OBJECT OF THE GAME:

To accumulate more wealth than your taxi driver opponents.
This objective is achieved after the fifteen (short game) or thirty (long game) character destinations have been completed by all players still in the game.
At this point each player adds the values of any taxi/s owned to any moneys in his or her possession. The wealthiest player then declared the winner.


DESCRIPTION OF PLAYING PARTS: -

1.    Playing board: - The board represents a street map with minor roads (bitumen black), major roads (bitumen black with white center lines), a freeway (concrete grey), traffic lights (red dots), freeway entries (white dots) and twenty nine character destinations (one being the taxi base in the center of the board.



2.     Six destination guides: - There are six destination guides color matched to player tokens. These indicate the direction and order of play to each destination.



3.     Two dice (one 1 to 6 movement dice and one polyhedron 12 sided freeway/green -light/blank dice).
4.     Six color-coded (taxi's) playing tokens.
5.     Six color-coded (passenger) destination playing tokens.
6.     Thirty (green) "green light" tablets.
7.     Twelve (white) freeway entries pass tablets.

8.    Fifty Passenger cards.


9.    Fifty Journey cards.


10.    Fifty Expense cards.


11.    Six Taxi ownership cards.


12.    Twelve (yellow/black) roadwork detour barriers.
13.    Thirty-six (blue) taxi plate tablets.
14.    Play money representing $10, $20, $50, $100, $500, $1,000 and $5,000 notes.



15.    Rule book.


USE OF PLAYING PARTS: -

Playing Board. Representing a road map similar to a street directory. I.e. The freeway has directional arrows indicating the direction of travel. The two-way major and minor roads don't. The freeway entries are indicated by white dots and traffic lights are indicated by red dots.
The small circle in the center of the board is the main character or taxi base destination containing the six colours that represent the players.
The twenty eight smaller squares and rectangles with different names and character heads placed at other areas over the board are (along with the base) the destinations players will travel to and from when using the board. Each of these twenty- eight smaller destinations has a small (X) marked on one of the roads/ streets bordering it. This is where a player must finish to complete a destination.
The red traffic light dots are just that, "red". In other words all traffic lights are to be considered red and only passable if a player can produce a green "green light" tablet (one tablet for each red dot "red light").
"Green light" tablets are won by dice throw.
The white freeway entry dots are also impassable and are placed as if toll gates at the only entries to the freeway. To enter and use the freeway a player must first produce a white "freeway" tablet. A white freeway pass tablet is either: -
a) Won by dice throw.
b) Won by gamble. Ref:- Journey cards

NOTE: - Unlike most board games movement in TAXI!™ is not by playing spaces or stepping squares. In "TAXI!"® (1= one street 6= six streets)

When travelling the board (moving a taxi token) The number of streets traveled equal no more than the number indicated on the upward face of the die. That is to say the player may move the full length of any street, road or freeway (constituting one go) providing s/he has the required number of "green light" or "freeway" tablets to do so. Once a player turns a right angle, reverses or is beginning another turn it becomes another street or number on the dice. I.e. if a player finishes a turn unable to proceed straight ahead because of a "red" traffic light s/he begins his/her next turn as if it is another street. Players about to encounter a "red light" can either: -
a) Produce a "green light" and pass through it.
b) Stop and sacrifice any remaining streets on dice.
c) Avoid it by travelling around it.
A player may stop at any point on any street, road or freeway off ramp adjacent to or in line with the next street that they wish to travel.
Players cannot block each others progress with a playing token (taxi or passenger) If a token sits in an opposing players path s/he can move his/her taxi token past it.
The only blocking or impeding of an opposing player is with the placement of a "roadwork detour" barrier. Ref: - Journey cards.
The roads that lead on and off the freeway can continue as part of that freeway as if one street. E.g. If a player had finished a previous turn on one of the roads leading on to the freeway. S/he can begin his/her next turn and travel along the black lead on road, on to the grey freeway (having produced a freeway tablet) and also along the black off ramp road as far as any "green light" tablets s/he possesses allows. As if one street.
Other than when on the freeway. Once a player turns right or left 90° s/he has begun another street.

DESTINATION GUIDES: - There are six (one per player) colored to match each player's different colored playing token. Each one indicates with the character faces of each destination the "different" journey each player takes at the same time. By the time each player has arrived back at the taxi base (being his/her fifteenth or thirtieth destination) s/he will have attempted to travel all of the destinations as his/her opponents.

DICE: - There are two dice. One dotted 1 to 6 with each dot to represent one street. E.g. Throw a four and travel four streets.
The second dice is a black twelve sided with two white freeway dots five green light dots, and five blank faces. This dice is to win freeway passes and green light tablets.
The 1 to 6 dice is thrown at the beginning of a player's turn and the freeway/green-light/blank dice after.
Any freeway or green light tablets won are used on following turns.

TOKENS: - There are six moving (Taxi) tokens of different colors and six color matched destination (Passenger) tokens.
A Taxi token is moved with each player's turn of dice throw or by card instruction.
The color matched Passenger token is placed on the character destination that each player is about to travel and remains there until the first player or players reach their destination.
The first player to reach his or her destination will win (or share with any opponent/s who reach their destination on the same dice round) the destination bonus of six thousand dollars ($6,000).
Any player/s that don't reach their destination on the winning turn, abort their attempt and move their Taxi token directly to it as to begin for the next destination. Everyone's passenger token is then moved to his or her next intended destination.
GREEN TABLETS - Or "green lights" are won by dice throw and used as needed to pass through "red lights" (one tablet per traffic light). Once won they are kept until used. Once used the are returned to a player previously selected to act as both banker and the minister of transport.

WHITE TABLETS - Or "freeway" entry tablets are won by dice throw or a special Journey gamble card.
The freeway tablets are held and used when a player wishes to pass the freeway entry tollgates or white dots on the board. Once used they are returned to the minister of transport.

JOURNEY CARDS: - A Journey card is picked up by choice at the beginning of a player's turn (before throwing the dice). If a player forgets s/he forfeits the card but can still move the number of streets s/he throws with the die.
A Journey card can bring good or bad luck. Among the Journey cards are six cards marked "gamble card". Two of these with the word "money", two with the word "freeway" and two with the word "taxi".
When a player picks up a gamble card s/he must (for his/her own benefit) keep it hidden from the view of his/her opponents and offer them the chance to gamble as to what word is on it. This is done in three ways: -
If an opposing player wants to gamble that the word is "money" s/he bets $1,000 dollars of his/her own "Taxi!" money. If correct s/he collects $3,000 (from the bank) and keeps the one thousand dollars bet. If s/he is wrong the cardholder keeps the $1,000.
If an opposing player wants to gamble that the word is "freeway" s/he must have a "green light" tablet to do so. If s/he can does and is correct s/he wins a "freeway" tablet and keeps his/her "green light". If wrong the cardholder keeps the 'green light".
If an opposing player wants to gamble that the word is "taxi" s/he bets $5,000 dollars of his/her own "Taxi!" money. If correct s/he wins a "taxi plate" (taxi ownership) worth fifteen thousand dollars (from the minister of transport) and keeps his/her five thousand dollars. If wrong the cardholder keeps the five thousand dollars.
NOTE: When a player picks up a gamble card all opposing players can gamble on it at the same time and also differently if they wish. The cardholder cannot lose. S/he can only win or get nothing. The gambler either wins or loses.

Three "roadwork detour" cards are included amongst the journey cards and carry their own explanation. When a player picks up one of these cards, the minister of transport hands out a roadwork barrier block. The player can save the block for future use against an opposing player. When using the detour block against another player it must be placed on a street to be blocked before that player rolls the dice it can only be used for that other players one turn before returning it to the minister of transport.

Ten "traffic fine" cards and various other individual fortune cards complete the Journey card stack.


PASSENGER CARDS: - A passenger card is picked up by choice at the beginning of a player's turn (before throwing the dice). If a player forgets s/he forfeits the card but can still move the number of streets s/he throws with the die.
A Passenger card can bring good or bad luck.

EXPENSE CARDS: - An Expense card is picked up once a player has become a taxi owner. Once a becoming a cab owner the taxi hire fee ceases to be paid but is then required to pick up an Expense card as each destination is reached.
Expense cards have varying degrees of expenses.

TAXI OWNERSHIP CARDS: - A taxi ownership card is received once a player (wins or buys) his/her first taxi (taxi plate). The card explains the benefits and expenses that come with taxi ownership.

BLUE TABLETS: - The rectangular taxi plates, are received from the minister of transport upon purchase or winning of a taxi. Each plate represents one taxi. The value of each is $15,000.
NOTE: - Taxi plates (taxi's) can be sold off (back to the bank) for a depreciated amount of $5,000, during the game if a player is in debt.
The value of each taxi is still $15,000 when tallies are taken at the end of the game.

ROAD DETOUR BARRIERS. These are received from the Minister of Transport upon receipt of a Journey (roadwork detour card).
Their purpose is to impede and thus delay an opponent's arrival to his/her destination.
They can be used at the beginning of an opponent's turn (only once) before being returned to the Minister of Transport.

TO PLAY: - First select a Banker to manage the surplus money and play cards and a Minister of Transport to hand out green lights, freeway passes, taxi ownership cards, taxi plates and roadwork detour barriers.

The banker now distributes to each player $9,340. (one $5,000 note two $1,000 notes, three $500 notes, four $100 notes, five $50 notes, six $20 notes and seven $10 notes.

The Journey, Passenger and Expense cards are shuffled separately and placed face down.

Order of play is then decided and the destination guides are handed out (players 1 to 6) with the matching colored taxi and passenger tokens.

TO START: - Each player places his/her "Taxi" playing token within the taxi base (the small circle in the center of the board).
Referring to their destination guide's player's place their "Passenger" playing tokens on their different destinations. (They can be placed on the character box rather than the road) The small (X) indicates where a passenger waits and a player must complete his/her destination on the (X).




TO BEGIN: - The first player selects either a Journey or a Passenger card. S/he then responds to the card and throws the 1 to 6 dice.
Once having moved the taxi token (throws three, moves three streets) s/he can now throw the freeway/green-light dice.
The other players follow in turn to the cards and dice until one or more reach their first destination. The first player to arrive at his or her destination will collect the full destination bonus of $6,000 dollars or share it equally with any other players arriving on the same dice turn. Each player then pays a $500 taxi hire fee to the bank (unless s/he has bought or won taxi ownership prior to arrival) Each taxi owner picks up an Expense card and doesn't pay the hire charge.
Having collected bonuses, paid hire charges and expenses each player then moves their Passenger token to their next destination and continue in the same order of play as beginning previously.
The game continues as per destination guide and card instruction until the fifteenth (base) short game or on to a further fifteen destination trips (the thirtieth being back to base) for the long game. The base pays a winning bonus just as any other and is reached when in the base circle.
Once all players are back at the base taxi owners pick up their last Expense card and pay their last expense.
The final tallies are now made: - Taxi values $15,000 each plus any money held totaled and the winner declared.