How to Play

Cubitos

2-4 players 30-60 min 7.4 Board Game Geek Rating

Players compete as racers in the Cube Cup championship, rolling dice each turn to advance on the track, purchase new dice, and activate special powers. Rolling represents your support team helping your runner progress. However, excessive rolling risks busting your turn completely. Victory goes to whoever crosses the finish line first in this luck-and-strategy racing game.

Published 2021

Cubitos

Get Ready

Setup the game with these step-by-step instructions before diving into your turn.

1
Choose player color
Each player selects a color and receives 2 animal tokens, 1 player board matching their color, 1 rules reference board, 7 light gray starting dice, and 2 dark gray starting dice
2
Position rules reference board
Place the reference board in front of each player with the "Roll Phase" (green) side facing up
3
Place starting dice
All players place their starting dice in the "Draw Zone" on their player board
4
Select Card Set
Choose 8 different ability cards for the game; new players should use "Race 1 (First Game)" set including Smelly Cat, Rich Dog, Mr. Soldier, Rock On, Dugout, Rollosaurus, Reckless Cheese, and Bob
5
Choose race track
Select a race track and place it in the center; for first games use "The Nothing Goes Right" track
6
Position player pieces
Place each player's character token at the starting position on the track
7
Set up fan track
Place the fan track to the side and put each player's second token at the base of the fan track
8
Arrange dice trays
Place dice boxes matching the colors of selected cards and fill them with corresponding colored dice; dice trays must remain visible to all players throughout the game
9
Prepare token tray
Use the 4 gray boxes to store money tokens and credit tokens for use during play
10
Determine first player
Choose who will start the game; the starting dice will be passed clockwise after each round

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

1
Draw dice
Take dice from your Draw Zone to your Roll Zone; the number must match the count shown on your player board (starting at 9)
2
Limit initial draw
At the start, all players can only draw up to 9 dice maximum
3
Draw when low
If only 2 dice remain in your Draw Zone, you may draw 2 more dice from your Discard Zone (pulling "all dice")
4
Roll dice
Roll all dice in your Roll Zone to determine their face results
5
Check for Bust
After rolling, if you have fewer than 3 miss faces in your Active Zone, you may proceed to step 3; if you have all misses, you must Bust
6
Identify Hits and Misses
Dice showing symbols are "Hits" (successful); blank faces are "Misses" (failed)
7
Move Hits to Active Zone
Transfer all dice that rolled successfully to your Active Zone on your player board; leave missed dice in the Roll Zone
8
Choose Push or Pass
Decide whether to Push (continue rolling) or Pass (end your Roll Phase)
9
Push option
If you Push, return to step 2.1 and roll again; if you roll 3 or more misses in your Active Zone, you risk Bust
10
Pass option
When you Pass, flip your reference board to the red "Run Phase" side and prepare for the Run Phase
11
Handle Bust
If you Bust, move all dice from Active Zone to Discard Zone immediately and end your Roll Phase
12
Bust bonus
When you Bust, you may move up one space on the fan track; special abilities may still trigger from the fan track position
13
Receive starting dice bonus
The first player each round receives a black starting die that doesn't count toward the 9-die roll limit
14
Base roll count
All players start with the ability to roll 9 dice as shown on their player board
15
Gain additional rolls
Earn +1 to your roll count by collecting purple symbol dice from the fan track
16
Cross Red Lines
Each red line crossed on the track grants a temporary +1 die for that roll
17
Use abilities and resolve effects
Players may use ability cards; all players compare their active symbols simultaneously and resolve effects according to the "card draw" order
18
Compare symbols
Count matching symbols in each player's Active Zone and resolve effects based on the card abilities
19
Buy dice
Spend money to purchase dice; prices are shown in the upper right of ability cards
20
Purchase limits
You can buy up to 2 dice per turn, but cannot buy 2 dice of the same color in one purchase
21
Place purchased dice
All newly purchased dice go directly to your Discard Zone
22
Move your character
Spend movement symbols to advance your character on the race track by 1 space per symbol
23
Pay for extra movement
Spend 4 money or 4 credits to gain 1 additional movement
24
Pass through other players
You may move through spaces occupied by other players normally; they don't block your path
25
Collect track rewards
When landing on reward spaces, collect the indicated bonus immediately
26
Save unused movement
You don't have to use all movement symbols; unused ones may be kept in some cases
27
Discard used dice
After using dice abilities, move all dice from Active Zone to Discard Zone; dice in Roll Zone cannot go to Discard Zone
28
Return Roll Zone dice
Dice left in Roll Zone must wait for the next Roll Phase to be rolled again
29
End of round cleanup
When all players finish Run Phase, pass the starting die clockwise and all players flip their reference boards back to the green Roll Phase side
30
Grass/Sand spaces
Normal movement spaces; you can move through freely
31
Water spaces
Cannot be moved through normally; some abilities allow water movement as noted on cards
32
Money cost spaces
Pay the indicated money amount to use shortcuts; these may bypass difficult terrain
33
Movement cost spaces
Pay movement symbols to take alternate paths
34
x2 Multiplier spaces
When landing here, double your remaining movement symbols
35
Lose die spaces
Discard 1 die of your choice from any zone to the center pile
36
Gain die spaces
Take 1 free die from any pile and place it in your Discard Zone (doesn't count toward your 2-die purchase limit)
37
Free credits spaces
Gain free credits equal to the number shown
38
Free fan track movement
Advance on the fan track by 1 space and collect any rewards in that fan track space
39
Check timing
Each ability specifies "when it can be used" during play; follow the detailed timing rules
40
NOW abilities
Must be used immediately when the corresponding die face appears in your Active Zone; multiple NOW abilities can be used in your chosen order
41
Active abilities
Can be used anytime while the die remains face-up in your Active Zone; some abilities have ongoing effects that persist
42
Run abilities
Only usable during Run Phase when calculating movement; requires matching die faces showing movement symbols
43
Power symbols
Cards with Power symbols require you to discard the die face-down to use the Power ability; only dice showing Power symbols can use Power abilities

Winning

How to claim victory.

1
Trigger game end
When any player's character reaches the finish line on the race track, the game enters its final round
2
Complete the round
Finish the current round so all players have equal turns
3
Check for tiebreaker
If a player reaches the finish line with movement symbols remaining, they continue from the start to measure distance for tiebreaking
4
Single player finish
If only 1 player crosses the finish line during that round, they are declared the "Cubitos Champion"
5
Multiple player finish
If 2 or more players cross the finish line in the same round, the player who advanced furthest past the start after crossing wins
6
Play extra round if tied
If positions are still tied, play one additional full round; whoever reaches the finish line first in this extra round wins
7
Final tiebreaker
If multiple players enter the finish area in the tiebreaker round, the one who traveled furthest from the starting point wins and becomes the true champion

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FULL rules

Looking for the full details? Grab the complete rulebook as a downloadable PDF.

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