Official No Escape Rules
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Setup
Choose a starting board: Select the appropriate board based on the number of players and place it at the center of the table.
Prepare the tiles: Create a stack of New Path Tiles face-up on the table. Shuffle the Maze and Action Tiles together and deal three to each player. If a player receives only Action Tiles, discard them and draw three new ones. Place the remaining tiles face-down.
Set up players: Each player takes three Energy Tokens and places them face-up in front of them. Choose a Meeple and place it on the red circle of the starting board. Distribute the corresponding Reference Card to each player.
Determine the starting player: Decide who will go first using any preferred method.
Gameplay
Play an Action Tile: Optionally use one Action Tile from your hand. Once played, it's discarded.
Place a Maze Tile: Play one Maze Tile from your hand in a valid location. If unable, discard your entire hand and draw new Maze Tiles until you can play one.
Use Energy: Optionally spend one Green Energy Token to gain +1 movement and "jetpack" over other players.
Move your Meeple: Roll the dice and move your Meeple the indicated number of spaces. Push any Meeples in your path forward and turn them to face the same direction as you.
Replenish Tiles: Draw tiles from the Draw Pile until you have three in hand.
End Turn: Pass play to the next player. No Draw Pile: If the Draw Pile becomes empty, the game immediately ends in a loss for all players as the space station explodes.
Action and Abort Actions
You may play one Action Tile per turn. Actions affect you or other players.
Abort Actions are played on other players' turns, only when their Action meets the Abort Action's condition.
An Abort Action cancels the triggered action. For example, the "Reroll" Abort Action can be played after a dice roll, forcing a new roll.
Multiple Abort Actions can be played simultaneously. The first Abort Action played in clockwise order takes effect.
Placing Maze Tiles
Maze Tiles are added to the board's edge, connecting to existing maze exits. Tiles must connect seamlessly, preventing dead ends unless closed by a Control Room or Teleporter tile. The entire board must always have at least one open path. If no valid placement exists, discard your hand and draw new tiles until you can place one. When moving or removing tiles, maintain continuous paths back to the starting point and ensure proper tile alignment. Replacing Tiles:
To replace a Maze Tile, discard the unwanted tile and choose a legal replacement from your hand. Place the new tile in the empty space. Note that tiles cannot be replaced or moved if occupied by a player. New Path Tiles:
New Path Tiles can only be placed on the unoccupied Single Space or Triple Space Maze Tiles. Once placed, this combination is fixed unless:
An Action Tile swaps the combined tile with another. Both pieces move together.
An Action Tile removes the combined tile. The New Path Tile returns to the New Path pile, and the Maze Tile goes to the discard pile.
Teleporting:
Landing on a White Teleport Indicator instantly moves a player to any other Teleport Indicator, followed by their remaining movement. The Yellow Teleport Indicator is a one-way destination and cannot be a starting point for teleportation. Importantly, White Teleport Indicators connect different parts of the station, including potentially back to the starting board. Control Centers:
Yellow Control Center: Landing on this space allows a player to refill all Energy Tokens by flipping them from red (empty) to green (full).
White Control Center: Landing here offers both Energy Refilling (as above) and the opportunity to place one New Path Tile on the board.
Moving Your Meeple:
Roll both dice and move the total number of blue catwalk spaces. Meeples move forward only.
At maze ends, turn your Meeple around.
At maze branches, immediately choose a direction for your Meeple.
When colliding with other Meeples, push them forward and turn them to match your direction.
Before rolling, optionally flip one Green Energy Token to Red to activate the Jetpack, granting +1 movement and the ability to "fly over" other Meeples. However, you still count that space in your movement.
Meeples cannot occupy the same space.
Core Game Components
Action Tiles: Cards that perform various actions as described on the card.
Abort Tiles: Cards used to counter another player’s action under specific conditions.
Board Edge: The outer perimeter of the game board.
Draw Pile: The shuffled deck of Action and Maze Tiles. When empty, the game ends.
Discard Pile: A pile for discarded or removed tiles, accessible only by certain actions.
Energy Tokens: Circular markers with green and red sides, used for specific actions.
Jetpack: A special ability activated by spending an Energy Token, allowing players to move over other players.
Maze End: The final destination on the game board: Control Room or Teleport tile.
Maze Tiles: Square tiles that build the game board's maze.
Maze Exit: A point where the maze leads off the board edge.
New Path Tiles: Smaller tiles that can be added to specific Maze Tiles.
Meeple: The player's game piece.
Replacing or Moving Tiles: Actions that can be taken on certain Maze Tiles, but not if occupied by a Meeple.
Turn Reference:
Play an Action Tile: You may choose to play one Action Tile from your hand.
Place a Maze Tile: You must place one Maze Tile from your hand onto the board.
Activate Jetpack: Optionally, use one Energy Token to activate the Jetpack for extra movement.
Move Your Meeple: Roll the dice and move your Meeple the indicated number of spaces.
Replenish Hand: Draw tiles from the Draw Pile until you have three tiles in your hand.
End Turn: Your turn ends. Pass play to the next player.
No Escape is a fast-paced, strategic game with a high level of player interaction. Enjoy!
