variable player powers

One of the two players represents Jack the Ripper, who will be one of the 8 characters on the board. This player knows the identity of this character and his goal is to flee from the district as soon as possible (or avoid being accused for eight turns). The other player represents an independent investigator (not represented on the board) who tries to guess the identity of Jack. But he can make only one accusation during the game!

During each turn the players move the characters, using their special powers, placing them either in shadow or light. At the end of each turn, the witnesses declare if Jack is visible (in light, or adjacent to another character) or not (alone in the shadows). This allows the investigator to know which characters are innocent. This continues as the investigator tries to eliminate suspects while Jack tries to escape. Intuition, logic and cold blood will be necessary for each of the two participants.

Check out the awesome graphics by our own BGGer/genius graphic designer Piero Lalune (pierolalune)

Mr. Jack is exclusively published by Hurrican, all printings of Mr. Jack are from Hurrican and distributed by other companies

Game description from the publisher:

In Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar - Tribes & Prophecies, each player now becomes the leader of a particular tribe, each of which has a special ability that only that player can use. The game includes 13 tribes to provide plenty of variety, (You know that 13 is a spooky and magical number, right?)

With this expansion, the game of Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar is also influenced by three prophecies that are revealed ahead of time and fulfilled when the time is right. These prophecies give players other opportunities to score points, but they can also lose points if they don't prepare themselves for the prophecy effects. As with the tribes, the expansion includes 13 prophecies. (Woohoo, 13 again!)

This expansion also has new buildings and components that allow up to five players to compete.

Theme:

Game is themed around a purification ritual of the ancient Etruscan people, who predated the Roman Empire around 6th century B.C. Each player represents a different temple, faithful to the divinities Achvizr, Alpan, Leinth, and Thalna. On "Tagete's" day, the Etruscan Haruspexes [priests] proceed down the path of purification to the Velthumena Altar.

Goal:

Each player has 8 pawns representing "Haruspexes" [priests] in their color. Each player is trying to move their priests along the path of purifiction from their home temple to the altar at the center of the board. One player may also choose the path of darkness and consecrate themselves to the divinity "Tuchulcha" with the goal of elminating all rival priests. This role is only available in 3 and 4 player games. If a player chooses this path, then another single player may consecrate themselves to "Lasa Vecuvia" with a different set of powers. This player's goal is to now move their priests to set "passages" on the path and place 4 seals to win the game. This role is only available in 4 player games.

Players win by having the most priests in the center altar at game end. If a player chooses Tuchulcha's power, they win by eliminating all other priests, and lose if any priest enters the altar. A player that chooses the Lasa Vecuvia power wins only by placing all 4 seals.

Gameplay:

Game plays with 2, 3, or 4 players. Each player begins the game with 8 pawns on their home temple. On their turn players roll 2 dice. If doubles are rolled, the player may throw a third die. Then player chooses to move one or more of their pawns the number of pips shown on each die. For example, if a 5 and a 2 are rolled, a player may move one pawn 5 and another 2, or one pawn 5, and then 2 [not seven at once]. This is important as where you land can be significant on each move. Players move their pawns around a spiral path approaching the altar at the center. Along the way players will encounter other players' pawns, and special spaces on the path. These spaces can increase the "spiritual strength" of players' pieces by two times of three times [Mystical Stones], or "passage" spaces can banish them to the Tuchulcha forest. While Mystical Stone spaces are powerful in defense, pawns must move off these spaces as soon as they can. Pawns can normally pass through each other regardless of owner. Any number of a single player's pawns may occupy a single space. However, when a pawn would land on another player's by exact count, it must equal the "spiritual strength" of the player's pieces in the space. Normally, spiritual strenght is one per pawn, but in the 2x or 3x spaces these are multiplied respectively. If a moving player can eqaul the spiritual strength of pawns in the space, then the occupying pawns are banished to the Tuchulcha forest. These pawns are essentially out of the game, but can be used to activate the alternate "Tuchulcha" player role. Once a pawn banishes an opponent's pawn, it may not move again this turn. 2 player game uses 2 "neutral" colors which any player can move during their turn. 3 player game adds the optional Tuchulcha player role, and 4 player adds both Tuchulcha and Lasa Vecuvia roles to play.

At any time one and only one player [in 3 and 4 player games], may choose to take on the role of Tuchulcha [a god of destruction]. To activate this power, the player must "sacrifice" 3 pawns. These pawns may come from the home temple, altar, path, or Tuchulcha forest. Once activated, the Tuchulcha player's new objective is to eliminate all other players' pawns. As soon as one other player's pawn enters the altar, Tuchulcha loses and is eliminated from the game. This can make this role selection a risky move. However, this player gains powerful new abilities. Tuchulcha's pawns can never be banished to the forest, he rolls 4 dice and selects the 3 best, and no longer has to stop after banishing an opponent's pawn.

If a player chooses to be Tuchulcha in a 4 player game, then another [and only one] player may take the role of Lasa Vecuvia. This player must still have 4 active pawns in play to activate. This player's objectives are now to "seal" the 4 passages along the path. These passages normally banish pawns to the forest, but when the Lasa player lands a pawn on the passage, she places a seal token on the passage and removes the pawn from play. Once she places all four seals in this manner she wins the game.

Components:

32 high quality wooden pawns in 4 colors
4 green wooden dice with gold pips and rounded corners
1 double sided game board for 3 and 4 player games
1 full color illustrated rules booklet

To be the produced version of Aquarium Derby. The board is covered with hexes containing arrows. A player plays the movement card lying facedown in front of themselves then chooses a new one for NEXT turn. Each movement card describes movement relative to the arrow on your current space. The biggest problem is that you are frequently not on the space you were on when you played that movement card

The cool part are the action points which can be used over the course of the game a la Trip Tickets in Wildlife Adventure to save yourself and hose everyone else in further ways. It also adds a touch of a puzzle element as there are usually a couple of ways to save yourself from a bad situation.

Players represent various office holders in the ruling Junta. Depending upon his office and the various cards he holds, each player has a certain number of votes. These are important as they must first elect El Presidente and then vote on the budget that he proposes. Here's where it can get sticky. El Presidente draws cards face down from the money deck (which varies in denomination from $1 to $3) and must propose a budget for the year, distributing the money as he sees fit amongst the various offices. Of course, loyalty to him is usually rewarded, while those pesky "thorns in his side" are usually cut off completely. The beauty of all this, though, is that El Presidente can — and most always does — keep some of the loot for himself. And since no one but he knows the value of what he drew, no one knows how much he's keeping. Suspicion is always keen.

Players may attempt to assassinate the other players by guessing where they will be from among five locations. Players who successfully assassinate another player take that player's money, as the only safe money is the money that has been deposited in a Swiss bank account, and the only way to get to the bank is to survive the assassination round.

If the players are unhappy, and there is an excuse, they can call for a coup, where the opposition players seek to take control of a majority of the power centers. Rebel players control the forces of the role which they were assigned (e.g. army, navy, air force), and players loyal to El Presidente do the same, seeking to control the strongholds until the rebellion is quelled.

The goal is to amass the greatest wealth secreted away in your Swiss bank account.