Kakerlaloop Mitbringspiel

The cheeky bugs are frantically munching their way through the cockroach’s dangerous territory. It doesn’t like that one bit: suddenly it darts out of its vent. The bugs freeze in horror, hoping it won’t catch them this time - or it will toss them out of the back alley. Who, with courage and luck, will be the first to reach the safety of the grate?

—description from the publisher (translated)

The beetles play against the cockroach and try to reach the grid on the other side of the backyard as quickly as possible.

You start the race at the arrow and choose which path to take. If you pass the looping space, you may switch from one path to the other or continue along the same color. On the pink or yellow spaces, you can be caught by the cockroach. There are also four safe spaces in blue with a glowing outline. The pink-yellow looping space in the middle is especially dangerous: any beetle there will definitely be caught if the cockroach appears.

There are 3 ways to play the game:

Intro Rules (2–4 players): Each player gets three beetles of one color. Goal: be the first to get all beetles to the safe grid.

Gameplay: Players take turns rolling two dice. Move any one beetle the total rolled. Occupied spaces count, but if a beetle lands on an occupied space, it moves one extra space. On looping spaces, players choose the direction. Rolling a cockroach symbol flips a cockroach tile. After the fourth tile is revealed, the active player flips the cockroach coin (pink/yellow). Beetles on spaces matching the coin’s color or on looping spaces return to the start. Tiles are then reset face down.

End of Game: The first player to get all their beetles to the goal wins.

Action Rules (3–4 players): Each player gets three beetles. One player is the cockroach, who keeps their beetles aside and takes the cockroach die, five chips, and the coin. The beetle players place their beetles at the start and use the points die. Paper and pencil are needed for scoring.

Goal: Beetles: be the first to get all beetles to the goal and score points for each arrived beetle. Cockroach: send as many beetles back to start as possible and score points accordingly.

Gameplay: Beetle players roll and move in turn. Movement rules are the same as the beginner game: occupied spaces count; if landing on an occupied space, move one extra space; looping spaces allow directional choice. Pass the die quickly to the next player.

The cockroach player rolls as fast as possible, aiming to roll five cockroach symbols. Each symbol uncovered flips a chip. After the fifth chip, shout “Stop!” and immediately interrupt beetle movement. Flip the coin: all beetles on spaces matching the coin’s color or looping spaces return to the start. Turn the chips face-down and continue. You score one point per beetle sent back.

End of Round: The round ends immediately when a player gets all their beetles to the goal. Beetle players record points for each beetle in the goal.

Role Rotation & End of Game: The player to the left of the cockroach player becomes the new cockroach player; the previous cockroach player becomes a beetle player. The game ends after everyone has played the cockroach. The player with the most points wins.

Duel (2 players): The beetle player places seven beetles of any color at the start and takes the points die. The cockroach player sets out four chips and the coin and rolls the cockroach die.

Goal: Beetle player: get four beetles to the goal. Cockroach player: capture four beetles.

Gameplay: Both players act simultaneously on the start signal. After flipping the coin, any beetles caught are immediately claimed by the cockroach player.

End of Round: The round ends when either the beetle player reaches four beetles in the goal or the cockroach player captures four beetles. The winner scores one point.

Role Rotation & Scoring: Players switch roles and record points over a predetermined number of rounds. The player who scored the highest total wins.