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Mousetrap Game Rules

Children and adults alike can enjoy "Mousetrap," a game based on a complex, real-life mousetrap made by inventor Rube Goldberg. Two to four players may play, each choosing a small, colored plastic mouse before they begin. As the game goes on the players construct a mousetrap and attempt to capture the other players̵7; mice.
Included in each Mousetrap board game are the mousetrap building parts, a game board, four mouse game pieces, two steel marbles, 52 plastic cheese wedges, a plastic die, game rules and building instructions.

Starting the Game
- Lay the game board on a flat surface with the mousetrap building pieces and cheese wedges within easy reach. Remove all of the cardboard punch-outs on the game board. Have each player choose a mouse and set it on the ̶0;start̶1; space.
  
  Choose a player to go first, playing by age or by rolling the die and allowing the player with the highest number to go first. Play proceeds clockwise. Roll the die and move your mouse the appropriate number of spaces. Follow the instructions printed on the square. Mice may share spaces if necessary.
Build Spaces
- All build spaces have numbers on them. When you land on a build space, you may build only if one of the numbers matches the number of players in the game. Two-player games may build on 2, 2-3 or 2-3-4 spaces. Three player games may build on 2-3 or 2-3-4 spaces and four-player games may only build on 2-3-4 spaces.
  
  Upon landing on a build space, you must assemble the next piece of the mousetrap. Begin with piece one, following the included diagram for proper assembly. Each player may only add one piece of the mousetrap per turn on a building space. After assembling your part of the mousetrap, collect a piece of cheese.
Cheese Pieces and the Dog Bone Space
- When you land on a Take Cheese space, take the appropriate number of cheese wedges from the cheese pile. If the cheese pile is empty, take the cheese wedges from the player with the most pieces of cheese. If two players are tied for the most amount of cheese, you may split the amount of cheese owed you between them, or take all of your cheese from one--it̵7;s your choice. If you land on a space instructing you to take cheese from an opponent, do so even if cheese remains in the cheese pile.
  
  If you land on a Lose Cheese space, return the indicated number of cheese wedges to the cheese pile. If the number of wedges you are supposed to return is higher than the number you have, return all of your cheese wedges to the pile. Your turn is over.
  
  The Dog Bone space is like a ̶0;lose a turn̶1; space in other board games. If you land on this space, your turn is over with no actions required.
The Loop and Cheese Wheel Space
- The Loop consists of the six spaces at the end of the board where mice may be captured. The Loop begins with the Safe space and ends with the Cheese Wheel space. Once reached, all players will take turns traveling the Loop until the mousetrap is fully assembled and only one mouse remains free.
  
  When you land on the Cheese Wheel space and an opponent lands on the Turn Crank space you may capture mice. If your mouse is trapped, turn over your cheese wedges to the player who captured you. If the trap misses your mouse you remain in play. If you land on the Turn Crank space and no mice stand on the Cheese Wheel space, you may move mice there by putting one or more cheese wedges into the cheese pile and selecting the same number of mice to move. Roll the die for each mouse and move the mouse the appropriate number of spaces. If any lands on the Cheese Wheel space, you may try to capture them.

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