The Polar Express Game
The Polar Express Game Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
A board, 4 player tokens, 42 numbered playing cards, 10 Specialty Cards, 4 Quick Start Cards, 28 Wishes, a velvet pouch to hold the Wishes, a sleigh bell, and a strap for the bell.
Object
To be the first player to travel the train track from Home to the North Pole and receive the first gift of Christmas. This player will hand out Christmas Wishes to each player.
To Begin
When playing the game for the first time, thread the strap through the sleigh bell and place the 28 Wishes in the velvet pouch. Place the bell on the board near the North Pole. All players receive a Quick Start Card (contained in the deck of playing cards) and place their tokens on the Home Station. Each player draws a card. The player with the highest number card is the dealer. (If a Specialty Card is drawn, return it to the deck and draw another card). The dealer returns all cards to the deck (except Quick Start Cards) and shuffles the deck. Each player is dealt 4 cards. The deck is placed face down on the board.
Play starts to the left of the dealer. The first player draws one card from the deck for a hand of five cards. Each player must have exactly five cards in their hand to begin their turn. A player draws the number of cards needed before their turn begins.
Advancing Your Token
Players advance along the train track by playing cards from their hand. There are three ways to advance:
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Moving the number of spaces shown on a card. Select a numbered card from your hand. Place it face up in the discard pile. Advance your token along the track the number of spaces shown on the card. If you land exactly on a Station by playing a single numbered card, you may draw another card and play again.
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Playing three of a kind. If a player has three cards of the same number value (three of a kind) the player may place the three cards face up in the discard pile and advance to the very next Station. Before advancing your token to the very next Station you must announce your arrival. For example, "WOOO WOOO, next stop Hot Chocolate Corner!" The train whistle is optional but you must announce your Station before moving your token or risk being sent back to the previous Station. Once you have announced your Station, move your token directly to the very next Station.
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Playing a Specialty Card. Select a Specialty Card from your hand. Place it face up in the discard pile. Any or all players must follow the instructions on the card and move their tokens accordingly.
Advancing Across the Bridge
The Bridge is not a Station but is a potential shortcut to the North Pole. If you land exactly on the Lower Bridge space on the track by playing a single numbered card, you may slide across the Bridge to advance to the Upper Bridge space, avoiding the track that goes around the Great Polar Ice Cap. You may only advance from the Lower Bridge space to the Upper Bridge space if another player is not occupying the Upper Bridge space. When a player is occupying the Upper Bridge space, all other players must proceed past the Lower Bridge space and around The Great Polar Ice Cap.
Stations
The Stations are Home, Herpolsheimer's Department Store, Hot Chocolate Corner, Great Polar Ice Cap, Reindeer Run, Clock Tower Terminal, and The North Pole. If a player lands exactly on a Station by playing a single numbered card, the player may draw another card and move again.
Moving Back
A player may be moved back when:
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A player lands exactly on a space occupied by another player (other than a Station) by playing a single numbered card. The player that was previously occupying the space must move back the number of spaces shown on the card. A player cannot move another player off a Station with a numbered card.
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A Specialty Card is played. When a Specialty Card is played all players must follow the instructions. One or more players may be instructed to move backwards. All players must move accordingly, even if occupying a Station.
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Landing on the Upper Bridge. If a player lands exactly on the Upper Bridge space by playing a single numbered card, the player must slide back across the Bridge to the Lower Bridge space. Also, if a player is sent backward by another player or Specialty Card and ends up on the Upper Bridge space, the player must slide back across the Bridge to the Lower Bridge space.
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The player doesn't announce advancing to a Station. If a player doesn't announce advancing to a Station after playing three of a kind and another player calls it out, the advancing player must go back to the previous Station. Once the next player starts their turn, a player can no longer be sent back.
Slippery Slope
If a player lands on or is sent back to the Slippery Slope space, the player must slide down the Slippery Slope and go around the Clock Tower Terminal again. The Slippery Slope is one way only! It can't be used to advance on the track.
Specialty Cards
- Glacier Gulch - Playing this card allows a player to advance 8 spaces on the track and also makes the lead player in the game move backwards to the previous Station.
- Express - Playing this card allows a player to advance 8 spaces on the track and skips the next player.
- Avalanche - Playing this card forces all other players to move backwards on the track 7 spaces.
- Caribou Crossing - This card can be played out of turn anytime someone plays three of a kind in order to keep that player from advancing to the next Station. When a Caribou Crossing card is played, the player who played three of a kind loses their turn, does not advance to the next Station, and gameplay immediately moves to the player who played the Caribou Crossing card. Play continues to the left. This card must be played before the player with three of a kind moves to the next Station.
- Santa - Playing this card allows a player to advance to the next Station. Nothing stops Santa!
- Hobo - A player who plays the Hobo card is protected from any Specialty Card played by another player. This card can be used in defense of any Specialty Cards to avoid being sent back or stopped from advancing. This card can be played out of turn at any time to prevent a setback.
The North Pole
The first player to reach the North Pole wins. He or she can win by:
- Playing the card with the exact number needed to land on the North Pole space.
- Playing a card with a number greater than the number needed to land on the North Pole space.
- Playing three of a kind while between Clock Tower Terminal and the North Pole.
- Playing the Santa card anywhere from Clock Tower Terminal to the North Pole.
Winning the Game
The winning player is the first to reach the North Pole. The player receives the first gift of Christmas, which is to ring the sleigh bell from Santa's Reindeer. That player then gives each of the other players a Christmas Wish from the velvet pouch. Players take turns reading their wishes out loud.