APOCALYPSE AT THE ZOO OF CARSON CITY

For 2 to 4 players.

Free animals from the zoo while avoiding mutants or slay them all to take victory and survive!

Note: This game makes use of double-sided cards to represent Mutants.

____________________Objective___________________________ Capture the highest value of cards by the end of the game.

___________________Game cards__________________________ Each player starts with 4 character cards available in their hand, numbered 3 to 6.

50 zoo cards are arranged on the game board according to a 5x5 grid with two cards on each position.

The cards are distributed as follows:

- 10 cards of value 0

- 10 value cards 1

- 10 value cards 2

- 10 value cards 3

- 10 value cards 4

Hidden among the backs of the cards with value 0 to 3 are 4 mutant cards; exactly one each for set valued from 0 to 3 (i.e. the cards of value 4 do not have hidden mutant cards).

_____________________Actions______________________________

Each player, on their turn performs one of the following actions:

- Place one of your character cards from your hand on to the board

- Move one of your character cards to an adjacent location on the board

_______________Playing a Character_______________________

A new character card can only be played onto a location on the board where there is not an existing character or mutant.

As you place your character, you take and capture the top-most visible zoo card in your chosen location.

Your captured cards are kept in a face-down pile for scoring at the end of the game.

________________Moving a Character______________________

Take one of your existing character cards and move it vertically (up or down) or horizontally (left or right) one space on the board to capture an adjacent card.

You can't move diagonally.

In this manner, you may capture zoo and mutant cards of any value to place in your pile.

In order to capture an opponent's character, your character's value must be of equal or greater value than the opponent's.

(E.g. a value 5 character can capture other characters with a value of 3, 4, or 5, but not 6.)

That character is moved to your scoring pile and worth its value in points, and the opponent loses that character for the rest of the game.

Note: a character may not move to an empty space in the grid (as both cards of that position have been captured).

__________________Mutants____________________ When a zoo card is taken, it may represent a mutant (denoted by the different card back).

In this case, the player loses their character and flips it over in the chosen location for their action (from either a place or move action).

They no longer get to move this character on their subsequent turns, and the card now acts like another zoo card which can be captured by any other character (regardless of value).

Note: a mutant may not be captured from placing a new character on the board. _______________End of the game___________________

The game continues with players taking turns in clockwise order until it reaches a turn in which a player has no valid actions (e.g. they have no characters remaining to place or they cannot move to any new positions).

(Players must still make moves if able, they cannot choose to pass.)

At this point, tally everyone's score as per below.

_________________Final Scoring____________________

Each player adds up the total value ​​of all their captured cards plus the values of any of their remaining character cards (in hand or on the board, don't count mutants on the board).

The player with the most points wins!