OBJECTIVE OF SPACE DASH: Be the first player to clear their tableau by building launch sequences
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 3 – 6
MATERIALS: 120 cards, 6 decks with 20 cards each
TYPE OF GAME: Hand shedding, tableau building
AUDIENCE: Kids, adults
INTRODUCTION OF SPACE DASH
Space Dash is a fast paced real time game published by Ginger Fox Games in which players are trying to be the first to get rid of their tableau of cards. Each player is given a deck with which they build a tableau in front of them. As the game progresses, players are trying to build and collect launch sequences in the center of the playing space. Once a launch sequence has been completed, that player scoops it up and continues play. The first player to empty their tableau wins.
MATERIALS
Space Dash includes six decks of twenty cards. Each deck consists of four sets of launch sequences. Each launch sequence contains five cards.
SETUP
Give each player one of the twenty card decks. They shuffle their deck thoroughly and deal themselves five different piles to form their tableau. The first pile contains two cards with one face down and the top card face up. The next pile contains two cards face down and the top face up. The next has three cards face down and the top face up and so on. The fifth pile has five cards face down and the top card face up.
THE PLAY
One of the players begins the game by counting down and saying go! Everyone plays at the same time. There are no turns.
Only the top cards on each player’s tableau are eligible for play. Any fives showing must be played right away. Once a top card is played from the tableau, the next card is then flipped up. Cards are played one at a time according to set in descending order in the center of the playing space. A card’s set is identified by its border color and the shape in the corner.
For example, if the Circle 5 is played to the center, the Circle 4 must be played on top of it. The player who places the Circle 1 card on that pile must clear the pile. Whoever clears the pile should yell, “Space Dash!” in a loud manner. Any added spaceship noises are welcome.
Players may manage their tableau during the game by moving top cards one at a time to different piles. When building the tableau, cards must be placed in ascending order, and two cards of the same set cannot be placed on top of each other. If a tableau pile is cleared, a card from another pile may be moved to start one.
It is important to remember the following rules in order to keep gameplay fair. Players may only play face up cards from their tableau, only one card may be played at a time, and players may only use one hand.
WINNING
The first player to clear their tableau by playing all of the cards and shout “Touch Down!” wins the game.
- TRIPLE SNAKES - February 15, 2021