Berzerkerbirdz™ Extreme Sports Arena Board Game
VERSION 3.26
last edited 10/31/07
Game Design by James M. Ward with Bill Cobb
Concept by Bill Cobb
Editing by Timothy Brown
Art by Jim Holloway
Graphics and Layout by Sandra Garavito of Ginormous Industries
Questions, Comments, and Feedback: email rules@astrobirdz.com
In the vastness of the Birdznest Nebula lives the star-spanning race of Astrobirdz. As they evolved, they flew off their home world into space and learned to do amazing things on their high tech boards. Other races called Invazorz met the Astrobirdz and tried to conquer them. All of these attempts failed as the Astrobirdz could turn into Berzerkerbirdz, a much stronger and more talented version of the Astrobirdz race. Through long contact with the Astrobirdz and Berzerkerbirdz, the Invazorz decided instead to appeal to their sense of competition. These aliens turned the Astrobirdz’ love of extreme board sports into a contest for the ownership of worlds in the Birdznest Nebula. This game simulates the great events happening every day in the Astrobirdz Extreme Sports Arena.
HOW TO WIN
There are three ways to win the Berzerkerbirdz Extreme Sports Arena Board Game:
Defend Three Worlds: A player who wins 3 worlds, then successfully defends those three worlds against challengers, wins immediately upon defending the third world.
Win Five Worlds: A player who wins his fifth world wins immediately.
Time Victory: Provided no player has won by defending three worlds or winning five worlds already, the winner is the player with the most worlds won after exactly two hours of playing time. Players with the same number of worlds tie.
GAME COMPONENTS
Sort out all of the game pieces to get ready to play.
Game Board
The game board represents the Astrobirdz Extreme Sports Arena.
Fingerboards (6 different colors)
Fingerboards are the playing pieces, used to move around the board.
Cards
There are several different types of cards:
Astrobirdz Cards (10): There are ten different Astrobirdz characters. Each one of them uses a different type of sport board and gets different powers.
Berzerkerbirdz Cards (10): Astrobirdz love changing into Berzerkerbirdz. This change happens when the Astrobirdz gains Zoominium. Zoominium is an energy source only gotten in the Birdznest Nebula. The Zoominium crystals are made into drinks and put in the food. Zoominium is a powerful energy source that the Invazorz are also searching for in the Birdznest Nebula.
Berzerkerbirdz are larger, quicker versions of the Astrobirdz race and are better able to do the maneuvers they love and defend the worlds they like the best. Through the course of the game, Astrobirdz can become Berzerkerbirdz. When this happens, simply change the card being used by the player. It’s also possible to lose these powers and turn back into Astrobirdz. When this transformation happens, simply change the cards again.
Invazorz Cards (2 Mecha-Invazorz, 2 Raptor-Invazorz, 2 Insecta-Invazorz, and 2 Jellyfish-Invazorz) (8 total): Menacing invaders of the Birdznest Nebula, these characters are out to take over the worlds already owned by the Astrobirdz race. They intend to do this by successfully competing in the Astrobirdz Extreme Sports Arena. Each of these races has tried fighting their way onto the Astrobirdz’ planets and totally failed.
Maneuver Cards (30)
These represent the difficult sports board maneuvers that are attempted in the Astrobirdz Extreme Sports Arena.
Gym Cards (8)
There are eight of these cards but only four of them are used in each game. These represent training areas in the Astrobirdz Extreme Sports Arena.
Gym Power Cards (16)
These cards help players remember which gyms they have visited and the special powers they have been granted.
World Cards (20)
These are the worlds being contested for in the Astrobirdz Extreme Sports Arena.
World Permanently Defended Cards (6)
These cards are used to mark those worlds each player has successfully defended.
Medal Cards (12)
These cards are placed in the empty spaces left on the board after maneuvers and worlds are won by players.
Medal Bonus Cards (8)
These reference cards help players keep track of special medal powers.
Medals
Medals (coins) are given out in the Astrobirdz Extreme Sports Arena for accomplishing special feats during the play of the game. There are six each of Bronze, Silver, and Gold.
Trophies (40)
These white coins are also won in the arena to represent training and greater sports board skills.
Dice
Dice are used to play this game. Both 6-sided and 8-sided, using 4 of each.
Rules Booklet
This rules booklet explains everything you need to know about the game. Go to www.astrobirdz.com to learn more about this and other Astrobirdz products and free downloads.
SETTING UP THE GAME
Follow these steps to set up the game.
1. Place the game board at the center of the player area.
2. Note the time.
3. Each player selects a character card. There are 10 Astrobirdz character cards and 8 Invazorz character cards to choose from (the ones with a color band at the top of the card and a name like Spaceboardzerka or Mecha-Invazorz Destructarian Graptarg).
If more than one player wants a particular character, each rolls a 6-sided die to determine who gets it, and the highest number gets to pick.
4. Those players with Astrobirdz characters should pick out their Berzerkerbirdz cards as well (they have the same name and color as the Astrobirdz card). Place the Berzerkerbirdz card of the same name and color under your Astrobirdz card. When the Astrobirdz becomes a Berzerkerbirdz just exchange the two cards.
Astrobirdz take in Zoominium to transform into larger, more powerful Berzerkerbirdz. As long as the Zoominium source is available the Berzerkerbirdz can better defend the worlds of the Astrobirdz race. Frequently, an Astrobirdz will elect to take Berzerkerbirdz form in the extreme sports arena as the challenges become more difficult.
Put the rest of the character cards back in the box; they won’t be used.
5. Place one of the world permanently defended cards in front of each player.
6. Place two trophies on top of each player’s character card.
7. Shuffle the world cards and place one to a space in the middle of the board (with the circles in the card spaces). The backs of the world cards match the spaces where they should be placed. The cards are placed facing up so you can see each world.
Place the extra world cards back in the box; they won’t be used.
8. Shuffle the maneuver cards and place one to a space around the outside of the board. The backs of the maneuver cards match the spaces where they should be placed.
Place the extra maneuver cards back in the box; they won’t be used.
9. Shuffle the gym cards and place one in each corner of the game board.
The backs of the gym cards match the spaces where they should be placed.
Place the extra gym cards back in the box; they won’t be used.
10. Find the gym power cards that match the colors of the four gym cards on the board; there will be two gym power cards for each gym card. Place these gym power cards on each corner of the board; i.e. the black gym gains two black gym power cards.
11. Put five trophies on each of the four corners of the game board, on the gym spaces.
12. Each player selects a fingerboard playing piece and places it in any corner space he wants to start the game. He does not get to use the power of that gym on that first turn, though. It’s fine if more than one player wants to start on the same corner square. Game Tip: Pick your starting space so that the first gym you’ll move to helps you the most.
13. Place the medal cards and medal bonus cards by the side of the game board
with the remaining trophies.
After setting up begin play with the first turn.
PLAYING THE GAME
To decide which player goes first, all players roll a 6-sided die. The player who rolls the highest number goes first; re-roll ties. Play then proceeds to the left.
Each player does two things during his turn: move his fingerboard and then take an action.
MOVING THE FINGERBOARD
On their first turn, players roll just one 6-sided die and move that number of spaces in the direction the arrows point along the outside of the board. On later turns, a player may roll a 6-sided die (or an 8-sided die if he is a Berzerkerbirdz), and can use any number of his trophies to add 2 each to his movement total. For example, a player can use up two of his trophies to add 4 to his roll, so he would move four spaces further this turn.
Trophies add points to other game actions, as well, and are more fully explained later in these rules.
A player must move the total number of spaces rolled unless he decides to stop to challenge another player.
Special things can happen while moving a fingerboard, including picking up trophies, stopping to challenge another player, moving from the outside to the inside of the arena, going through the Nebula Slide, or rolling for special results.
Picking up Trophies
When a player moves onto or past a gym space he takes one of the five trophies that were placed there at the beginning of the game. When all of these trophies are gone from a gym space, no more are added.
Stopping to Challenge Another Player
If a player moves onto or past another player’s fingerboard piece on the game board, he may stop on that space to challenge that player for one of his maneuver or world cards. If the moving player does not want to challenge that other player, he can continue his movement.
Moving from the Outside to the Middle of the Arena
There are only two entrances from the outside of the arena into the middle, and arrows mark the paths.
Space 1. From this space, a player can move toward the middle of the game board to space 2 or he can continue to the outside of the game board.
Space 2. From this space, a player can move to space 1 or space 4.
Space 3. From this space, a player can move to space 4 or space 2.
Space 4. From this space, a player can only move around the corner to the next space on the middle of the arena.
Going Through the Nebula Slide
The Nebula Slide is a wormhole filled with strange cosmic energies. When a player moves onto a space at either end of the vortex, he can move through it to the space at the other end. But before he continues moving he must roll on the Nebula Slide Table and immediately implement the result; Astrobirdz roll a 6 sided-die, while Invazorz and Berzerkerbirdz roll an 8-sided die.
Nebula Slide Table
Roll Result
1 The player loses a maneuver card of his choice, placing it back on a maneuver space along the outside of the board wherever he wishes. The player’s turn is over.
2 The player loses a world card of his choice, placing it back on a world space on the inside of the board wherever he wishes. The player’s turn is over.
3 The player loses a trophy. The player’s turn is over.
4 The player takes a trophy from any other player. The player’s turn is over.
5 The player takes a world card from any other player. The player’s turn is over.
6 The player goes to any space on the board and immediately takes a whole new turn.
7 The player gains a gold medal, unless he already has one. The player’s turn is over.
8 The player goes to the gym of his choice, immediately gaining a trophy and a gym power card if there are any at that gym. The player’s turn is over.
If the player, for any reason, can’t do what the table calls for, he re-rolls the die until he gets a result he can.
When returning maneuver or world cards to the game board, if there are medal cards on all the empty spaces on the outside or inside, then remove and discard one medal card to free up a space.
AstroPortal Spaces
The AstroPortal Space is a region of portals allowing fast transport between the worlds. When traveling among the AstroPortals, many encounters can take place. The strange energies of this warped space can have unusual side effects on the characters. A player who lands on an AstroPortal Space rolls dice on the AstroPortal Encounters table.
AstroPortal Encounters
When a player lands on one of the AstroPortal spaces he rolls an eight-sided die on the AstroPortal Encounters table, then goes to one of the eight encounter tables and rolls a six-sided die to find out what happens.
AstroPortal Encounter Tables
Roll Roll on this table for result
1 Dangerous Asteroid Field
2 Nova Debris Field
3 Black Hole Navigation Problem
4 Dark Matter Field
5 Wormhole Bonus
6 Star Cluster Field
7 Space-Time Distortion
8 Zoominium Bonus
1 – Dangerous Asteroid Field
The action of the contest moves for a moment into the vastness of the planetary asteroid fields.
Roll Result
1-2 You zig when you should have zagged and wipe out. Place your fingerboard upside down on the next space inside the board and past the rest of the AstroPortal spaces. Lose this turn and the next; on the next turn, turn the fingerboard right side up, but do nothing else.
3-4 You smash your head on an asteroid and unlearn one of your favorite maneuvers as you lose a bit of your memory. Discard one of your maneuver cards and move your board to the first outside space past the four portal spaces. Play continues to the next player.
5-6 Your skill and speed are unmatched and you easily maneuver through the dangers of the asteroids. Place your board on the first outside space past the four portal spaces. Play continues to the next player.
2 – Nova Debris Field
Equipment from centuries-old star battles litters the space lanes in this planetary system. You and the other athletes are tasked with its clean up.
Roll Result
1-2 If you aren’t a Berzerkerbirdz, become one now. Place your board on the first outside space past the four portal spaces. If you are an Invazorz, you can select a Berzerkerbirdz on the board and turn them back into an Astrobirdz. Play continues to the next player.
3-4 Pick up a trophy from the debris. Place your fingerboard on the first outside space past the four portal spaces. Play continues to the next player.
5-6 No one is impressed by your work. You are forced to move to one of the gym spaces on one of the outside corners of the board. You may take a gym card. Play continues to the next player.
3 – Black Hole Navigation Problem
All of the athletes are tested by shooting them near a black hole to see if they can escape by themselves.
Roll Result
1-2 You maneuver past the black hole with no problems. Move your fingerboard to any space on the inside of the board. You are allowed to try for the planet or take other actions on the space. Play then continues to the next player.
3-4 Gravity waves grab your board and pull you in. Place your fingerboard upside down on the next space inside the board and past the rest of the portal spaces. Lose this turn and the next; on the next turn, turn the fingerboard right side up, but do nothing else. Play continues to the next player.
5-6 The black hole snags a world card from anywhere on the inner board. Take it into your mix of cards. Move your fingerboard to any space on the inside of the board. Play continues to the next player.
4 – Dark Matter Field
Dark matter clusters around the body of the character and slows him down.
Roll Result
1-2 No matter what die you roll for the next two turns, the numbers equal 2 as dark matter clogs your blast and weapon systems. Move your fingerboard to the next space past the portal spaces. Play continues to the next player.
3-4 You learn how to fling dark matter onto your opponent’s systems. Select one of the other players. No matter what they roll for the next 2 turns, the numbers equal 2 as dark matter clogs their blast and weapon systems. Move your fingerboard to the next space past the portal spaces. Play continues to the next player.
5-6 Your amazing skill allows you to learn a new maneuver. Select any maneuver on the outside of the board and add it to the mix of your maneuver cards. Move your fingerboard to the next space past the portal spaces. Play continues to the next player.
5 – Wormhole Bonus
As athletes are forced to navigate the wormhole, they learn many things.
Roll Result
1-2 Your skill with a board increases tremendously. Place your fingerboard anywhere you wish on the game board and finish your turn there as you try for a planet or take some other action. After you are through, play continues to the next player.
3-4 You figure out the secrets of the wormhole. Select another player’s fingerboard and place it anywhere you wish on the game board. Move your fingerboard to the next space past the portal spaces. Play continues to the next player.
5-6 You maneuver through the wormhole with no problems. Move your fingerboard to any space on the inside of the board. You are allowed to try for the planet or take other actions. Play then continues to the next player.
6 – Star Cluster Field
The energy of these stars transforms dangerously. You do your best to try not to change, but as your board moves at star-pulsing speed, unknown energies fill your body.
Roll Result
1-2 If you are an Astrobirdz or a Berzerkerbirdz, you transform into an Invazorz of your choice. If you are an Invazorz, you transform into a Berzerkerbirdz of your choice from the ones still available. Move your fingerboard to the next space past the portal spaces. Play continues to the next player.
3-4 Roll a die and with that roll lose some of your trophies.
On a roll of 1 or 2, lose one trophy if you have it.
On a roll of 3 or 4, lose two trophies if you have them.
On a roll of 5 or 6, lose three trophies if you have them.
After rolling, move your fingerboard to the next space past the portal spaces. Play continues to the next player.
5-6 Take three trophies if they are available. Apply their modifiers to your next roll and then discard them. Move your fingerboard to the next space past the portal spaces. Play continues to the next player.
7 – Space-Time Distortion
Energies in the Birdznest Nebula rain down on the portal.
Roll Result
1-2 Time shifts strangely. Move your fingerboard to the space just in front of the portal spaces on the outside of the game board and begin your turn again.
3-4 Space distorts around you. Move your fingerboard onto another player’s game piece and make a challenge.
5-6 Time distorts. You have won a battle you thought was lost in the past. Select a new maneuver card from one of the spaces on the outside of the game board. Place your fingerboard on the space just past the portal spaces on the inside of the board. Play continues to the next player.
8 – Zoominium Bonus
A powerful Zoominium energy field washes over you.
Roll Result
1-2 If you are an Astrobirdz character, become a Berzerkerbirdz character. If you are already a Berzerkerbirdz character, move your board anywhere you wish and end your turn. Play continues to the next player. If you are an Invazorz gain two extra trophies, if they are available. Move your fingerboard to the next space just past the portal spaces. Play continues to the next player.
3-4 Gain a maneuver card from any position on any space on the outside of the game board. Move your fingerboard to the space just past the portal spaces on the inside of the board. Play continues to the next player.
5-6 Gain a world card from any position on any space on the inside of the game board. Move your fingerboard to the space just past the portal spaces on the inside of the board. Play continues to the next player.
TAKING AN ACTION
A player can take one action, depending on the space where he ended his movement. He does not have to take an action at all if he doesn’t want to. Actions include challenging a player for a maneuver or world card, training at a gym, and other actions listed below.
Training at a Gym
When a player lands on a gym card space, he may stop to work out and train with his board. He takes one of the two gym power cards from the space and places it on the table next to his character card. He can use that gym power card bonus or other power at any time during the game. After use, place that gym power card back on the same color gym space.
If there are no gym power cards left beneath a gym card (because other players already have them), then the player gets no card. Even if another player returns a gym power card to that space later in the turn he does not get to take it.
Challenging for a Maneuver
The player tries to perform the maneuver and take the card. To take the card, roll four 6-sided dice (or 8-sided dice for Berzerkerbirdz) and match or exceed the maneuver card’s challenge number. (The challenge number is 2 points higher than the stated Favorite Trick Challenge number; for example, for the Spacefreeze Cryo Blast Maneuver, where Snowboardzerka needs a 13, the challenge number is 15.)
Before rolling, the player can use his trophies to add 2 points each to the roll, and other medals can change the dice totals, as well (see Dice and Medals, below). Be sure to look at both the maneuver card and the character card for other bonuses. If the player succeeds, he takes the maneuver card; if he fails, leave the maneuver card where it is.
Challenging for a World
Only characters who have four or more maneuver cards can challenge for worlds on the game board. The player tries to perform a spectacular stunt so the arena crowd will give him the world. To take the card, roll four 6-sided dice (or 8-sided dice for Berzerkerbirdz) and match or exceed the world card’s challenge number. Before rolling, the player can use his trophies to add 2 points each to the roll, and other medals can change the dice totals, as well (see Dice and Medals, below). Be sure to look at both the world card and the character card for other bonuses. If the player succeeds, he takes the world card and replaces it on the board with a medal card; if he fails, leave the world card where it is.
Challenging for Medal Cards
The player tries to thrill the arena crowd to gain another trophy or bonus. To take the card, roll four 6-sided dice (or 8-sided dice for Berzerkerbirdz); if any of them roll 6 or higher the player takes the card. Before rolling, the player can use his trophies to add 2 points each to the roll, and other medals can change the dice totals, as well (see Dice and Medals, below). If the player succeeds, he takes the medal card, and if he fails, leave the medal card where it is. Some medal cards gain the player another trophy; take that trophy immediately and discard the medal card. Other medal cards give the player an additional die to roll at some future point in the game; hold on to these cards until that extra die is used, then discard the medal card.
Medal cards are not replaced with new medal cards when they are taken from the game board; the space is left empty. Place expended medal cards at the bottom of the medal cards stack.
Challenging Another Player
A player can challenge another player who is in the same space to take his maneuver cards and world cards. The challenging player looks at the maneuver and world cards the other player has already won and picks one he wishes to take. A player who has neither cannot be challenged. You cannot challenge another player to take his medals or trophies.
Three Kinds of Player Challenges: Homeworld, Favorite Trick, and Standard:
Homeworld Challenge: World cards have specific characters mentioned on them, like ‘Hoverboardzerka needs a 10.' These are the characters' homeworlds, where the terrain is best suited to the type of board he rides. If the challenging player is mentioned on the world card by name, then he can challenge for it by what is called a homeworld challenge; he need only roll his four dice (6-sided or 8-sided, as appropriate, possibly modified by trophies, medals, and other cards) and meet or exceed the number listed to take the card from the challenged player.
Favorite Trick Challenge: Maneuver cards have specific characters mentioned on them, like ‘Hoverboardzerka needs a 10.' These are the characters' favorite tricks, which they consider themselves to be best at. In some cases it is because their favorite board type is especially good at that kind of trick, in other cases because they just happen to be extra good at that trick. If the challenging player is mentioned on the maneuver card by name, then he can challenge for it by what is called a favorite trick challenge; he need only roll his four dice (6-sided or 8-sided, as appropriate, possibly modified by trophies, medals, and other cards) and meet or exceed the number listed to take the card from the challenged player.
Standard Challenge: If the challenging player is not mentioned by name on the maneuver or world card, then he must make an extreme sports challenge to take it. In an extreme sports challenge, both players roll their four dice (6-sided or 8-sided, as appropriate, possibly modified by trophies, medals, and other cards). If the challenger rolls higher he takes the maneuver or world card. If the defender ties or rolls higher he keeps the maneuver or world card.
Successfully Defended Worlds: When a challenged player succeeds in keeping a world card, that world can never be challenged for again. Place that world card beneath the player’s worlds permanently defended card.
DICE AND MEDALS
Players always roll 4 dice for challenges and 1 die for movement. Astrobirdz and Invazorz roll 6-sided dice. Berzerkerbirdz roll 8-sided dice.
Bronze, silver, and gold medals are gained when a player reaches certain goals. Having them changes how the dice are read and added up.
Bronze Medal: A player gains a bronze medal the instant he has three or more maneuvers in front of him on the gaming table. The bronze medal turns all 1s rolled on the dice into 2s.
Silver Medal: A player gains a silver medal the instant he has five or more maneuvers in front of him on the gaming table. The silver medal turns all 1s and 2s rolled on the dice into 3s.
Gold Medal: A player gains a gold medal, the instant he has seven or more maneuvers in front of him on the gaming table. The gold medal turns all 1s, 2s, and 3s rolled on the dice into 4s.
A player who loses maneuver cards after receiving medals does not lose his medals; for instance, a player with three maneuver cards with his bronze medal does not lose that medal if he falls to just two maneuver cards.
Astrobirdz Changing into Berzerkerbirdz
There are two gym cards that help Astrobirdz become Berzerkerbirdz.
There is also the chance that an Astrobirdz can become a Berzerkerbirdz every time he collects a maneuver card that gives him an odd number (greater than one) of them (so, if that makes his third maneuver card, or his fifth, or his seventh, and so on). Right after collecting the maneuver, he rolls a single 6-sided die and on a 6 he transforms into a Berzerkerbirdz.
Have Fun!
That explains everything you need to know to play the game. There is a website as well that allows you to ask questions of the game designer. Go to www.astrobirdz.com to learn more about this and other Astrobirdz products and free downloads.
™Astrobirdz, Berzerkerbirdz, Birdz, Birdznest Nebula, Go Berzerk, Invazorz, and Zoominium are trademarks of Bill Cobb Productions, Inc. Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
