Ruk-Shuck, the Game of Rock Balancing
From: Zabazoo Corp
Reviewed by: Ron McClung
Ruk-Shuck, the Game of Rock Balancing is a new Rock-Balancing Game from Zabazoo Corp. It is a game where players attempt to balance a set of randomly drawn rocks into patterns shown on the cards.
From the website:
“THIS ROCKS” – THE TORONTO STAR
My first thought when I saw this was – “Hey, I want a job selling rocks!”But seriously, I was intrigued because not only does it appear to be a simple but challenging game, but it also can be played solo. This game appears to be inspired by the multitude of standing stones and rock formations through out the world, which I found kind of cool.
The rocks are small stones that are painted in 5 different colors – white, blue, green, red, and yellow. Each color has a different point value – increasing from white (1 point) to yellow (5 points). The white stones are by far easier to stack then the yellow. There are also elongated bridge rocks of which each player receives two.
The 25 Rukshuk cards depict the formations players are to attempt to make during play. Each are named after formations found in the world. Each have a maximum amount of points one can achieve, but the player forms what they can with what rocks they have. There are bonus points that one can gain based on the colors of rocks and from special rules called Red Star Rules.
Each player draws 7 stones from the bag and gets two bridge stones. After shuffling the cards, the top one is revealed and the players attempt to build the formation within the time allotted. If there is a Red Star Rule, that must be read. The “Red Star Rules” are where things get more interesting. When the card is flipped, the players must immediately read and act on those rules. These are:
- Steal 1 Left/Right – take one rock from the player to your left or right.
Use Only One Hand or Use Only Wrong Hand – build using only one hand or non-dominant hand. Change 2 Rocks – return any two rocks to the bag and draw two replacements. Swap Hand Left/Right – Swap all rocks with the player on their left/right.
If you complete the formation before the timer runs out, then you declare “Rukshuk!” You can build and rebuild all you want but when the timer runs out, you have to stop and score. You get points for all that you have built whether you finished it or not. The bridge rocks are 1 point. The others are points based on the color. There are also, as mentioned, bonus points. Certain rocks on the card are colored and read “Double points” or “Triple Points.” If you use the same color as indicated by the bonus point rock, you gain those bonus points. There are also other bonus points – five points for using three of the same color rock (Three-of-a-kind points) and five points for finishing the entire formation.
In conclusion, this is a cool little balancing game for everyone. It is a great family game as well as an educational game. It has won several industry awards including Dr. Toy 10 Best Games Winner. It is a well-made game contained in a sturdy cardboard box. It is a dexterity-based game, like Jenga, but it is more than that. The timer really pressures the players to get the formation done in time, so its a fast-paced dexterity game. There is also some luck involved, based on the draw of stones but those that only draw the low scoring white stones may be happier in the end because they can complete the formation faster. Although this game can be played solo, it is by far more fun with more than 2. It is a subtly fun game.
For more details on Zabazoo Corp and their new Rock-Balancing Game “Ruk-Shuck, the Game of Rock Balancing” check them out at their website http://www.rukshuk.com, and at all of your local game stores.
Ruk-Shuck, the Game of Rock Balancing
From: Zabazoo Corp
Type of Game: Rock-Balancing Game
Game Design by: Malcolm Bisiker
Developed by: Malcolm Bisiker
Number of Pages: 1
Game Components Included: Type List of Items
- game rocks
score pad instructions game cards sandtimer rock pouch formation facts
Retail Price: $ 24.99 (US)
Number of Players: 1-5
Player Ages: 8 and up
Website: www.rukshuk.com
Reviewed by: Ron McClung