÉTRUIRE: Remove from the game your next room or your opponent's next room. [The middle of this line is covered by the arrow graphic in the leaflet and cannot be read.] [...] of a blue room, you lose this round. (The bottom bar is labelled BONUS.)
BRUCE (back)
- REGARDER: Secretly look at your next 2 rooms. Swap their positions or put them back as they were.
- ENTRER: Reveal your next room or your opponent's next room, place it on top of your discard pile, and apply its effect.
- CONTRÔLER: Each player places the next room of their opponent under their own deck. Or place your next room under your deck.
- IMITER: Use the same TALENT as your opponent, even if they have already used it this round.
The leaflet shows only these two faces. The other two character cards are not described in this rulebook.
Room Effects Shown in the Illustrations
The leaflet's illustrations of the setup and of the rooms print these effects on the room cards:
- ROOM 25: If your key is activated, you win the round. Otherwise, place this room under your opponent's deck.
- SALLE CLÉ (key room): Activate your key (turn it to its activated-code side). Then place this room under your opponent's deck.
- SALLE MORTELLE (deadly room): You are eliminated; you lose this round.
- SALLE EXPLOSIVE (explosive room): You lose the round if your opponent occupies or enters the DÉTONATEUR room.
The leaflet calls the explosive room "SALLE EXPLOSIVE" in the setup text and refers to the "salle DÉTONATEUR" in the card text. Both are kept as printed.