1. Product Overview
Karuba is a tile-laying puzzle game where 2 to 4 players, aged 8 and up, embark on a jungle adventure to find hidden treasures and reach ancient temples. Each game typically lasts around 40 minutes. Players simultaneously build paths on their individual island boards, aiming to guide their adventurers to temples and collect valuable crystals and gold nuggets along the way.
Image: The HABA Karuba game box, featuring adventurers and ancient temples.
Game Objective
The goal of Karuba is to score the most victory points by successfully guiding your four adventurers to their corresponding temples and collecting as many crystals and gold nuggets as possible along the paths.
2. Setup
- Player Boards: Each player receives one island board.
- Adventurers and Temples: Each player receives 4 adventurer pawns and 4 temple pieces, each in a unique color (e.g., brown, blue, purple, yellow).
- Initial Placement: One player is designated as the Expedition Leader. The Expedition Leader places their 4 adventurers on any of the 4 beach entry points (numbered 10, 20, 30, 40) on the left side of their board. They then place their 4 temples on any of the 4 temple locations (numbered 70, 80, 90, 100) on the right side of their board. All other players must place their adventurers and temples in the exact same positions on their respective boards.
- Placement Rule: An adventurer and its corresponding colored temple must be separated by at least three empty spaces (not counting the beach or temple spaces).
- Treasure Tokens: Place the 64 crystal tokens and 12 gold nugget tokens in a general supply accessible to all players.
- Temple Scoring Tiles: Separate the temple scoring tiles (numbered 2, 3, 4, 5) into four stacks, one for each temple color. Place these stacks near the general supply, face up with the highest value on top.
- Jungle Tiles: Each player receives a set of 36 jungle path tiles. The Expedition Leader shuffles their 36 tiles and places them face down to form a draw pile. All other players sort their 36 tiles by number and keep them in an organized pile, face up, ready to be found.
Image: Multiple player boards during game setup, showing adventurers and temples in place.
3. How to Play (Operating Instructions)
Karuba is played in rounds. Each round consists of two phases: drawing and placing a tile, or discarding a tile for movement.
Phase 1: Draw and Place a Tile
- The Expedition Leader draws the top tile from their face-down pile and announces its number.
- All other players locate the matching numbered tile from their sorted piles.
- Each player then chooses one of two actions:
- Place the Tile: Place the tile onto any empty jungle space on their island board. The tile must be placed so that the number on it is in the upper-left corner. Tiles cannot be rotated.
- Discard for Movement: Discard the tile from the game to move one of their adventurers. The number of movement points an adventurer gains is equal to the number of exits (paths) on the discarded tile. For example, a tile with two paths allows 2 movement points.
Image: Players engaging in gameplay, laying down path tiles and collecting gold nuggets and crystals.
Phase 2: Adventurer Movement
- Adventurers can only move along paths created by the placed tiles.
- An adventurer must follow a continuous path. They cannot move through jungle spaces without a path.
- If an adventurer lands on or passes over a space containing a crystal or gold nugget, the player immediately takes that token from the general supply and adds it to their personal collection.
- Adventurers cannot pass through spaces occupied by other adventurers (even their own).
- The goal is to move each adventurer to the temple of its matching color. The first player to reach a temple claims the highest-value scoring tile for that temple color. Subsequent players reaching the same temple claim the next available scoring tile.
Image: A close-up of the game board, illustrating adventurers moving along paths and collecting treasures.
Official Product Video: How to Play
Video: An official overview of HABA Karuba, demonstrating the tile-laying and treasure-hunting gameplay. This video provides a comprehensive guide to understanding the game mechanics.
4. Game End and Scoring
Ending the Game
The game ends immediately when either:
- One player has successfully moved all four of their adventurers to their corresponding colored temples.
- All 36 jungle path tiles have been drawn and placed/discarded by the Expedition Leader.
Calculating Scores
Players calculate their total victory points as follows:
- Temple Points: Add the points from all temple scoring tiles collected by your adventurers.
- Gold Nuggets: Each gold nugget collected is worth 2 victory points.
- Crystals: Each crystal collected is worth 1 victory point.
The player with the highest total score wins the game. In case of a tie, the player with the most gold nuggets wins. If still tied, the player with the most crystals wins.
5. Components (Specifications)
The HABA Karuba game includes the following components:
- 4 Island Boards (player boards)
- 144 Jungle Path Tiles (36 per player)
- 16 Adventurer Pawns (4 per color)
- 16 Temple Pieces (4 per color)
- 64 Crystal Tokens
- 12 Gold Nugget Tokens
- 20 Temple Scoring Tiles (values 2, 3, 4, 5 for each of the 4 temple colors)
- Instruction Manual
Product Dimensions and Weight
- Product Dimensions: 8.78 x 12.48 x 2.68 inches
- Item Weight: 2.6 pounds
- Item Model Number: 300932
- Manufacturer Recommended Age: 8 years and up
Image: A close-up view of various game components, including wooden adventurer pawns, temple pieces, and shiny treasure tokens.
6. Maintenance and Care
- Store all game components in the original box to prevent loss or damage.
- Keep the game away from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures to prevent warping or fading of cardboard components.
- Clean components with a dry, soft cloth if necessary. Avoid using liquids or abrasive cleaners.
- Ensure all pieces are dry before storing to prevent mold or damage.
7. Troubleshooting
Missing Components
If any components are missing upon opening the game, please contact HABA customer support for assistance.
Rule Clarification
For any questions regarding game rules or gameplay, refer to the official HABA website or contact their customer support. The provided video overview may also offer helpful visual explanations.
Official Product Video: Product Overview
Video: A brief product overview of HABA Karuba, showcasing the game's components and general concept. This can be useful for quick rule refreshers.
8. Warranty and Support
HABA products are manufactured with high-quality materials and undergo rigorous testing. For warranty information, replacement parts, or customer support, please visit the official HABA website or contact their customer service department.
Manufacturer: Haba
Official Website: HABA-Play.com
UPC: 4010168271644
