Joker Marbles

About this board game

Joker Marbles is a strategic marble-racing game for 2–6 players that takes about 20 minutes to play. Players race their marbles around a wooden track, using cards to advance their pieces and disrupt their opponents.

Each player keeps five cards in hand. Number cards generally move a marble forward by their value, while several cards offer unusual ways to move. A face card can move a marble 10 spaces or bring one from home onto the track, and an ace can move one space or enter a marble onto the track.

• 7: split the movement as 1+6, 2+5, 3+4, or use all 7 for one marble.
• 8: move a marble backward 8 spaces.
• 9: split the movement between two marbles, with one moving backward and the other forward for a total of 9.
• Joker: move one of your marbles, from home or the track, to an opponent’s spot on the track and send that marble home.

Watch every opponent’s position as you plan your turns. Landing on another player’s marble sends it back home, but marbles in the finish area are safe from a Joker’s attack. Timing a split move, choosing when to enter the track, and finding the right target can all change the race.

With its mix of racing, tactical card play, and direct interaction, Joker Marbles is very similar to the more common Sorry! The game was released in 1970 and offers a compact contest for groups ranging from two to six players.