Skyrockets: Festivals of Fire

To set up, first select an event card (numbered 1-28) which outlines the specific challenges and rules for the game. Shuffle the firework cards (with the fireworks back) into a face-down deck. Deal firework cards to each player according to the number indicated on the event card, keeping them secret from other players. Place the countdown track and the six sand timers in a central area, arranging the timers as instructed by the event card (some upright, some lying down). Place the crowd tile with three double-sided crowd tokens (star-side up) onto its spaces. Finally, give the first player token to the person who most recently saw fireworks, or choose randomly.

The objective is to cooperatively advance the orange countdown timer (or the timer designated as the countdown timer by the event) to the final space on its track. This is achieved by playing cards that cause the countdown timer to flip when its top half is empty, which then allows it to advance. Simultaneously, players must prevent any of the other sand timers from completely running out of sand. If the countdown timer reaches the final space, all players win. If any other timer runs out of sand, it triggers a negative consequence, and if all crowd tokens are flipped face-down, all players lose.

Beginning with the first player and proceeding clockwise, each player takes a turn. On your turn, you play one firework card from your hand face-up onto the table in front of you. Each card shows a combination of two colors, corresponding to two different sand timers. You must flip the two related timers. If one of the related timers is the countdown timer and it still has sand running through it, you only flip the other timer and ignore the countdown timer. If the countdown timer is empty when its color is played, you flip it and advance it one space on the countdown track. After flipping the required timers, your turn ends by drawing a new card from the deck. Some events may alter turn order or communication rules.

After successfully completing an event by advancing the countdown timer to its final space, players record their score on the provided score card. The score for that event is determined by the number of crowd tokens that are still showing their star side face-up. A score of three stars is the best, but any score with at least one star indicates a successful completion of the event. Players can then choose to reset and replay the same event to try for a better score, or they can advance to the next event in the sequence.

The game can end in one of two ways. Players win immediately if the countdown timer successfully reaches the final space on its track. Conversely, players lose if all three crowd tokens are ever flipped face-down before the countdown timer reaches its final space. When players lose, the event is reset, and they can choose to try the same event again.