Twisty Tracks Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Components
• Set Up
• Playing the Game
  • Placing a Tile
  • Travel Points
  • Moving Trains
  • Unfinished Track
  • Collisions
  • Stations
  • Reaching a Station (examples)
• End of Game
• Game Variants
  • Variant 1: Stations Only
  • Variant 2: Traveling Only
  • Solitaire Variants

Overview

In Twisty Tracks, players collect "travel points" as they build railroad tracks and use their trains to take passengers through scenic landscapes. They try to connect their trains to the best stations, which will score the most points for the connection. But, once a train reaches a station, it can no longer travel to collect points. Twisty Tracks can also be played with a variant for younger children.

During each turn, players will place a new track tile, then move their trains that connect to the new track. The tracks twist and turn through tunnels and over bridges, and players may rotate each tile any way they wish before placing it. Every time one of a player's trains crosses a border where 2 tiles meet or where a tile meets the frame, they score a travel point. When a train makes it to a station, the player receives points for that station. The first train or trains to arrive at each station receive the most points for that station, the next trains receive less, and if there are no more spaces left at a station, players receive no station bonus.

Components

• 4 frames in 4 player colors
• 16 station tokens, 4 in each of the 4 player colors
• 4 scoring markers, 1 in each of the 4 player colors
• 60 track tiles, 15 in each of the 4 player colors
• 1 scoring board
• 16 trains in 4 colors (black, blue, yellow, red)

Set Up

1. Place the scoring board in the middle.
2. Each player takes all of the frame pieces of a single color and assembles them as a frame. They place their 4 trains (1 of each color) on the 4 starting tracks on the frame, each on its matching color.
3. Each player takes the 15 track tiles in their color, mixes them, and places them in a face-down stack next to their frame.
4. Each player takes the scoring marker in their color and places it next to the "1" space on the score track that runs along the outside of the scoring board.
5. Each player takes the 4 station tokens in their color and places them next to their player frame.

With less than 4 players, use station tokens from an unused player color to cover the indicated spaces on the scoring board. Place the unused frames, track tiles, station tokens, and scoring markers back in the box.

For a 3-player game, cover the spaces marked with the 3-player token symbol on the scoring board.

For a 2-player game also cover the spaces marked with the 2-player token symbol on the scoring board.

Playing the Game

The game is played in rounds. In each round, all players take their turns simultaneously:

1. Draw a track tile from the top of their stack.
2. Place the track tile in their frame. It must be placed so that at least one of their trains can move onto or through the new tile! They may rotate the track tile any way they wish before placing it. All players place their track tiles simultaneously without looking at where their opponents are placing. Once a track tile has been placed, it remains there for the rest of the game!
3. Move all of the trains that can move in any order. Trains may, at times, move from two different adjoining track tiles. Trains may also move onto the new tile and then through to another track tile that was placed previously. Trains only stop when they reach the end of an unfinished track, when they collide, or when they reach a station.

Please note that some tiles have tunnels. Trains reaching a tunnel should be moved to where the tunnel exits. (See the example under Moving Trains.)

Placing a Tile

The blue player must place their tile so that at least one of their trains can travel onto it. In the example shown, two of their trains can.

All of the placements shown with a check mark are legal placements. Spaces marked as improper do not extend tracks connected to trains. One space is improper because its placement doesn't allow any trains to immediately move onto it.

Travel Points

For each of their trains, a player scores 1 travel point for every border the train crosses. (A border can be between two track tiles or between a track tile and the frame.) Trains can use the curves on the frames or track tiles with U-turns to reenter tiles that have already been traveled through to score even more travel points! Players record their travel points by using their scoring marker on the scoring track.

Moving Trains

In the example, the player can move their blue train over 1 border, scoring 1 travel point. (Note how the blue train moves through the tunnel on the tile.) They also can move their black train over 5 borders, scoring 5 more travel points. Both trains are ready to continue their trip on a future turn.

Unfinished Track

Trains remain at the edge of any unfinished track until a new track tile is added to the frame that extends that track.

In the example turn, all of the trains end where the track runs out.

Collisions

If two trains collide on the same track, both are removed from the game. Neither train will score any points for reaching stations! They do, however, score travel points for any borders they crossed before they collided.

In the example, after the tile is placed, the black and red trains collide and are removed from the game. They do score 1 travel point each before the crash, however. The other two trains may move onto the new tile as normal.

Stations

Each time a player's train reaches a station on their frame, they receive the highest number of points still shown for that particular station on the scoring board. If more than one player reaches the same station in the same round, they all receive the highest number shown on the station board.

The player then places one of their station tokens over the highest number showing for that station on the scoring board. If more than one player reaches the station at the same time, one player covers the highest number remaining (the number those players scored), and the other player covers the next highest number, etc.

As noted above, all eligible players receive the same points. The placement of the tokens reduces the points for trains that reach stations later in the game.

If a player covers the last remaining number at that station, any other players who score this turn simply stack their station token on top of it. However, if a player arrives at a station with all of its numbers already covered during previous turns, they instead place their token in the straggler space below the station points. They receive no points for this station token.

Note: it is possible, and a very good strategy, for a player to reach a high-scoring station with 2 of their trains simultaneously! As usual, both trains score the same number of points, although 2 numbers for that station are then covered.

Reaching a Station (examples)

• After placing a track tile, the player moves their red train over 2 borders, scoring 2 travel points. Their train also reached the teal station. Another player has already reached that station once, but fortunately, there is still an open space on the scoring board for that station, worth 10 points. The player places their station token on that space. No other trains can score points by reaching the teal station!
• Three different players reach the red station in the same turn. There are only 2 spaces available at the red station. All 3 players receive the top number of station points available (18). Two of the station tokens cover the 2 available spaces, and the third one is stacked on top. No more trains can score points by going to the red station.
• The teal (armadillo) player reaches the green station with their blue train. However, all the spaces on the scoring board for that station were already filled in previous rounds. They must put a station token in the straggler area to indicate that the train will not score any points.

End of Game

When a player has no more trains that can move (they have either collided or reached stations), they must pass instead of taking a turn. The game ends when all players have no more trains to move. The player with the most points is the winner.

In the case of a tie, the tied player who has placed the most track tiles (i.e., who has stayed in the game the longest) is the winner. If still tied, the tied players share the victory.

Game Variants

There are several variants that make the game more accessible and can also be played as a solitaire puzzle.

Variant 1: Stations Only

In this variant, the players only count points for station scoring. There are no travel points awarded. This is a good variant for younger children.

Variant 2: Traveling Only

The goal in this variant is for the players to move trains over as many tiles as possible. They want to avoid reaching the stations as long as possible, but they need to be careful not to collide their trains! The players only keep track of travel points. No station points are awarded. This variant is also good for young children.

Solitaire Variants

Players can play the main game or either variant as a solitaire game, trying to make the highest score possible. We also invite players to make up their own challenges!