HOW TO PLAY
1. Choose the species/player you would like to be. The choices are Sea Turtle, Redwood Tree, Cheetah, Boy and Mallard Duck.
2. Separate the event cards and arctic cards. Take out any event cards for species that are not playing. For example, if the Cheetah is not playing, remove the cards with the (CHEETAH) marking on the left margin. If you’d rather leave these cards in the deck, no problem, simply discard them as they turn up. Thoroughly shuffle the event cards and the arctic cards, with the words facing down. When everyone agrees there has been enough mixing, place the arctic card pile face down. Divide the event cards into two piles of about the same size and put the two piles on either side of the board, face down.
3. Sitting around the board, the youngest person (in human years) goes first. Like the Earth’s rotation, turns go counter-clockwise. Set your players just off the game board near the 90º square and the year 2000.
4. To begin, the youngest player rolls the die and moves to the year on the die at 90º. Each species/player takes their turn by rolling the die and moving to their starting year at 90º.
5. For all remaining turns, you have two choices: You may roll the die and move your player to the year shown, staying at the same temperature- OR You may pick an event card from either pile and read it aloud. If the event happens to move you to an arctic square (the squares with the pictures) pick an arctic card from the arctic card pile. Your turn is not finished until the question has been asked and all players involved in the discussion have moved. Anytime any player lands on an arctic square, they pick an arctic card. If a player moves to an arctic square out of turn, the play shifts to the player on the arctic square after the previous player has finished their turn. If there are players in between, there is a seismic shift. The player/s in between miss a turn.
• If you overheat and hit 100º you have not been able to adapt fast enough. It’s very sad but you, and your species are extinct. That’s the end of the game for you until next time.
• If you cool down to 80º but have not made it to 2020, you can not get any cooler. Continue taking your turn and with some luck you will move into the future and stay cool.
• If you pick an event card for a species other than your player, for example, you are the boy and you pick a (CHEETAH) card, you will remain where you are, and the cheetah will move.
• If you move to the year 2020, you can not move further into the future. If you land on an arrow, move back to the year shown on the square. If this moves you to an arctic square, pick an ARCTIC CARD. Read the card, it is still your turn.
• If you get a card that says “join the player of your choice” and you are already the coolest player, you may stay where you are.
• If you get an event card that says “join the player furthest into the future” or “join the coolest player” and there are more than one, pick the player you would like to join.
• When one player survives and makes it to the 80º and the 2020 square, keep playing if you have the time. If all players survive, the Polar Bear has a much better chance of surviving in the wild.