“I can’t quit now because victory is in sight. I have three possible chances, but I have to throw the right pitch. Ah, lightning! The wrong numbers…” In Can’t Stop, you must be the first to reach the mountain top, but of course the other players want that too. In this race you have the case that you can’t stop….
Can’t Stop is part of the LBoard series from Korean publisher Playte. We wrote reviews about these particular releases of games before. With the LBoard series, the game box is an inseparable part of the gaming experience. The boxes fold out into an L-shape that can be used as (among other things) the game board as in the game Moon Leap. Playte also provides reissues of classic games with their LBoard series, but with the special game material.
Can’t Stop is also a reissue of a classic game. In this edition, players try to be the first to race to the top of a mountain. The box unfolds into part of the game board and inside the box is a magnetic cardboard folding board that completes the game board. On the table is now a mountain with multiple paths. Each player receives tents in his chosen color and within reach of all players is equipment for climbing (three wooden climbing hooks and four dice).
The mountain has 11 paths in numbers from 2 to 11. Players try to be the first to reach the top of three of these paths to win, but other players can make a path impassable. Taking turns, players roll the four dice. With the dice, the active player makes two pairs. This player thereby forms two numbers corresponding to the 11 paths on the mountain. The pairs rolled allow you to move forward on one of the paths. You place an available climbing hook on the path (possibly above the tent in your color if it is present on a path). You may choose to continue rolling or stop. If you stop you move your tent to the spot where the climbing hooks are present.
By rolling the dice again you can move climbing hooks further on the paths and thus climb higher, but you only have three climbing hooks available to you during a turn. Do you decide to roll the dice again, but you have no climbing hooks left in stock and none of the possible pairs of dice match one of the paths where you already have a climbing hook? Then you have lucked out for this round and may not move any tents.
You know that feeling when you think you’re unstoppable? Sometimes you need a reality check. After all, you need to fall and then get back up again. Can’t Stop is a reality check in board game form. This dice game is “push your luck” pure and simple. By taking big risks, you can score big, but also go down big. By playing safe, you can slowly climb to the top, but you may come out of the valley too slowly. This funny dice game is a game that has been around for quite a few years, and for good reason.
