How to play UnBored
Set up the TV
UnBored runs on a PC and shows up on your TV or monitor. Start the game and the screen shows a QR code and a four-letter room code. The PC and everyone’s phones need to be on the same Wi-Fi.
Join with your phone
Point your phone’s camera at the QR code, or open the address on screen and type in the room code. It all runs in your phone’s browser, so there’s nothing to install.
Whoever joins first is the organizer. They choose the match settings and press Play once everyone’s in:
- Mode: everyone for themselves, or teams (2v2, 3v3, 4v4).
- Pace: Quick or Full.
- Tone: Family or Adult.
- Length: a round count based on pace, a time target, or a Quick Party.
- Mini-game mix: every game, a themed mix, or hand-picked favourites.
- Bots: computer players for any empty seats.
If your phone locks or drops out, open the page again. Your seat is still there, still warm.
Make your character
Before the first roll, everyone builds a character on their phone. Choose a body, an expression, an outfit and accessories. Ready-made adventurers are there for the impatient. Your characters stay saved on your phone for next time, and they’re the ones running around the board on the TV. When online play arrives, you’ll be able to save them to an UnBored account and bring them to any game.
Your first world
The first board is a tropical island. It has mangrove beaches, a volcano that won’t stop smoking, a speedboat run out to the Temple Guardian’s Maw, and a jungle temple with an idol inside that nobody should touch. Borelock meets you on the beach and hosts the whole thing, loudly. More boards will follow, each with its own mission.
Take your turn
Each round, every player gets one turn:
- Use an item if you have one. You can carry up to three.
- Roll the dice on your phone. Two dice move you. The third is an action die, and it might give you coins, take some away, hand you an item, start an event, or push you further along.
- Move. When the path forks, pick a direction on your phone.
- Land. Every space does something. You might win or lose coins, draw a lucky card, start an event, land in Big Trouble, find a shop, or set off a bonus mini-game.
Coins, stars and the idol
Coins buy items in the shops. They also buy stars when you get the chance. The most stars at the end wins, and coins settle ties.
The island has a job for you too. An idol sits deep inside the jungle temple. Pick it up and the temple wakes up. Now you have to carry it across the island to the dock while everyone else tries to take it off you. They can pass you on the board, play a steal card on you, or win a mini-game outright. Get it to the dock and you collect a big star bonus at the end.
Mini-games
After every round, the whole room plays a mini-game. Each one opens with a title card, a short how-to and a practice run, so you learn by playing instead of reading. The organizer hits GO when everyone’s ready. The winner takes the most coins. Nobody walks away with nothing.
The Great Escape
When the idol reaches the dock, or the last round ends, the Temple Guardian wakes up and the Great Escape begins. Answer trivia on your phone, tap to dodge, and race the speedboats to safety. Then the final scores go up, and Borelock asks for a rematch. (He is not asking.)
What’s coming
- Steam: UnBored launches on Steam for PC.
- Online matchmaking: play with friends who aren’t on your couch.
- UnBored accounts: keep your characters and bring them to any game.
- More boards, each with its own world and mission.
- More mini-games.
- Consoles: we hope to bring UnBored there too.