Goal of the Game
Be the first monkey to reach the top of the tree, complete the Treetop Challenge, and dodge Kurgill’s traps to win!
Game Overview
Monkey is a lighthearted game of memory, math, and mischief, as players race to outclimb each other while dodging wild spells from the kooky wizard Kurgill.
Each turn, players draw a Tree card then face a Spell card from Kurgill. Most spells slow you down—some might help! Then players get to use two actions to climb, to draw more cards, or to hinder opponents by setting traps. First to conquer the Treetop Challenge wins!
Your Turn:
Start your turn by drawing 1 Tree card to your hand (or 2 if you are the player in the lowest position!). Then:
1. Flip over a spell card and apply its effects.
2. Actions — Use your 2 action points (AP) by choosing below:
- [1 AP] to Draw a tree card
- [1 AP] to Attempt to climb the tree
- [1 AP] to Set 2 traps on opponents of your choice,
- [2 AP] to Attempt the Treetop Challenge
After you spend your AP the next player gets to go. Climb on!
Climbing
CLIMBING THE TRUNK
Spend 1 AP to attempt a climb at your current position. This flips the Trunk card at that level—its number is the climb difficulty. Beating it requires playing Tree cards from your hand that add up to more than that number... but you must follow the color rules below!
Color Matters!
- If the Trunk card is colored, use Tree cards of a different color.
- If the Trunk card is black, use only black cards.
- Wild 20s can be used to climb any color.
If you Succeed:
- Move up 1 position (unless blocked by Monkey Traps).
- Discard the cards you used.
- Flip the Trunk card back face-down.
If you Fail:
- Fall down 1 position.
- Keep any cards you played—they go back to your hand.
- Flip the Trunk card back face-down.
Climbing successfully moves your Monkey up one position toward the Treetop, where the final challenge awaits!
BEATING THE TREETOP CHALLENGE
Spend 2 AP at the Treetop to take the Treetop Challenge. One by one, reveal each of the 3 Treetop cards and try to beat them just like Trunk cards—matching color rules and using climbing cards that total more than the card’s value. Continue until you’ve beaten all 3 Treetop cards... then dodge the 2 Traps from Kurgill in order to win! (see "TRAPS" section)
- Note: Each time you beat a treetop card, you'll be setting aside the cards you use as they will be checked against Kurgill's 2 Traps at the very end!
Traps
Traps are cards which players (and Kurgill!) can set against opponents to mess with their climbing attempts. Spend 1 AP in order to set 2 traps against opponent(s) of your choice. A player that is "trapped" can only advance if they clear all traps at their position.
Clearing Traps
In order to dodge/remove traps at your position...
- 1. First beat your position (ie. make a successful climb)
- 2. Then reveal each trap card on you, one at a time, and compare its # value to the # values of the cards you used in your climbing attempt
- 3. If any #s match... you're CAUGHT: your climb fails and you remain at the same level... if no #s match... you DODGED the trap!
- 4. Clear all traps in order to advance!
The good news? Each time a trap card gets revealed it gets discarded!
Notes:
- You can only set traps against players at the trunk.
- The maximum traps you can set on any player is 4... (but Kurgill has kooky ways of adding more!)
Spells
█▬ Anvil: Ouch! You only get 1 AP this turn.
🪓 Axe: Chop chop! Replace a Trunk/Treetop or remove a trap from any player! (yes, you can be nice and chop a trap for your opponent).
🥊 Boxing Gloves: Monkey fight! All players fight—winner gets a card, loser falls.
🍌 Banana: Yum! Draw a bonus Tree card! (Yay!)
💣 Dynamite: Boom! Player to your left steals one of your cards!
🧚 Pixie: Peek! Peek at a Tree card!
🐦 Bird: Block! These spells ban a number for the rest of the game!
🎢 Slide: Wheeeee! Fall down 1!
🧌 Gnome: You got gnomed! 🙈 Prepare yourself, this one is baaaad:
- 1. Fall down 1 position!
- 2. Receive 2 Monkey Traps (even if you're over the limit)!
- 3. Your turn ends immediately and the Spell discard pile gets reshuffled back into the deck (Yep... the Gnome's coming back!)
It’s chaotic, sneaky, and super annoying... just like a gnome.
