Karuba

2015

Embark on an adventurous expedition in Karuba! Lead your team through the jungle, uncover ancient trails, collect valuable treasures, and be the first to reach the temples.

40
minutes

2 - 4
player(s)

Medium Light

About the game

Karuba is an enticing and adventurous board game that transports you to the heart of an unexplored island. As a player, you take on the role of an intrepid explorer leading your team through dense jungles, across bubbling rivers, and over rugged mountains. Your goal? To reach the hidden temples and discover the treasures within before your rivals do.

The game is set against the backdrop of an exotic island, filled with lush forests, challenging terrains, and ancient ruins. The rich theme and immersive setting make every game of Karuba a unique and thrilling experience.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Karuba is a thrilling board game that involves strategic planning and adventure. Here are all the components included in the game, along with their descriptions and roles:

1. Game Board

The game board is a grid of squares where the action takes place. It represents the island of Karuba. Each player receives a game board that they will use to place their tiles and pawns.

2. Path Tiles

There are 36 path tiles in the game for each player. These tiles are numbered from 1 to 35, with one volcano tile. The tiles are used to create paths on the game board. Each path tile displays a segment of path that can include bends and junctions.

3. Jungle Tiles

Four jungle tiles are included for each player. These tiles represent the starting positions of the adventurers on the edges of the island.

4. Temple Tiles

Four temple tiles are included for each player. These tiles represent the temples that the adventurers are trying to reach. They are placed on the game board in the same color configuration as the adventurers.

5. Adventurers

Each player has four adventurer pawns of different colors: blue, yellow, brown, and purple. These represent the explorers who are trying to find their way from the jungle to the temples.

6. Crystals and Gold Nuggets

There are a total of 28 crystals (blue) and 16 gold nuggets (yellow) in the game. These treasures can be found on some of the path tiles. When an adventurer lands on a tile with a crystal or gold nugget, the player collects the appropriate treasure.

7. Treasure Tokens

There are 20 treasure tokens, five for each temple color. These are awarded to the adventurers who first reach each temple.

Each component of Karuba is designed to interact with others to create an engaging and strategic game. Players must carefully place their path tiles to guide their adventurers through the jungle, collecting treasures and reaching temples before their opponents.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Karuba is an exciting tile-based board game where players become adventurers, seeking treasures on a mysterious island. Here is a detailed step-by-step guide to set up the game:

Setting up the Game Board:

Each player takes a game board and four adventurers (in the colors white, yellow, blue, and brown), as well as four temples of the same colors.
At the start of the game, each player places their adventurers on the beach (the numbered squares on the left or bottom edge of their game board) and their temples in the jungle (the numbered squares on the right or top edge of their game board). The colors of the adventurers and temples must match.

Tile Placement:

Each player receives a set of 36 jungle tiles, numbered from 1 to 36. These tiles should be face-up and visible to all players.
One player is chosen to be the expedition leader. This player takes their tiles, shuffles them, and places them in a stack, face down, next to their game board.

Initial Resources:

There are no specific resources that the players start with in Karuba. Instead, players will collect treasures and crystals during the game by placing tiles and moving their adventurers.

Random Elements:

The random elements in Karuba come into play when the expedition leader draws a tile from their stack. The number on this tile is announced to all players. Each player then finds this tile in their own supply and decides where to place it on their game board. The aim is to create paths for their adventurers to reach the temples.

In addition to the tile paths, there are randomly placed treasures and crystals on the game board. These are collected when an adventurer lands on a space with a treasure or crystal. The player who collects the most valuable treasures and gets their adventurers to the temples fastest scores the most points and wins the game.

Remember, the key to winning Karuba is not only to reach the temples quickly but also to collect as many treasures and crystals as you can along the way.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

The game of Karuba ends when one of two conditions is met. The first condition is when any player successfully guides all four of their adventurers to their respective temples. The second condition is when one player exhausts their tile pile, meaning that they have used all of their jungle tiles.

Once the game ends, it’s time for final scoring. To prepare for this, players must perform several actions:

Calculate individual adventurer scores: Each player must calculate the score for each of their adventurers. They do this by adding together the values of all the gold nuggets and crystals that the adventurer collected during the game, plus the value of the temple that the adventurer reached. If an adventurer did not reach a temple, their score is just the value of the gold nuggets and crystals they collected.
Add up adventurer scores: Each player then adds together the scores of all their adventurers to get their total score.
Take into account unused action points: If any player has unused action points at the end of the game, they can add one point to their total score for each unused action point they have.

Victory conditions for the game are pretty straightforward. The player with the highest total score at the end of the game is the winner. If there is a tie, then the player among those tied who has the most gold nuggets is the winner. If there is still a tie, then the player among those tied who reached a temple first is the winner.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In Karuba, your objective is to guide your adventurers to their respective temple treasures, while collecting as many gold and crystal pieces along the way. The game ends as soon as one player gets all their adventurers to their temples, or when all players have used up their tiles. Scoring is done at the end of the game and is based on several factors.

Temple Treasures

Each adventurer that reaches their respective temple receives a temple treasure. The first adventurer to reach a temple gets a treasure worth the most points, and these decrease in value for each subsequent adventurer that reaches the same temple.
Treasures are scored as follows: the first is worth 5 points, the second is worth 4 points, the third is worth 3 points, and the fourth is worth 2 points.

Gold and Crystal Pieces

Throughout the game, players can pick up gold and crystal pieces by placing tiles with these symbols on them. These pieces are collected by the adventurers and are worth points at the end of the game.
Each gold piece is worth 1 point and each crystal piece is worth 2 points.

Unused Tiles

At the end of the game, each player receives 1 point for each unused tile left in their supply.

Tie-Breaking Rules

If two or more players have the same score at the end of the game, the tie-breaking rules are as follows:

The player who has the most temple treasures wins the game.
If there is still a tie, the player with the most gold pieces wins.
If there is still a tie, the player with the most crystal pieces wins.
If there is still a tie, the player with the most unused tiles wins.
If there is still a tie, then the game ends in a draw and the players share the victory.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Karuba is a tile-placement race game with players starting on the same tile, and aiming to reach the treasure first. While the game rules are quite straightforward, there are some important special rules, exceptions, and clarifications that players should be aware of.

Tile Placement:

Blocked Paths: If a player places a path tile that leads to the edge of the board, and later the path is blocked by another tile, the path is considered blocked. Adventurers cannot move through blocked paths.
Tile Rotation: Players are allowed to rotate the path tiles in any direction before placing them on the board. Once placed, the tiles cannot be moved or rotated.
Non-Continuous Paths: Players can place tiles that do not connect with adjacent tiles’ paths. These non-continuous paths can be connected later with the correct tile placement.

Adventurer Movement:

One Tile Movement: When moving an adventurer, it can be moved along the path for as many spaces as the discarded tile’s number. The movement, however, must be continuous. The adventurer cannot move, perform an action (like picking up a crystal or gold nugget), and then continue moving.
Same Space: Two adventurers can never occupy the same space. If a move would result in two adventurers on the same space, the move is not allowed.
Backtracking: Adventurers are allowed to backtrack on their path, but it uses up movement points as usual.

Scoring:

Arriving at the Temple: The first player to get their adventurer of the matching color to a temple gets the highest valued temple treasure. Other players who get there later receive lower valued temple treasures.
Unused Tiles: At the end of the game, players can score points for unused path tiles in their possession. Each remaining tile is worth 1 point.
Gold Nuggets and Crystals: Gold nuggets are worth 2 points each and crystals are worth 1 point each at the end of the game.

End of Game:

The game ends immediately either when one player gets all their adventurers to their matching temples or when the draw pile of path tiles is exhausted.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Advanced Strategies for ‘Karuba’

1. Plan Ahead: Try to figure out what route you will take to reach your temples as early in the game as possible. Having a clear plan from the start can save you valuable time and moves.

2. Use Your Crystals Wisely: Crystals can be a valuable source of points, but don’t let them distract you from your main goal – reaching the temples. Only pick up crystals if they are directly in your path or if you can get them without wasting a significant number of moves.

3. Block Your Opponents: If you see an opponent is about to reach a temple, try to block their path if possible. This can force them to waste moves and give you the advantage.

Beginner Tips for ‘Karuba’

1. Start Simple: When you’re just starting out, try to focus on reaching one or two temples rather than trying to reach them all. This will help you learn the game mechanics without becoming overwhelmed.

2. Don’t Forget about the Gold: While reaching the temples should be your main goal, don’t forget about the gold nuggets. These can be a good source of points, especially if you can’t reach a temple.

3. Use Your Explorers Smartly: Remember, your explorers can only move along the paths you create. Try to keep your paths as straight as possible to save moves.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in ‘Karuba’

1. Ignoring Other Players: Karuba is not just about reaching your own temples, but also about preventing your opponents from reaching theirs. Always keep an eye on what your opponents are doing and try to block them if possible.

2. Wasting Moves: Every move in Karuba counts. Try to avoid unnecessary detours and always keep your goal in mind.

3. Forgetting about the Time Limit: Remember, the game ends when either one player has reached all their temples or the draw pile is exhausted. Try to reach your temples as fast as possible to avoid running out of time.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay in ‘Karuba’

1. Optimize Your Path: Always try to create the shortest possible path to your temples. Every move counts, so make sure to use them wisely.

2. Be Flexible: While it’s good to have a plan, sometimes the tiles you draw won’t allow you to stick to it. Be flexible and adjust your strategy as needed.

3. Use Your Tiles Wisely: Not all tiles are created equal. Some are more useful than others, so make sure to use your best tiles to reach your temples and leave the less useful ones for blocking your opponents.