Review

Missiles and bombs

RUSH & BASH

A very dangerous car race

It is always a pleasure for me to write a review about an Italian game, but going for one that was supposed to be very light was not my best hope: in effect, it is probably clear from my previous articles on WIN that I like complex games where you need to program your moves with attention. Luckily, I was wrong because after a dozen races with RUSH & BASH I changed my mind: this game is really a lot fun.

I tested it for the first time at a meeting organized by Red Glove in a splendid castle on the Tyrrhenian sea coast, in Tuscany: we (Angelo, one of my friends, and myself) were looking at all the games exposed in the castle when we were invited to start a race with other players, so we accepted and we entered the world of Rush & Bash with some curiosity. This game is clearly inspired by the video game "Mario Kart" and in effect the players try every possible trick to block the opponents, with bombs, missile fires, etc. But it does not require any "manual" ability, like its "videogame" counterpart, and you still must think a little before playing your cards.

The box contains 12 geomorphic big tiles (172x172 mm) mounted on heavy cardboard and with a different section of the circuit printed on both sides, for a total of 24 different sections: the players may assembly their own circuit as they like, with a minimum of 6 tiles (for a race that will last 25-30 minutes only) or with more tiles if they have extra time available. The box also contains 6 personal boards (135x185 mm), 6 colored plastic cars, 6 tokens (with a colored helmet) and their plastic bases, two decks of cards and a lot of other stuff, as we will see.

SATURDAY MORNING:

TEST SESSION ON THE CIRCUIT AND POLE POSITION

Once that the race circuit has been assembled every player takes one car, the personal board and the little helmet of the same color (to be inserted in a plastic transparent base to remain standing). The starting position are printed on the lanes of the START/ARRIVAL tile (that must be used for every race) and the youngest player place his car on the pole position, followed by the others. Each position on the starting tile entitles the player to collect 3 cards: player Nr. 1 and Nr. 2 take 3 Sprint (green) cards; Nr. 3 and Nr. 4 take 2 Sprint and 1 Rush (red); Nr. 5 and Nr. 6 take 1 Sprint and 2 Rush.

Each card shows one NUMBER (1-2-3 for the Sprint, 3-4-5 for the Rush) and one SYMBOL (Turn, Power, Bomb, Missile and Repair): therefore it is clear that RED cards (Rush) are more powerful than the green, but can be taken only by the players in the back of the group: with this simple system the game will balance itself automatically because if you are in the first positions you will always collect only low speed cards, but if you are late you will get the more powerful red cards.

The circuit has three lanes, but sometimes the track is reduced to two lanes only or it divides in two smaller branches that will join again after a few cases. Each tile also has a red line crossing the track (it is called "check point" line): they are used when a car spin out (and must re-start the race from that position) and when a missile is fired. Most of the tiles also have some cases with an obstacle icon: here, following the result of a dice roll, may be placed some little cardboard "boulders". If a car is unable to change lane and crash against a boulder it gets one damage (but the obstacle is eliminated)

Three "double face" cardboard displays are also available inside the box: before the start the players should select the one that has a number of cases equal to the number of racing cars (from 3 to 6) and must place here the colored helmets, each one on the number corresponding to its starting position (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.). Each case also has a green or red card icon, and after each turn of the race the players in the first positions will get a green card while the others will get a red one.

Each pilot must take a close look at his personal board before the start of the race because each car has different special actions: a little cardboard "star" is placed on case "0" of the board at the beginning because nobody may use those special actions yet, but during the race the star may rise to position 1, 2 and 3 and each of them may give a different bonus. When the bonus is used, the star goes back to zero and the process start again.

On top of the personal board we see three cases: a little cardboard "heart" is placed on the rightmost one and will be moved one case left each time that the car is damaged. After the third damage the car will spin out, but nobody is ever eliminated as he will re-start the race on the following turn from the closer check point, while the "heart" will be placed again in the first case (fully repaired car).

OK: The cars are ready; the pilots are impatient to spring out of the starting positions and the Starter Officer is approaching!

THE RED LIGHTS ARE SWITCHED ON:

MINUS 3-2-1 .... GOOOOOOO !!!

In turn each player reveal a card and immediately apply the effect of its symbol, then it advances the number of cases shown on the bottom: the cars must advance straight ahead, following the path of the original lane unless they play a "turn" card.

But let's look a little closer to the effects of each symbol: 

- TURN: the car may be moved in a case adjacent to the starting one but on a different lane. Then it will advance the printed number of cases.

- POWER: the player rises the star up one case on its personal board and then moves his car forwards the number of printed cases.

- BOMB: the player places a bomb token on one case adjacent to his car and then moves it forwards the number of printed cases. If some of the following cars are obliged to enter a case with a bomb the latter explodes and all the cars in or adjacent that case receive one damage.

- MISSILE: the player launches a missile in front of him and this engine will fly forwards (along the same line) for up to three check points: if it finds a car it explodes and the car gets a damage; if it finds a boulder the latter is eliminated; if it finds a bomb both explode and may damage all the cars that are eventually adjacent. Of course, after having launched the missile and checked the result the car moves forwards the number of cases printed on the card

- REPAIR: the players reduce the damages of his card by one case. Then the car moves forwards as usual.

The players move their cars trying to avoid boulders, bombs and missile but they also make an effort to "dab" the others cards: when you bump against a car in front of you, this car moves a case forward and takes one damage, eventually dabbing another car, and so on. If a car gets its third damage immediately spins out and goes back behind the first red line (check point), from where it will move again in the next turn. Luckily, when you spin out your repair all the damages.

It is common, in the first part of the race, to see players that voluntary try to slow down their cars and let other pass in the first positions: this is because up front cars will be more vulnerable to missiles from behind or boulders in front. These are good reasons to always try to have in hand at least one "Turn" card to change lane.

When all the cars moved the turn ends: the new situation is checked and the helmets are repositioned on their track: then each player takes one card (if red or green depends on the new helmet's position) and a new turn is launched.

After a few turns the players usually raise their "Power" star and are strong enough to use their special powers. Each car has 3 different ones and should use them at the right moment. For example, "Finn Fiatodidrago" (red car) with its top power may move 2 cases and place bombs everywhere; "BaronSkully" (grey car) advances 8 cases and takes one card from the hand of each player to which it pass adjacent during this move; "Lady Lucebuona" (yellow car) advances 10 cases without considering boulders, bombs or other cars; etc.

When you use your "power" you must reduce your star back to zero, but you may start again growing turn after turn: there is no limit to the number of times that you may use each of your powers but those of level 1 or 2 are, of course, lighter.

The first player to reach the "Finish" line wins the game.

This is the standard game, but the rules also suggest a number of variants or additions: you may add some "boost token" to the track (each "boost" allows a second advance to all the cars that cross this case); the "bot cars" are extra cars that move in a semi-automatic way and their role is to complicate the race to the players; the Volcano has a special track-tile with red lava cases who gives damage to the car that is obliged to stop there; and you also have the Geyser track; the Jungle track, the Bridge; etc. each one with specific effects. No race is like the previous ones with a correct use of all those options.

This game is simply fun! Your main task, obviously, is not to win the race, but to avoid that the others win! And, of course you cannot expect any kindness from them. It especially useful with young children (7years old and up) because they will surely love to missile attack Dad or Mum or to bomb their friends or brothers.

The graphics are particularly good as they seem taken from a cartoon film and, again, they invite to play: who can resist to race with a dragon as navigator? Even expert gamers will come back to Rush & Bash more often than they supposed, at least to revenge the previous race, when they were the main target of the group.

This is a simple game but you still need some strategy, based mostly on your car's special powers, so you need to adapt your tactics accordingly. Do not forget to try to hide your car behind a boulder, when you are in the first positions, to avoid missile fire; or advance at least one case past a red line, if you can, so if you are obliged to spin out you go back one case only; try to use your green cards first when you are on the last positions in order to collect the more powerful Rush cards and then make a series of quick advances; use your missile to destroy a boulder in front of you if you cannot avoid it with a turn card; an when you do not find something better to do ... improve your power. Never forget that this is a card game and you cannot expect to always have the perfect "Hand": so be patient and use less important cards to turn the tide and wait for the arrival of the right ones.

WINTER IS NOW:

FIRST EXPANSION FOR RUSH & BASH

The basic game was so well received that Red Glove decided to quickly publish a first expansion that add new features to the race.

Two new cars (orange and brown) are added to the basic set (so now up to 8 players may compete), together with three "double face" sections showing "iced" lanes. Also 55 new green and red cards may be added to the original decks and they also bring two new actions:

- ICING GUN: it is possible to create a sheet of ice on the tracks behind you (these are special tokens to be placed on the lanes as we do with the boulders on the basic game), so cars will spin out if they pass on that case.

- POWER UP: you may become invulnerable for a complete turn and you give to your opponents an extra damage if you bump against a car, or bomb and/or missile it.

The extension also has a series of "magic-Nitro" tokens, each one with a different effect: damage an adjacent car, take a Sprint card and advance that number of cases; avoid a missile; a bomb explodes before you touch it; etc. Each player may have a max of two Magic Nitro tokens.

This extension is a very nice addition to a system that worked already very well and you have now two extra players in the race. Strongly suggested

Pietro Cremona

Players: 1-6

Age: 7+

Time: 45+

Designer: Erik Burigo

Artist: Guido Favaro

Price: ca. 28 Euro

Publisher: Red Glove 2015

Web: www.redglove.eu

Genre: Race game

Users: For families

Version: it

Rules: it + de en es fr

In-game text:

Comments:

Series: Red Glove Light

Set in the universe of Vudú, GodZ and Super Fantasy

Simple rules

Lots of fun

Also for experienced players

Compares to:

Other editions:

Red Glove (de en es fr), SD Games (es)

My rating: 5

Pietro Cremona:

A quick, amazing and competitive racing game

Chance (pink): 2

Tactic (turquoise): 2

Strategy (blue): 1

Creativity (dark blue): 0

Knowledge (yellow): 0

Memory (orange): 0

Communication (red): 0

Interaction (brown): 3

Dexterity (green): 0

Action (dark green): 0