Description

LOKI is a game for two to six players that to some extent simulates a computer program. Players use deductive reasoning and estimate probability to overcome elements of luck. The game board is a large sheet of paper covered by clear plastic. Equipment consists of a grease pencil, 6 small wood player markers, two dice, and three decks of cards. One set of cards is the Computer Action deck, including fifty gold-colored cards each with an instruction for the player to follow when instructed by the board. The two other sets of cards, one blue and one green, are the Keyword decks, with names of countries (blue) and names of sports (green.)

On the board are three areas. First, the Logic Path along which player markers are moved; this path has hundreds of thousands of possible variations and changes through the course of the game. Instructions are written in each section of the path. Second, the Output Buffers are six areas players use for spelling out their Keywords. Third are the Subroutines, located on the board's bottom right corner. These direct players either to change the path of logic or to move letters back and forth from the Output Buffers.

Players randomly draw one of each Keyword cards, then take turn rolling dice to determine how many steps to move their markers along the Logic Path. The instructions of whatever section they land on are then followed, and quite a lot of complexity results between the rules for movement and the instructions from the board. Players are awarded letters of their Keywords by making complete circuits of the logic board. The winning player is first to spell out his Keywords in their entirety in his Output Buffers.