Downspin

A head-to-head strategy game of cause-and-effect with a twist—literally.

Players face off across a shared vertical screen rigged with five interconnected knobs. Behind this screen, each player loads their colored discs (numbered 1 through 5) into chutes at the top. On your turn, you twist a knob to move your own disc downward—but the catch is that the knobs operate differently on each side of the screen. What moves your disc forward might inadvertently help—or sabotage—your opponent!

To win, be the first to get your discs to the bottom in perfect order... or cunningly force your rival’s discs out of sequence. Quick thinking and risk-taking make this contraption game a puzzle, a race, and a psychological standoff in one. Several variants are offered in the rules.

1994 Mensa Select