OBJECTIVE COBRA PAW: The first ninja to collect six tiles wins the match (or eight tiles in a two player game)
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2 – 5 players
MATERIALS: 21 clawfuku tiles, 2 catnippon dice, instruction manual
TYPE OF GAME: Tile Board game
AUDIENCE: Ages 6+
OVERVIEW OF COBRA PAW
“The Cobra Paw technique cannot be taught, only discovered.” – Master Meow
If you are looking for an intense speed game that tests your hand-eye coordination, Cobra Paw is for you. Players will roll two proprietary dice, and that roll’s outcome is matched to one of twenty-one clawfuku tiles. The first player to find the tile and claim it gets to keep it. Tiles that have already been captured are still up for grabs. Only speedy decision making and quick reflexes can keep your collection safe.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX
You get twenty one clawfuku tiles. Each tile has a unique combination of two symbols. Those symbols correlate with the two catnippon dice that are rolled to initiate each round. Each die is six sided.
SETUP FOR COBRA PAW
Take all of the tiles out of the box and place them face up on the table. Players should stand in such a way that they can access all of the tiles (even the ones already collected by other players). The youngest player gets to go first, so give them the catnippon dice.
THE PLAY
On your turn, roll the catnippon dice. As soon as they are rolled, all of the players begin searching for the corresponding tile. The tile might be in the layout, or it might already be in an opponent’s collection.
The first player to claim the correct tile gets to keep it. To claim the tile, a player must place their fingers upon it. Players may not cover the tile with their whole hand. If more than one player gets their finger on the tile, whoever has their finger closest to the center notch wins it. Players can only use one hand to claim a tile. Using two hands is not allowed. Players cannot block access to any of the tiles during the game.
Captured tiles must be kept in front of the player for everyone to see and reach.
Whoever captures the tile goes next. They collect the catnippon dice and roll.
ALTERNATE WAYS TO PLAY
Ghosts of the Fallen is a rule variation in which five tiles are removed from the game. When a tile combination is rolled that matches one of the removed tiles, the first player to identify that and say “cobra paw” wins. They get to take one tile from the layout and add it to their collection.
The No Touchy rule dictates that a player who touches the incorrect tile loses their chance to play for that roll. They can join back in for the next dice roll.
Two Ninja Stand-Off ups the ante for a two player game by incorporating the No Touchy rule. A player must also capture eleven stones to win rather than eight.
WINNING
Play continues until one player captures enough tiles to win Cobra Paw. In a game with two players, the first to capture eight tiles wins. In a game with three or more players, the first to capture six tiles wins.
- TRIPLE SNAKES - February 15, 2021