Nova Luna

Overview

Nova Luna is an abstract tile-laying game for 1-4 players where you take tiles from a circular Moon Wheel and place them in your personal display. Each tile has a time cost (1-7) and up to 3 color-matching tasks. Complete tasks by arranging adjacent tiles of the correct colors. The first player to place all of their tokens (by completing tasks) wins. Turn order is determined by position on the moon track – the player furthest back always goes next.

Components

• 1 Moon Wheel (circular selection track with 12 spaces)
• 1 Meeple
• 68 Tiles in 4 colors (17 each in red, blue, turquoise, yellow)
• 84 Tokens (21 each in 4 player colors)
• 1 Rulebook

Setup

1. Place the Moon Wheel in the center of the table.
2. Place the Meeple on the space above the golden field (new moon) on the selection track.
3. Shuffle all 68 tiles face down. Place 1 tile face up on each of the 11 remaining spaces of the selection track.
4. Form draw piles from remaining tiles and place them face down around the Moon Wheel.
5. Each player selects a color and takes 21 tokens.
6. First game recommendation: With 3 players, take only 18 tokens; with 4 players, take only 16 tokens.
7. Determine starting order: each player places 1 token in the center; the person who slept latest draws tokens blindly. Stack them in draw order (first drawn at bottom) on the new moon space of the moon track.

Important: Play does NOT proceed clockwise. The player whose token is furthest back on the moon track takes the next turn. If tied, the player whose token is on top goes first.

Turn Structure

On your turn:

1. Choose a tile from the 3 tiles clockwise from the Meeple on the selection track (skip empty spaces).
2. Move the Meeple to the space you took the tile from.
3. Advance your token on the moon track by the number shown on the tile (1-7 spaces clockwise). If you land on an occupied space, place your token on top.
4. Place the tile in your display (adjacent to an existing tile, or as your first tile).
5. Check tasks: If any tasks on your tiles are now fulfilled, place tokens from your supply on them.

Actions

Taking Tiles

• You must take exactly 1 of the next 3 tiles clockwise from the Meeple (empty spaces are skipped, not counted).
• You must take a tile every turn; skipping is not allowed.
• Tiles must be placed immediately upon taking them.

Refilling the Selection Track

• If only 1 or 2 tiles remain on the track at the start of your turn, you may refill all empty spaces with tiles from the draw piles.
• If 0 tiles remain, you must refill. Fill spaces clockwise starting from the space nearest the Meeple.

Placing Tiles

• First tile: place anywhere in front of you.
• Subsequent tiles: place horizontally or vertically adjacent to an existing tile in your display (no diagonal).
• Tiles are always placed task-side face up. Orientation does not matter.

Completing Tasks

Each tile has 0-3 tasks in its corners. Each task shows 1-4 colored circles. A task is fulfilled when the required number of matching-color tiles are adjacent (horizontally or vertically) to the task’s tile. Key rules:

• Connected groups count: A chain of same-colored tiles connected orthogonally all count, as long as at least one is adjacent to the task’s tile. Example: task “2 Blue” is fulfilled by 2 adjacent blue tiles where only one touches the task tile.
• The tile’s own color never counts toward its own tasks.
• Tasks are independent: The same neighboring tiles can satisfy multiple tasks on different tiles simultaneously.
• Higher-cost tiles (larger numbers) tend to have easier tasks.

When a task is fulfilled, place 1 token from your supply on it.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

The game ends immediately when a player places their last token. That player wins.

If all tiles from the selection track and draw piles are exhausted before anyone places all tokens, the player with the fewest remaining tokens wins. Ties are broken by who would have taken the next turn.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Moon track movement: Always advance clockwise. Multiple tokens can share a space (stacked).
• Turn order: Always the furthest-back player. A player may take multiple consecutive turns if they remain furthest back.
• Diagonal adjacency does not exist in this game. Only horizontal and vertical neighbors count.
• Color chains: Adjacent tiles of the same color form a group that collectively satisfies tasks. For example, a line of 3 blue tiles all contribute to a “3 Blue” task on any tile adjacent to the chain.

Solo Rules

• Use tokens of 1 color, forming stacks of 8 and 13.
• No moon track; take tiles one after another without advancing.
• Phase 1: Place the 8 tokens. Then total the numerical values of all tiles in your display.
• Phase 2: Place the remaining 13 tokens by taking more tiles.
• Total both phase scores; lower is better. Target: below 100.
• If you cannot place all tokens, add 10 penalty points per missing token.

Player Reference

Tile Number	Meaning
1-7 (top left)	Time cost: spaces to advance on moon track
Colored circles (corners)	Tasks to complete via adjacent tiles
Tile border color	Red, Blue, Turquoise, or Yellow

Task	Requirement
“2 Blue”	2 blue tiles adjacent (directly or in chain) to this tile
“3 Red”	3 red tiles adjacent to this tile
Token placed	Task is complete; token covers the task