1. SELECT MONSTERS[]
Monsters bash, burninate, and attempt to destroy the Heroes. The monsters chosen are placed in the spawning pool.
All the players should decide together on which monsters they would like to play against. Every combination of monsters provides its own unique challenge, and players are encouraged to try different combinations from game to game.
Select one dungeon boss. Each dungeon boss comes with a game card.
Select one mini-boss. Each mini-boss comes with a game card.
Select a number of spawning points equal to the number of game tiles used (generally three). Each spawning point’s game card lists the type and number of monsters that are added to the spawning pool.
Some spawning points only come in pairs of two. These are called paired spawning points. Paired spawning points count as two choices. When one is selected, the matching second spawning point listed on the card must be selected as well. The monsters added to the spawning pool listed on the paired spawning points’ card is for both spawning points combined. If you are playing with only the contents of this box, use the monsters shown to the right.
2. SELECT HEROES[]
The players play a party of Heroes. Choose three or four Hero models and their cards. Super Dungeon: Arcade plays equally well with a party of either three or four Heroes, so feel free to use whichever will work better for your group.
Each Hero player must control at least one Hero. Any additional Hero models beyond the number of Hero players can be controlled by a single player, or by all the players cooperatively.
3. BUILD DUNGEON[]
The dungeon map is built using three dungeon tiles. Stack the tiles, shuffle them, and then place the top tile on the table; this will be the first tile.
When placing each tile beyond the first, at least one of its doorways must align with another tile’s doorway. Place the tile then roll a single green dice. Rotate the tile 90° clockwise for each rolled. If is rolled, flip the tile to the opposite side.
4. CARDS, DICE, AND TOKENS[]
Place the backpack dashboard within easy reach of the Hero players. Shuffle all of the decks. Place the challenge deck on its location on the backpack. Place the loot, treasure, and plot decks adjacent to the backpack. Put the boss challenge deck to the side, it will be used later in the game when the dungeon boss arrives.
Place all tokens and dice within easy reach of every player. Give each Hero player a Hero reference card. Place the arcade Mighty Monster Chart where all players can easily read it. Place the dungeon boss on the start space on the Mighty Monster Chart.
Place one potion token on each Hero’s game card. Place a number of Princess Coin tokens on the backpack dashboard equal to the number of Heroes in the party plus one (three Heroes receive four Princess Coins, four Heroes receive five, etc.).
Finally, collect the wrath tokens the party will need for the game. The number of wrath tokens available to the party is double the number of Heroes in the party (so a three Hero party would have six wrath tokens, a four Hero party would have eight wrath tokens, etc).
5. SELECT DIFFICULTY[]
This set comes with Hard Mode cards and Easy Mode cards. These cards are used to adjust the difficulty of the game to better suit your group. If you wish the game to be harder, randomly flip one, two, or three Hard Mode cards to use in your game. These cards list what they do and will have a permanent effect for the entire game. The more Hard Mode cards you choose to flip, the more difficult the game will be. Similarly, if you want the game to be easier, randomly flip one, two, or three Easy Mode cards. Just like Hard Mode cards, Easy Mode cards have a permanent effect on the game; the only difference is that they make the game easier. If you wish to add variety to your game while maintaining the standard difficulty level, you may even choose to flip one Hard Mode and one Easy Mode card.
If this is your first game, you should try playing the normal setting, without using either Hard or Easy Mode cards. Depending on how you do, you can adjust the difficulty for your next game.
6. HEROES ENTER DUNGEON[]
The players place the Start Token on a square that is adjacent to a dungeon exit on the first tile (a doorway that is not connected to another dungeon tile), and as far as possible from that tile’s square marked . Place all Heroes in a square on or adjacent to the Start Token.
7. POPULATE THE DUNGEON[]
The players place one spawning point and one treasure chest on each dungeon tile. There may not be more than one spawning point and one treasure chest on a single dungeon tile.
Each tile has a square marked where the spawning point is to be placed. Players then place a treasure chest anywhere within four squares of each spawning point.
Next, the spawning point on the first tile spawns. The players gather all elite monsters (see page 23) listed on the spawning point’s card and place them within three squares and line of sight of the spawning point. Elites must be placed as close to a Hero as possible. However, elites may not be placed adjacent to other monsters. Then place all minions listed on the spawning point’s card such that they are within two squares of an elite in their gang (this may result in them being placed farther from the spawning point than three squares) Monsters may not be placed adjacent to another monster, unless it cannot be placed otherwise.
Monsters may only be spawned from a spawning point which lists them as part of its spawning pool.
8. TIME TO EXPLORE![]
The game is all set up. Time to start slaying some monsters! The Heroes always take first turn.