Carrousel

About this board game

Carrousel is a fast game of speed and observation for 2–4 players, with games lasting about 15 minutes. Players race to arrange the front three horses of a rotating carousel in the same color order shown on one of their cards.

The board features a circle of seven spaces, with five differently colored horses placed on five adjacent spaces. Each player begins with nine cards, and every card displays a different three-horse color combination. There are no turns: everyone watches the carousel and looks for an opportunity to complete a match.

Players can make several legal moves, including swapping two horses or moving the last horse to the front. To score, a player must perform a move that makes the first three horses match one of their cards. The matching card is placed face down in a private score pile, and the player draws a replacement.

• Real-time play: players act without waiting for turns.
• Observation and speed: identify useful color sequences before opponents do.
• Risk and timing: an unsuccessful move costs one point, while another player’s action can disrupt your plan.

The carousel is always in motion through the players’ actions, creating a lively contest in which a promising arrangement may disappear at any moment. Choose when to move, react quickly, and catch the right horses before someone else takes the opportunity.

Illustrated by Stéphane Poinsot, Carrousel was designed by Max Gerchambeaux and released in 2006. Its colorful arrangement puzzle and quick, interactive play make it a compact family game centered on matching, timing, and changing possibilities.