The #UpsideDownChallenge Game

The #UpsideDownChallenge Game Rulebook

Table of Contents

1 pair of upside-down-glasses, 32 cards, 1 "Symbols" explanation card, 1 "Action cards" explanation booklet, 1 sand timer (20 seconds), 1 punchboard with 36 chips (32 blue winner chips and 4 chips with a yellow star).

You will also need: 3 cardboard rolls (empty toilet rolls of the same size and height), 1 pen with a lid, paper, 1 teaspoon, 2 beakers, 1 bowl, some water.

Important: Please don't throw the punchboard away! You will need it for the game.

Aim of the game

The first player to collect five chips wins. If there are more than six players, reduce the number of chips you need to win or keep track of the players' scores on a piece of paper.

Game setup

Lay the two cards featuring the "Super Challenges" aside—you can play with them later. Shuffle the remaining cards and place them face down on the table as a draw pile. Remove the chips from the punchboard. Lay the glasses, sand timer, explanation card, and chips with a yellow star (separately from the winner chips) on the table. You'll also need the punchboard and game box. Also have the cardboard rolls, pen, teaspoon, beakers, and bowl ready.

Note for players who wear glasses

If you wear glasses due to impaired vision, you will need to remove them before beginning the game. For technical reasons, glasses do not fit under upside-down-glasses.

You will also need some paper

Tear one large, and one small piece of paper from the sheet. Crumple them into two balls: one small ball with a diameter of about 1 cm and one large ball with a diameter of about 5 cm. Draw four dots on the front and six dots on the back of another sheet of paper. Now assign each of the dots a random number between one and four and one and six.

Decide now who will play which difficulty level

The easier challenges (for younger children) are marked with a feather; the more difficult ones are marked with a dumbbell.

Getting started

The youngest player begins and draws a card from the draw pile and does not show it to the other players. Continue playing in a clockwise direction.

Drawing cards (pen symbol)

The player whose turn it is decides "secretly" which of the three pictures in their difficulty level they wish to draw. They place the card face down on the table and take the pen and a sheet of paper. When they are ready, they put on the glasses.

The other players turn the sand timer over. The player has 40 seconds for the drawing challenge. Therefore, the other players must turn the sand timer over again as soon as it runs out the first time.

If one of the players guesses what is being drawn before the sand timer runs out, both players (the player whose turn it is and the one who guessed correctly) each win a chip. If not, all players go empty-handed. In a round with younger children, the drawing card can be left face up. Multiple guesses are allowed.

The player is allowed to use their free hand to hold the sheet of paper still.

Action cards (numbers 1–15)

The player places the cards face up in front of them. The challenges are described in greater detail in the explanation booklet and the symbols are explained on the explanation card.

When the player is ready, they put the glasses on and give a sign. The other players turn the sand timer over. If the player can complete the challenge in the given time, they win a chip. Otherwise, they go empty-handed.

Note: Multiple attempts are permitted within the time limit. The other players support the player whose turn it is by handing over the playing materials and turning the sand timer over again as necessary.

End of the game

The first player to earn five chips wins. If several players manage this at the same time, there is a play-off.

Important warnings

Warning. Not suitable for children under 36 months. Small parts. Choking hazard.

Warning. Do not wear the glasses for long periods. There is a risk of falls and injuries during physical activity or when operating machinery.

Please note

The glasses should only be used under adult supervision. Take care when wearing the glasses! Dizziness, nausea, sickness, or even epileptic seizures can occur depending on individual sensitivity. Remove the glasses immediately at the first sign of discomfort.

Do not run, walk fast, or perform complex movements while wearing the glasses. Fall hazard. Only use the glasses while sitting.

Before beginning the game, please inspect and clear the playing area for possible hazards, such as sharp, pointed, and hot objects that may pose a risk of injury.

"Action cards" explanation booklet

Most of the challenges require a setup that is not part of the challenge. Both hands may be used for this.

The other players turn over the sand timer when the player is ready. Exceptions: For cards 4, 6, 7, and 12, the player whose turn it is must turn the sand timer over themselves.

Some challenges require cards as playing materials. Please use cards you have already drawn or from the draw pile.

Card 1

Feather: High five: Slap the outstretched, motionless hand of one of your fellow players.
Dumbbell: ET greeting: Touch your index finger to the motionless index finger of a fellow player.

Card 2

Feather: Box throw: Place the box on the table at a distance of two times the box length from the player whose turn it is. Throw the large paper ball into it.
Dumbbell: Tower throw: Use three cardboard rolls to build a tower as shown. Use the large paper ball to knock down all of the cardboard rolls set up at a distance of two times the box length from the player whose turn it is.

Card 3

Feather: Stack a tower: Use two cardboard rolls and one playing card. Stack them in the order of cardboard roll, card, cardboard roll.
Dumbbell: Stack a tower – extreme: Same as above, but with an additional card on top.

Card 4

Feather: Hide the sand timer: Turn the sand timer over. Place a cardboard roll over the sand timer without it falling over.
Dumbbell: Score a goal: Set up two cardboard rolls about 10 cm apart as goalposts and flick the small paper ball between them.

Card 5

Feather: Egg race: Place a cardboard roll on the table. Take the spoon in your dominant hand. Place the small paper ball on it. Balance it over to the cardboard roll and tip the ball inside.
Dumbbell: Egg race – extreme: Same as above, but use your weaker hand.

Card 6

Feather: Stack a pyramid: Place three cardboard rolls next to each other on the table. Stack them into a pyramid without them falling over.
Dumbbell: Stack a pyramid – extreme: Place two cardboard rolls and the sand timer next to each other on the table. Stack the cardboard rolls and sand timer to form a pyramid without them falling over.

Card 7

Feather: Card cover: Place a cardboard roll and this card on the table. Stand the cardboard roll up and place the card on top of it.
Dumbbell: Card cover – extreme: Place this card on the table. Lay the sand timer ready. Turn it over, then place the card on top of it.

Card 8

Feather: Arrange cards: Place two cards on the table in any order. Slide the cards so that they're parallel to each other.
Dumbbell: Arrange cards – extreme: Place four cards on the table in any order. Slide the cards to form a rectangle.

Card 9

Feather: Put the lid on: Lay down the pen and lid separately. Pick both up and put the lid on the pen.
Dumbbell: Don't get wet!: You will need the bowl and two beakers; fill one of the beakers with water. Pour the water from the full cup into the empty one over the bowl.

Card 10

Feather: Write a name: Lay down a pen and a sheet of paper. Write a four letter name. *
Dumbbell: Write a name – extreme: One player places a sheet of paper on the box lid and holds it up in front of them, keeping the sheet of paper firmly in place. Write a four letter name on the paper.

Card 11

Feather: Join the dots: Lay down the pen and paper that you marked with the numbers 1 to 4 while setting up the game. Connect the dots in the correct order.*
Dumbbell: Join the dots – extreme: Same as above, but with dots and numbers 1 to 6.*

Card 12

Feather: Stack a chip: Lay down a chip and the sand timer. Turn the sand timer over and place the chip on top of it.
Dumbbell: Stack a chip – extreme: Same as above, but with three chips.

Card 13

Feather: Pick up the ball: Lay down the spoon, place the box lid on the table, and throw the small paper ball into it. Use the spoon to fish the ball out.
Dumbbell: Flip the card: Place the box lid on the table a short distance from the player whose turn it is, then place the card on the edge of the table so that it sticks halfway over the edge. Use the top of your flat hand to flip the card into the box.

* The player whose turn it is may hold the sheet of paper with their free hand to keep it still.

Card 14

Feather: Create a pattern: Lay down the punchboard and the four chips with a yellow star. Press the chips into the punchboard in the pattern shown.
Dumbbell: Create a pattern – extreme: Same as above – but more difficult!

Card 15

Feather: Threading: Lay down the pen. A fellow player holds the punchboard up vertically. Insert the tip of the pen into one of the dark holes on the punchboard.
Dumbbell: Threading – extreme: Same as above – but more difficult!

Super Challenges

The Super Challenges are tough! They're intended as additional challenges. The booklet shows them with a trophy icon and four illustrated set-ups, transcribed here in the order printed:

Lay two cards ready. Lean the two cards against each other to form a pyramid.
Lay down the large paper ball that you prepared at the beginning of the game. Choose a fellow player to throw the paper ball to you. Now catch the ball!
Lay three cardboard rolls on the table. Stack them on top of each other to form a tower.
Lay one cardboard roll on the table. You will also need one card and the small paper ball. Pick up the card and place the paper ball on it. Balance the paper ball over to the cardboard roll on the card and drop it in.

Note on this transcription: the printed booklet does not name the Super Challenges, so they are listed without titles. The feather/dumbbell pairing on each card is taken from the icons beside each line in the booklet, which mark the base challenge (feather) and the "extreme" version (dumbbell).