How to Play

Downstream

2-2 players 10-20 min 7.4 Board Game Geek Rating

In this two-player puzzle game, opponents collaboratively build a river ecosystem by placing cards to extend waterways or expand riverbanks. Players score by adding beneficial features to their shoreline through strategic card placement, while tucking cards foregoes influence over the river's direction. Victory comes from completing randomized objectives that give each river unique characteristics.

Published 2022

Get Ready

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

Choose public objectives

Select 1 public objective of each type (tree, mountain, wildlife, tent, terrain). Place them in view of both players

Use suggested sets for learning

There are suggested objective sets on page 2, including one for your first game

Shuffle river cards

Shuffle all 30 river cards together to form the river deck

Hide card edges

Do your best to avoid revealing the edges of cards in the deck

Place river source

Place the river source card between both players, near the edge of your play space since the river grows from here

Position the canoe

Place the canoe piece on top of the river source card

Deal secret bonus cards

Deal 3 random secret bonus cards to each player

Select secret bonus

Secretly choose 1 bonus card to keep and discard the other 2

Keep bonuses hidden

Keep all secret bonuses hidden, even the ones you are not using

Review public objectives

Read the 5 public objective cards so that both players understand the goals for the game

Determine starting player

The player who last crossed a river plays first

Assign player sides

One player will be the NORTH side, the other will be SOUTH

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

Draw a card

Choose one of the drawing options to get a card

Move canoe after flipping

After flipping the deck, move the canoe downstream by 1 river card if possible

No flip-back allowed

You may not return the deck to its original side on this turn

Play the card

Choose one of the placement options

Connect terrain when extending

You must connect at least 1 terrain (forest/rock) with the card upriver of where you are placing. Terrain can be connected on either side of the river. Ignore this rule for the first card played

Match terrain when tucking

Tucked cards must match terrain with those above

Maintain unique symbols

There may be only 1 of each symbol per stack on each player's side of the river

Keep stacks adjacent

All cards in a stack must be next to all other cards on their left and right

Free flip and rotate

You may flip and rotate cards freely before placing them

Follow canoe rule

You must place cards in the same space as the canoe or downstream of it

Flip cards for opponent

Flip the card so the river flows toward the opposite player when placing

Understand tributaries

Cards with tributaries do not have influence arrows and do not flow towards either player

Tuck tributaries correctly

Cards with tributaries may still be tucked, but only the half with the symbol may be left exposed

No tucking next to tributaries

You may not tuck cards under the side of a card with a tributary

Pass the turn

After a card is played, the turn passes to the next player

Winning

How to claim victory.

End game trigger

The game ends when all 30 river cards have been played

Score public objectives

Score stars from public objectives you satisfied better than your opponent

Score secret bonuses

Score any stars earned from your chosen secret bonus card for placing symbols of their type on your side of the river

Score points of interest

Score 1 star for each wildlife symbol on your side during scoring

Handle ties

In case of a tie, both players win the contested objective/game

Determine winner

The player who earns more total stars than their opponent across the river wins

Downstream

Get Ready

On Your Turn

Winning

watch & Learn

How to Play Downstream

Downstream Review: Canoe Believe This Is A Two Player Game?

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Let's Play... Downstream

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