Can't Stop appeared in Germany for the first time in 1981 and made it onto the top list of the Jury Spiel des Jahres in 1981 and 1982. However, a real breakthrough never came – although Can't Stop is Sid Sackson's most successful game worldwide. In 2020 the game was revised again, especially thematically. Let's take a closer look at this version now.
As if in a rush of heights, the players use dice to drive their courageous climbers upwards faster and faster. Each roll of the dice brings them closer to the summit. With every throw, however, they also threaten to run out of air and thus return to base camp. An exciting gambling game for the whole family.
Back cover text of Can't Stop. franjos games publisher
Game material
- 1 double-sided game board (day view, night view)
- 3 mountaineer figures
- 10 markers each in 4 colors
- 4 wooden cube
What is it about?
The goal of the game is to be the first to set up three base camps on the top of the mountain. You need a good strategy and a good portion of luck with the dice.
How is it played?
You play in turn and it is each person's turn until they finish their turn or the climbers run out of breath. When it is your turn, you roll all of the dice four dice and then forms two couples. In principle, one of the two sums must always be used, otherwise you lose it blow out and your progress will be lost. There's also a caveat, though, because if you can use both dice, you must.
But let's start at the beginning. If a person has rolled a 2,3,4,6, then the person can select the following columns: 5 and 10, 6 and 9 or 7 and 8. In each selected column you move one of your pawns one space. If you start in the very front of the column, the figure goes on the first field. If you already have a base camp in the column, start from there.
You can keep rolling the dice as long as you move at least one character. If you decide to end your turn after a move, you found a base camp. To do this, place a chip in your color on the current position of your character. Attention: You can have a base camp in several rows at the same time, just not in one row (which would not bring you any advantage). If your character comes to a field on which there is another base camp, you place the character on the chip. If you set up a base camp here, put your chip on top.
If you run out of breath, you take the figures off the field and it is the next person's turn. The base camps are not changed and remain in the respective position.
When a character reaches the Point, you can keep playing. But when you end your turn, you create a base camp there and only then the fissure is yours. In this case, all other base camps in the column are gone and this row can no longer be used - by yourself but also not by the other people.
Once a person has formed 3 base camps at the top, they win.
The most important rules in brief:
- You roll all dice
- Your turn goes on until you form base camps or cannot use any dice totals.
- You always start from the ground or from your base camp.
- Whoever can form three base camps at the top wins.
Variants for 2 or 3 people
If you play with two or three players, you can increase the victory conditions to four base camps to make the game last longer.
Variants: nocturnal disturbance of the peace
You can use the back side for this variant. Here you adapt the rules as follows: If your character comes to another base camp, it skips this field and moves one field further. After all, you don't want to disturb other climbers. Alternatively, you can also introduce the rule that you must continue to roll the dice if your character is on at least one base camp.
My Opinion
Can't Stop is a game with very simple rules. not without reason it was called 2022 generation game excellent. The game uses little game material, but very good ones; the wooden chips and the figurines look very valuable. The plan is also kept simple, but doesn't look cheap. Instead, I find it very nice that there is a day and night side. This is a point that also includes others franjo's games distinguished.
What is Can't Stop in the end? It is certainly not a connoisseur or expert game, but that is probably not the desired target group either. Instead, it's a game with very simple rules and a good dose of luck with the dice. Which column you want to move in is of course subject to your strategy, but if you don't roll the dice the way you need to you won't progress. The game doesn't look as if it were pure luck with the dice.
It is therefore a good game for in between and if you already like the topic of mountains or mountaineering, you will probably have a little more fun with the game. If I take the award as a generation game as a basis, I think that the game finds the right target group here.
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