Shadow Master
Shadow Master Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- 1 game board
- 10 picture cards
- 42 shadow cards
- 6 selection cards
- 6 colour coded screens
- 6 colour coded playing tokens
- 30 black selection cubes
- 5 black shadow coins – numbered 1 to 5 rule
Note: the printed contents line ends with a stray word "rule" after "numbered 1 to 5"; it is transcribed as printed.
Aim of the Game
Players attempt to find the images contained in the superimposed shadows as quickly and accurately as possible. Speed in combination with precision scores the most points. The first player to reach the trophy symbol on the game board is the winner of the game.
Game Setup
- The game board is placed in the centre. Players choose a colour for their playing token and place it on the white field immediately after the yellow arrow.
- Every player receives one selection card with 9 coloured dots, 5 selection cubes and a screen in the chosen colour in order to shield their choices from the other players.
- The 5 shadow coins are placed on the circle in the centre of the game board with the numbers facing upwards. There is always 1 shadow coin less in play than the number of players taking part in the game. Shadow coins are removed from play from the highest number downwards e.g. if there are 4 players in the game then the values "5" and "4" are removed.
- The shadow cards are shuffled and placed on the table with the shadow illustrations facing upwards. The picture cards are also placed on the table with the letters facing upwards. The letters A to J signify the required picture card in any given round. In order to find the required picture card quickly they should always be arranged in alphabetical order.
Important to know: Everyone plays simultaneously, players do not take turns and therefore there is no waiting! The game takes place over the course of several rounds until a player reaches the trophy symbol.
Order of Play
The top shadow card displays 3 coloured squares with a letter. At any stage of the game the field on the game board occupied by the most advanced token(s) determines which of the coloured squares on the shadow card is in play i.e. white, blue or yellow. During the first round this is the white field at the beginning of the spiral. The top shadow card may only be removed once the colour for the next round has been determined.
The letter in the coloured square determines which picture card must now be drawn from the pile and displayed openly so that everybody can see the 9 objects on the card.
[Diagram: a shadow card showing three coloured squares labelled B (2), D (2) and I (5), with an arrow from the yellow D square to the picture card lettered "D".]
[Diagram: the picture card "D", showing 9 objects, each with a coloured dot.]
The number underneath the coloured square indicates how many objects from the picture card are hidden in the shadow card.
As soon as the relevant picture card is turned over the round begins! Now all players simultaneously start searching for the shadows.
Searching for shadows: Every image on the picture card has a coloured dot. These 9 coloured dots are also displayed on every player's selection card and this is where the selection cubes must be placed if and when you have identified a shadow. Keep your selection secret by using the screen. You may only place as many cubes as the number shown on the shadow card. When a player has completed their selection and thinks they have identified all shadows, they must now grab the highest available shadow coin.
Then the next player to complete their selection grabs the next highest available shadow coin etc. Once a shadow coin has been taken the selection cubes may no longer be changed. The round ends as soon as the last shadow coin has been picked up. Now all players lift up their screens to present their selections to the group.
Allocation of points: Now the shadow card is turned over to reveal the correct answers.
[Diagram: the shadow card's three coloured squares (B, D, I) with the players' selection cubes placed on the matching dots of the picture card.]
Every player receives points in accordance with the number of correctly identified images. If a player has identified all images correctly they may also add the value on their shadow coin as bonus points. All players advance their tokens along the game board by the number of points scored.
Next round: All the shadow coins are placed back in the centre of the game board and the picture card is returned to the pile. Now players agree and determine the colour that will count for the next shadow card. Only then may the next shadow card be turned over. The next round and all following rounds are played as previously described. From now on the colour of the field occupied by the most advanced token(s) determines the colour in play on the shadow card.
Game Conclusion
As soon as a player has either reached or crossed the final blue square the game is over. That player wins the game and claims the trophy.
In the event of equal scores the value of the shadow coins determines the winner.