CheeseChase v2.0 — DraftCraft
Game Guide & Rules
Complete rules, card effects, space descriptions, and setup instructions. This is your living Game Guide — always current.
Quick Start
CheeseChase is a board race game for 2–4 players. Everyone plays as a mouse looping the board to collect cheese. Along the way you'll roll dice, draw event cards, dodge Shadow the cat, and occasionally get swept into the trash.
1
Pick your mice. Everyone chooses a mouse and starts at the Start space.
2
Determine turn order. All players roll a single die. Highest roll goes first. Ties re-roll.
3
Take turns. Roll the dice, move your mouse, and resolve the space you land on.
4
Win. Reach the Finish to bank a piece and loop back to Start for another lap. First mouse to collect 5 cheese pieces wins the game.
Setup
Before the first turn, complete these setup steps:
1
Lay out the board. It comes pre-printed — Start, the Street, the Pipes/Restaurant fork, and the Kitchen are already laid out. Nothing to arrange.
2
Each player places their token on the Start space. Everyone starts at the same position.
3
Shuffle the Event Card deck and place it face-down on its marked spot on the board. Playing Chaos Mode? Shuffle the Chaos Cards and place that deck on its own marked spot too.
4
Determine turn order: each player rolls one die. Highest result goes first, lowest goes last. Re-roll ties. This order is fixed for the entire game.
Turn Flow
Each player's turn follows this sequence in order:
1. Roll the Die
Roll the standard six-sided die. In Chaos Mode, a Double Dice card may require rolling twice and summing both results.
2. Move Forward
Advance your token the rolled number of spaces. You cannot move backward unless a card or space effect forces it. At the Branch space, choose your path.
3. Resolve the Space
Apply the effect of the space you land on (trap, teleport, draw card, etc.). See the Board Spaces section for a full list.
4. Draw a Card (if applicable)
If you land on an Event Card space, draw the top card from the Event deck and immediately apply its effect. The deck reshuffles when it runs out.
5. End Turn
Play passes to the next player in the turn order established at game start.
Play Options
Who you play against depends on the version:
Digital
Two ways to play, either with Chaos Mode toggled on or off in Settings:
vs AI BotsPlay against 1–3 AI-controlled mice. Each bot has a name and avatar you can customize before the game. Full support for Event Cards, Chaos Mode, Shields, and Shadow — all the same mechanics that apply in any mode. Currently the main way to play.
Online Multiplayer2–4 human players over the internet. Currently in beta — features may be limited or unstable.
Digital Controls
The digital game is fully operable with a keyboard. Mouse also works for all actions.
Space or Enter
Roll the die / Confirm action
↑↓←→
Navigate menus and move between options
ESC
Close modal / Go back
S
Open Settings
F
Toggle fullscreen
B
Open Bug Report
G
Open Game Guide
Tab
Cycle focus through interactive elements
Keyboard hints (small badge labels on buttons) are off by default. Turn them on permanently in Settings → "Always show shortcuts," or press Alt+S anytime to briefly reveal them.
Physical
Classic tabletop play: 2–4 players gather around the board and take turns in person. Add Chaos Mode if you want (see Chaos Mode & Cards).
Board Spaces
The board has 38 spaces across four zones. Most spaces are plain movement spaces. The special spaces listed below have additional effects.
Zone order: Street → (Pipes or Restaurant, your choice) → Kitchen
Spaces with dedicated artwork
Start
Space 1 · Street
All players begin here. No effect here. Let's go!
Mousetrap
Spaces 5 & 26 · Street / Restaurant
You got caught! Sent back to Start. Veteran Mice are immune. Surviving earns Trap Experience.
Shadow Zone
Spaces 7 & 24 · Street / Restaurant
Shadow is here! Roll the die to escape: low roll = slide back that many spaces; high roll = dash forward that many.
Branch
Space 12 · Street
Choose your path: continue through the Pipes or take the route toward the Restaurant. Each route has different hazards.
Greasy Floor
Space 15 · Pipes
Too slippery — your paws can't grip! Move back 3 spaces.
Vent
Space 17 · Pipes
Whoosh! The vent drops you on Space 24 in the Restaurant — right on one of Shadow's spaces, so you'll need to roll to escape him too.
Grapes
Space 31 · Kitchen
You slip on grapes and bounce forward — Move +2 spaces!
Finish
Space 38 · Kitchen
Reach here to bank a cheese piece and loop back to Start. Collect 5 to win. No exact roll needed — any roll that reaches or passes 38 counts.
Manhole
Spaces 10, 20, 36 · Street / Pipes / Kitchen
Zip underground to a connected manhole. Fast shortcut — destinations rotate under the Manhole Disaster Chaos Card.
Other special spaces
Trash Can · Space 3 · Street
Find a trash lid. Gain a Shield. Also where "Caught & Swept Away!" sends you.
Narrow Street · Space 6 · Street
Roll again. If you roll 1 or 2, move back 1. Otherwise move forward by the new roll.
Bread Crumbs · Space 9 · Street
You follow a trail of crumbs. Move +1 space forward.
Cat Footprints · Space 11 · Street
Ominous paw prints. If your next roll is 1, move back 1 on that future turn.
Warm Air Boost · Space 16 · Pipes
A warm air current lifts you. Move +2 spaces forward.
Slippery Pipe · Space 19 · Pipes
Wet and treacherous. Move back 2 spaces.
Move Directly to Restaurant · Space 21 · Pipes
A shortcut opens up. Jump directly to the Restaurant zone entrance.
Waiter Passing · Space 23 · Restaurant
A waiter rushes through — step aside. Move to your previous space.
Second Chance · Space 25 · Restaurant
If your next roll is 1, roll again instead of moving back.
Air Pressure · Space 28 · Restaurant
A burst of pressure surges through. Your next roll is doubled!
Cheese Smell · Space 32 · Kitchen
Roll the same number twice in a row here to gain +1 bonus space.
Open Plate · Space 33 · Kitchen
You spot an opening. Reroll once if you don't like your number.
Mouse Instinct · Space 35 · Kitchen
Pure instinct kicks in. Move +2 spaces forward.
Event Cards
The Event Card deck has 20 cards. Draw one at each section entrance and apply the effect immediately.
Digital
The card is drawn and applied automatically. The deck reshuffles once it runs out.
Physical
Shuffle the Event Cards and place the deck face-down on the Event Deck space on the board. Draw the top card, apply it, then reshuffle the whole deck once it runs out.
Cards marked ● are positive, ● are negative, and ● affect all players.
| Card | Effect | |
|---|---|---|
 |
Caught & Swept Away! | You are caught. Move to the Trash Can space immediately — no Shield is awarded, this bypasses the normal Trash Can reward. |
 |
Everyone Run! | Panic strikes! All players move to the Gathering Point space. This move does not trigger tile effects or a Mouse Scuffle. |
 |
Sudden Swap! | Swap positions with the nearest player within 6 spaces. If two players are equally close, the one ahead is chosen. If no player is within range, nothing happens. |
 |
Cheese Power! | Roll the die and add 3 to the result. Move forward that total number of spaces. |
 |
Sudden Noise! | A noise scares everyone. All players move 1 space backward. Destination space effects aren't triggered immediately — they resolve normally the next time that player takes a turn. |
 |
Show Time! | You act brave and rush through. Move to Restaurant Entrance (Space 22) — this doesn't draw another card. If you're already in the Restaurant zone, nothing happens. |
 |
Time Shift! | A portal pulls you toward Manhole 2. If you're in the Kitchen zone, it pulls you to Manhole 3 instead. |
 |
Spotted! | A waiter sees you. Your next turn is skipped entirely. |
 |
Dizzy! | Detergent fumes make you dizzy. Roll the die and move back that many spaces. |
 |
Shadow Panic! | Shadow reacts! Roll 1–3: move 2 back. Roll 4–6: move 2 forward. If Shadow Nap is currently active, this card has no effect. |
 |
Hard Lesson | You learned from your mistakes. Gain 1 Trap Experience point. |
 |
Head Bump | Ouch! Lose 1 Trap Experience. If you are already a Veteran Mouse, you lose Veteran status instead. |
 |
Found Scrap | You found a sturdy trash lid. Gain a Shield — unless Shield Failure Chaos is active, in which case none is awarded. |
 |
Shadow Nap | Shadow fell asleep in a cozy corner. Ignore anything related to Shadow until every player has taken one more turn. |
 |
Hidden Tunnel | Move to a Manhole based on where you drew this: from the Pipes or Restaurant entrance, you go to Manhole 1; from the Kitchen entrance, you go to Manhole 2. Unlike most card moves, this one does trigger the manhole's own effect. |
Shields and cards: A Trash Lid Shield can be used the moment you land on an Event Card space, skipping the draw entirely. You decide before seeing the card — there's no way to draw first and then block a bad one.
Chaos Mode & Chaos Cards
Chaos Mode is an optional layer that adds a board-wide twist each round — a Chaos Card whose effect applies to all players until the next round. How it's used differs by version:
Digital
Toggle Chaos Mode on before the game starts. Once active, a new Chaos Card is drawn automatically at the start of every round.
Physical
Shuffle the Chaos Cards and place the deck face-down on the Chaos Zone space on the board. From there, your table decides how to use it: draw a new card each round, lock in a single card as a running house-rule for the whole game, draw randomly, pick one deliberately, or mix it up however the group agrees.
| Card | Effect (applies to all players this round) | |
|---|---|---|
 |
Greasy Floor | Everyone slides 1 extra space forward after moving this round. |
 |
Double Dice | Use both dice this round. Move using the total value of both rolls. |
 |
Second Chance | You may reroll once after seeing your result. You must accept the second roll. |
 |
Mehter March | Everyone slides 1 space backward after moving this round. |
 |
Turnabout | Turn order is reversed for this round. Play continues in the opposite direction. |
 |
Bad Luck | Rolling a 6 only moves you 1 space this round. All other rolls are unaffected. |
 |
Shield Failure | Shields cannot be picked up or used this round by any player. |
 |
Manhole Disasters | Manhole destinations rotate for the round: Manhole 1 sends you to Manhole 3, Manhole 2 to Manhole 1, and Manhole 3 to Manhole 2. |
 |
No Breaks | If you'd stop on an empty space, move 1 extra space forward instead. |
Chaos Mode is recommended for experienced players. It dramatically increases unpredictability and can reverse a leading player's advantage in a single card draw.
Mechanics
A few extra rules worth knowing:
Mouse Scuffle
A head-to-head duel — if two mice land on the same space, they fight! Roll the die: whoever rolls lower gets bumped back 2 spaces.
Manhole Transport
Manholes are a fast-travel system — enter one and exit from another. In most cases you come out the other end, but Chaos effects or card events may change which manhole you exit from.
Cat Relocation
Right after you run into one of Shadow's two cats, you may drag that cat to any empty space instead of leaving it in place — setting an ambush for the next mouse. Each cat can be relocated once per round (up to two total), resetting to his two default spaces at the end of the round.
Trash Can Shield
A lucky find — land on the Trash Can and get a Shield. Use it whenever you want during that same round to block a negative effect. It only lasts for the round you found it — if you don't use it by the round's end, it's gone.
Veteran Mouse
Earned through survival — land on the Mouse Trap space three times and your mouse earns Veteran status. Veterans are immune to the Mouse Trap.
Components
The core rules are the same either way, though a few processes work differently by version — components differ too. Switch tabs to see what's in the box vs. what's loaded in the game.
Game Board
38 Spaces
4 zones rendered in-browser. Spaces animate on landing.
Player Tokens
4 Mouse Characters
Each player picks one before the game. Bots get assigned one automatically.
Die
1 Six-Sided Die
Navigate to it with arrow keys and press Enter, or press R directly. Used for movement and escape rolls.
Event Cards
20 in deck
Drawn when you land on Spaces 14, 22 or 30.
Chaos Cards
16 in deck
Active only in Chaos Mode. Drawn each round.
Shadow
Rendered in-browser. No physical token needed.
Trash Lid Shield
1 per player (max)
Shown as an icon in your HUD. You choose when to use it — blocks one negative effect.
Cheese Pieces
Collect 5 to win
Tracked as a score counter. The player who wins a round (reaches the Finish first) earns a cheese piece. First to 5 wins the game.
Game Board
1 Folded Board
38-space printed path across 4 zones. Unfolds flat for play.
Player Tokens
4 Mouse Tokens
One per player. Place on Start before the game begins.
Dice
2 Standard Six-Sided Dice
Only one is normally used; both for the Double Dice Chaos Card.
Event Cards
20 in deck
Face-down deck. Draw one at each section entrance.
Chaos Cards
16 in deck
Separate deck for Chaos Mode. Draw one each round.
Shadow Tokens
8 Cat Overlays
Extra cat overlays for when Shadow gets relocated during play.
Trash Lid Shields
4 Shield Tokens
One per player.
Cheese Pieces
17 Cheese Tokens
First player to collect 5 cheese pieces wins the game.
Empty Space Placeholders
2 Blank Overlays
Covers Shadow's printed space when he's relocated elsewhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions, from the basics to specific rulings:
CheeseChase is built for 2–4 players. Right now you can play against 1–3 AI bots; local and online multiplayer with human players is coming soon.
Shadow is the resident cat, and he has two fixed spaces on the board — one in Street, one in Restaurant. Land on one and you roll again on the spot: 1–3 sends you back, 4–6 lets you dash forward that many spaces instead. Right after you run into one of his two cats, you can drag that cat to any empty space to set an ambush for the next mouse — each cat can be relocated once per round (so up to two relocations total), resetting back to his two default spaces at the end of every round. Separately, there's also a Shadow Nap event card: draw it and Shadow falls asleep for a round, making his spaces completely safe.
In Chaos Mode, a Chaos Card is drawn at the start of each round and its effect applies to all players for that round. This adds a board-wide unpredictable layer on top of the regular Event Card system. You decide whether to use it before the game starts — it makes for a wilder, less predictable experience.
Landing on the Mouse Trap space — or drawing the Hard Lesson event card — earns you Trap Experience. Land on the Mouse Trap 3 times and you become a Veteran Mouse, permanently immune to it for the rest of the game, with a badge to show for it. The Head Bump event card can cost you a point of Trap Experience, and if you're already a Veteran, it strips that status too.
The browser version on itch.io is free to play. The downloadable Windows and macOS builds are paid. The physical edition (coming soon) will also be a paid purchase.
Yes — this Game Guide is always online, covering every space, card, mechanic, and ruling below. If your physical copy included a QR code, it links directly here.
Shields
No. Shields only work on Mousetrap, Shadow, Cat Footprints, Narrow Street, and Event Card spaces (skipping the draw). Chaos Cards are round-wide and affect everyone — they cannot be blocked by a Shield. Exception: Shield Failure card explicitly disables them anyway.
In the digital version, a player can only hold one Shield at a time. Gaining a second Shield while one is already active does nothing.
Movement & Positioning
If you are swapped onto a Shadow Zone space while Shadow is active, the landing penalty triggers normally. You can block it with a Shield.
No. Being sent to a space by a card effect does not trigger that space's effect. You land there for positioning only. Space effects only trigger when you reach that space by rolling and moving.
All players move to the Gathering Point regardless of current position — including those who are already past it. They move backward.
No. Any roll that reaches or passes Space 38 counts. There is no overshoot mechanic.
Cards & Chaos Interactions
Dizzy's roll uses the active rule for that round. Under Double Dice Chaos, the Dizzy card roll is also doubled — the sum of both dice is how far you go back.
The deck reshuffles automatically and you draw from the newly shuffled deck. All cards return to the deck.
Multiplayer
A Mouse Scuffle! One random mouse gets bumped back 2 spaces (or as far back as possible, if 2 would go past Start). This only comes up with more than one mouse on the board.
