Description

"The Harness Racing Game" is quite literally that. The basic game has a lot in common with TOTO-ravi and Solvalla: for example, while the number of players is limited to 8 - with everyone driving 2 or 3 horses - any number of outside players can also participate in the totalisator betting. Just as in the other two games, the rules suggest a separate 'banker' player to handle the money and bets, presumably making the game feel more thematic.

In the actual gameplay Ravipeli is quite a bit more involved, though. The most striking difference is the innovative movement technique, where instead of simply rolling and moving players must first promise a certain number of movement points, then roll 2 or 3 dice; the more they promise the faster and farther they move, but the risk of galloping also grows ever greater. Gallops bring negative points and at certain moments in the race or if happening repeatedly, may even result in disqualification. There is also a multitude of small rules on how to drive a galloping horse, how to change lanes voluntarily or involuntarily, how to drive in between and in front of other horses, etc., which imitate the real rules of harness racing (even including things like "Shouting at the horse, getting heated up") and lead either to disqualification or a fine that is taken from the offending driver's monetary prize, if they manage to reach the finish line.

The rules are a bit vague in who actually wins and how so in that sense this game aims to be more of a harness racing simulator than a competitive game.