Zodiac Games

Enter the Room

You enter a long, narrow room. At the back of the room, a large chinese Zodiac dominates the rear wall. Lining both walls are long alters with what look like targets against the wall.

Note: The alters are the size and shape of skee-ball games. This game is skee-ball, but the aggregate score is what will win the day.

The number of alters is equal to the maximum number of people in an Open World group. Each player gets their own alter.

The targets are protectecd by a Plexiglas sheet or netting or a wire mesh.

Start the Game

You and your friends each stand in front of an alter and press the big red button. Small, spherical balls roll down the track.

Note: the number of points required to win this game depends on the number of players. Therefore, each alter can only be activated within 30-45 seconds of the first alter being activated in order to select the scoring system.

Play the Game

You roll the ball down the alter. It rolls up the ramp, across the gap, and into the target. Score! After the ball falls into the scoring hole, you hear an ascending, sparkling tone.

Winning and Losing

When you push the button on the alter, you hear an ascending tone. The zodiac lights up with rubies and emeralds. The rubies go dark and the emeralds stay lit.

Note: After the game starts, the inner circle of jewels will light up. This is the timer ring. As time goes on, they will extinguish one by one counterclockwise.

The outer circle of jewels are the scoring jewels. As players score more points, they will light up in a clockwise fashion.

The zodiac wheel is extremely intricate. It's etched into plywood and painted.

Time's Up!

If the red jewels are not fully illuminated and the green timer jewels extinguish or if all balls are rolled, an ominous tone plays and all lights extinguish.

Note: If the timer runs out and there are still lose balls, they can be rolled but won't contribute to the score.

The number of points per jewel depends on how many alters are activated (ie, how many players are in the room. Larger groups have to score more points to win.

Provisionally, the timer jewels are calibarted to take 2 minutes to de-luminate.

You Win!

You and your friends finally score enough points to fully illuminate the red jewels. You hear a celestial tone as the giant zodiac slowly lights up from behind.