Best Treehouse Ever
Best Treehouse Ever
by Scott Almes
Green Couch Games
OVERVIEW
Are you ready to make your childhood dreams come true? Then, it’s time to build the Best Treehouse Ever! In Best Treehouse Ever, you’ll compete to build the best treehouse by outfitting it with coolest sets of rooms. Building takes place over three weeks, and at the end of each week, players take turns determining which types of rooms score for everyone.
Keep your treehouse balanced and pay close attention to the other players because in the end, the winner is the player with the Best Treehouse Ever!
P.S. The game you are about to play is called “Best Treehouse Ever”, if that wasn’t obvious already.
COMPONENTS
72x Treehouse Room Cards (12 Each in 6 Colors)
4x Starting Tree Cards
8x Wooden Tokens (in 4 Player Colors)
3x Scoretrack Cards
6x Score Cards
4x Game Changer Cards
SETUP
1) Give each player a Starting Tree and two tokens: a Scoring Marker, and a Balance Marker. Place any extras back in the box.
2) Place your Balance Marker in the center circle on your Starting Tree.
3) Place the 6 Scoring Cards and 4 Game Changer Cards face-up in the middle of the table. (In a 2-player game, only the do not score cards are used.)
4)Place the Scoring Markers near the Scoretrack Cards so they are easily accessed during the game.
5) Shuffle the Treehouse Room Cards into a single deck and place it in reach of all players
GAMEPLAY
The game takes place over three rounds. Each round will follow the same format:
1) Deal
2)Build
3)Score
Phase 1: Deal
Deal each player 6 Room Cards from the Treehouse Deck. They may look at the cards, but may not show them to other players.
Phase 2: Build
Each player then looks at their hand of cards and secretly select one card to play onto their Treehouse. Once everybody has selected their card, everyone reveals their card at once and adds it to their Treehouse.
ADDING ROOMS TO YOUR TREEHOUSE
A Treehouse is built one room at a time. When building, you must follow these rules:
A: Room Cards in your tree must be supported by two branches from two different cards except edge rooms that are supported by one.
In the example to the right, the “Surf Simulator” room is considered an ‘edge’ room.
As your tree gets taller, each level can hold one more card than the previous level.
B: The first card of a color may be placed in any valid spot. However, the second room of that color and onward must touch a room of the same color (ie: rooms of similar colors must be grouped). Be careful not to block off a valuable color!
C: Your tree may not be more than 6 levels high, including your Starting Tree.
D: Room Cards may not be placed on the side of the Treehouse where the Balance Marker is located.
BALANCING YOUR TREEHOUSE
When a Room Card is added, the tree will sway. If a card is added on the left side of your tree, move your Balance Marker one space to the left. If it is on the right side of your tree, move your balance marker one space to the right
Room Cards built on the center-line right above the Starting Tree Card do not move the marker (this can only occur on levels 3 and 5). If you cannot move your Balance Marker (there is not a space to move the marker) then you cannot place a Room Card on that side of your Treehouse.
UNABLE TO PLACE
In the event that you are unable to place your chosen card – either by the rules or by choice – simply discard it face down from the game.
CONTINUING THE DRAFT
Once each player has selected and added their new Room Card to their Treehouse, each player passes their hand clockwise. Then, each player picks one card from that hand, adds it to their tree, and passes the hand clockwise again. This continues until each player is picking one card from a hand of two. In this case, the one card is kept and added to your Treehouse, and the final card is discarded into a face down pile. Each player will add, at most, 5 cards to their Treehouse each round.
Phase 3: Score
The first player chooses one of the Game Changer Cards and keeps it momentarily. This continues clockwise until each player has a Game Changer Card. Then, in reverse order that the cards were just selected, each player places their Game Changer Card on a Scoring Card.
Players may not Place Game Changer Cards on a Scoring Card that already has a Game Changer Card on it.
For 4 players, each player places one Game Changer Card. For 3 players, one card will go unused. (2 player scoring rules are below.)
After all the Game Changer Cards are placed, all players will score their entire Treehouse, according to the Scoring Cards. Any colors that do not have a Game Changer Card score 1 point/room. Colors with the “2” card score 2 points/room. Colors with the no score card score 0. In the first round, the oldest player chooses first. In the following rounds, the player with the most points picks first. If there is a tie for most points after the 2nd or 3rd rounds, the tied player closest (in clockwise order) to the person who chose first in the previous round, chooses a Game Changer Card first.
Score is kept on the Scoretrack Cards by moving the Scoring Markers along the track.
TWO-PLAYER RULES FOR SCORING
In a 2 player game, each player gets a no score Game Changer Card during scoring. The player with the most points places their no score card first, and then the other player places theirs. Scoring is as above.
2ND AND 3RD ROUNDS
The 2nd and 3rd round are played like the first. Each player will get 6 cards at the beginning, then choose Room Cards to add to their Treehouse, and then select where to place the Game Changer Cards. All of the Game Changer Cards are reset at the end of each round before players select them. The game ends after the 3rd round is completed.
For 4 players, each player places one Game Changer Card. For 3 players, one card will go unused. (2 player scoring rules are below.)
After all the Game Changer Cards are placed, all players will score their entire Treehouse, according to the Scoring Cards. Any colors that do not have a Game Changer Card score 1 point/room. Colors with the “2” card score 2 points/room. Colors with the score 0.
In the first round, the oldest player chooses first. In the following rounds, the player with the most points picks first. If there is a tie for most points after the 2nd or 3rd rounds, the tied player closest (in clockwise order) to the person who chose first in the previous round, chooses a Game Changer Card first.
Score is kept on the Scoretrack Cards by moving the Scoring Markers along the track.
TWO-PLAYER RULES FOR SCORING
In a 2 player game, each player gets a Game Changer Card during scoring. The player with the most points places their first, and then the other player places theirs. Scoring is as above.
2ND AND 3RD ROUNDS
The 2nd and 3rd round are played like the first. Each player will get 6 cards at the beginning, then choose Room Cards to add to their Treehouse, and then select where to place the Game Changer Cards. All of the Game Changer Cards are reset at the end of each round before players select them. The game ends after the 3rd round is completed.
CREDITS
Game Design
Scott Almes
Illustration & Graphic Design
Adam P. McIver
Project Management & Game Development
Jason Kotarski
Rules Editors
Dustin Schwartz, Andrew Lenox, Jason Slingerland, and Ken Grazier.
Playtesters
Eric Carlson, DJ Palomares, Lisa Kotarski, Andy Lenox, Donn Stroud, and many attendees at Unpub 5!
Scott would like to than his amazing wife Beth, and his friends and family for helping make childhood dreams come true. He’d also like to thank Jason for seeing the forest for the treehouses, and Adam for making greatness from shoddy blueprints.
For more great little games that make great big connections visit online:
www.facebook.com/greencouchtabletop
www.twitter.com/GreenCouchGames
Copyright © 2015 Green Couch Games, LLC
by Scott Almes
Green Couch Games
OVERVIEW
Are you ready to make your childhood dreams come true? Then, it’s time to build the Best Treehouse Ever! In Best Treehouse Ever, you’ll compete to build the best treehouse by outfitting it with coolest sets of rooms. Building takes place over three weeks, and at the end of each week, players take turns determining which types of rooms score for everyone.
Keep your treehouse balanced and pay close attention to the other players because in the end, the winner is the player with the Best Treehouse Ever!
P.S. The game you are about to play is called “Best Treehouse Ever”, if that wasn’t obvious already.
COMPONENTS
72x Treehouse Room Cards (12 Each in 6 Colors)
4x Starting Tree Cards
8x Wooden Tokens (in 4 Player Colors)
3x Scoretrack Cards
6x Score Cards
4x Game Changer Cards
SETUP
1) Give each player a Starting Tree and two tokens: a Scoring Marker, and a Balance Marker. Place any extras back in the box.
2) Place your Balance Marker in the center circle on your Starting Tree.
3) Place the 6 Scoring Cards and 4 Game Changer Cards face-up in the middle of the table. (In a 2-player game, only the do not score cards are used.)
4)Place the Scoring Markers near the Scoretrack Cards so they are easily accessed during the game.
5) Shuffle the Treehouse Room Cards into a single deck and place it in reach of all players
GAMEPLAY
The game takes place over three rounds. Each round will follow the same format:
1) Deal
2)Build
3)Score
Phase 1: Deal
Deal each player 6 Room Cards from the Treehouse Deck. They may look at the cards, but may not show them to other players.
Phase 2: Build
Each player then looks at their hand of cards and secretly select one card to play onto their Treehouse. Once everybody has selected their card, everyone reveals their card at once and adds it to their Treehouse.
ADDING ROOMS TO YOUR TREEHOUSE
A Treehouse is built one room at a time. When building, you must follow these rules:
A: Room Cards in your tree must be supported by two branches from two different cards except edge rooms that are supported by one.
In the example to the right, the “Surf Simulator” room is considered an ‘edge’ room.
As your tree gets taller, each level can hold one more card than the previous level.
B: The first card of a color may be placed in any valid spot. However, the second room of that color and onward must touch a room of the same color (ie: rooms of similar colors must be grouped). Be careful not to block off a valuable color!
C: Your tree may not be more than 6 levels high, including your Starting Tree.
D: Room Cards may not be placed on the side of the Treehouse where the Balance Marker is located.
BALANCING YOUR TREEHOUSE
When a Room Card is added, the tree will sway. If a card is added on the left side of your tree, move your Balance Marker one space to the left. If it is on the right side of your tree, move your balance marker one space to the right
Room Cards built on the center-line right above the Starting Tree Card do not move the marker (this can only occur on levels 3 and 5). If you cannot move your Balance Marker (there is not a space to move the marker) then you cannot place a Room Card on that side of your Treehouse.
UNABLE TO PLACE
In the event that you are unable to place your chosen card – either by the rules or by choice – simply discard it face down from the game.
CONTINUING THE DRAFT
Once each player has selected and added their new Room Card to their Treehouse, each player passes their hand clockwise. Then, each player picks one card from that hand, adds it to their tree, and passes the hand clockwise again. This continues until each player is picking one card from a hand of two. In this case, the one card is kept and added to your Treehouse, and the final card is discarded into a face down pile. Each player will add, at most, 5 cards to their Treehouse each round.
Phase 3: Score
The first player chooses one of the Game Changer Cards and keeps it momentarily. This continues clockwise until each player has a Game Changer Card. Then, in reverse order that the cards were just selected, each player places their Game Changer Card on a Scoring Card.
Players may not Place Game Changer Cards on a Scoring Card that already has a Game Changer Card on it.
For 4 players, each player places one Game Changer Card. For 3 players, one card will go unused. (2 player scoring rules are below.)
After all the Game Changer Cards are placed, all players will score their entire Treehouse, according to the Scoring Cards. Any colors that do not have a Game Changer Card score 1 point/room. Colors with the “2” card score 2 points/room. Colors with the no score card score 0. In the first round, the oldest player chooses first. In the following rounds, the player with the most points picks first. If there is a tie for most points after the 2nd or 3rd rounds, the tied player closest (in clockwise order) to the person who chose first in the previous round, chooses a Game Changer Card first.
Score is kept on the Scoretrack Cards by moving the Scoring Markers along the track.
TWO-PLAYER RULES FOR SCORING
In a 2 player game, each player gets a no score Game Changer Card during scoring. The player with the most points places their no score card first, and then the other player places theirs. Scoring is as above.
2ND AND 3RD ROUNDS
The 2nd and 3rd round are played like the first. Each player will get 6 cards at the beginning, then choose Room Cards to add to their Treehouse, and then select where to place the Game Changer Cards. All of the Game Changer Cards are reset at the end of each round before players select them. The game ends after the 3rd round is completed.
For 4 players, each player places one Game Changer Card. For 3 players, one card will go unused. (2 player scoring rules are below.)
After all the Game Changer Cards are placed, all players will score their entire Treehouse, according to the Scoring Cards. Any colors that do not have a Game Changer Card score 1 point/room. Colors with the “2” card score 2 points/room. Colors with the score 0.
In the first round, the oldest player chooses first. In the following rounds, the player with the most points picks first. If there is a tie for most points after the 2nd or 3rd rounds, the tied player closest (in clockwise order) to the person who chose first in the previous round, chooses a Game Changer Card first.
Score is kept on the Scoretrack Cards by moving the Scoring Markers along the track.
TWO-PLAYER RULES FOR SCORING
In a 2 player game, each player gets a Game Changer Card during scoring. The player with the most points places their first, and then the other player places theirs. Scoring is as above.
2ND AND 3RD ROUNDS
The 2nd and 3rd round are played like the first. Each player will get 6 cards at the beginning, then choose Room Cards to add to their Treehouse, and then select where to place the Game Changer Cards. All of the Game Changer Cards are reset at the end of each round before players select them. The game ends after the 3rd round is completed.
CREDITS
Game Design
Scott Almes
Illustration & Graphic Design
Adam P. McIver
Project Management & Game Development
Jason Kotarski
Rules Editors
Dustin Schwartz, Andrew Lenox, Jason Slingerland, and Ken Grazier.
Playtesters
Eric Carlson, DJ Palomares, Lisa Kotarski, Andy Lenox, Donn Stroud, and many attendees at Unpub 5!
Scott would like to than his amazing wife Beth, and his friends and family for helping make childhood dreams come true. He’d also like to thank Jason for seeing the forest for the treehouses, and Adam for making greatness from shoddy blueprints.
For more great little games that make great big connections visit online:
www.facebook.com/greencouchtabletop
www.twitter.com/GreenCouchGames
Copyright © 2015 Green Couch Games, LLC